SIERRA-182

WEEK 03

Day 01:   We are starting to see a reoccurring theme here at Sierra-182, as “fire, fire, fire,” is sung through the halls each morning.  We wake up with a sense of urgency and barely have enough time to throw on our go-fasters and get below, but all this is done for a reason.  We are learning what it is like to be “Semper Paratus,” Always Ready.  In the fleet we will need to be prepared for any situation that arises.  During the day as we were learning about the GI Bill to further our education, word got out to Chief Garry that Sierra Company was losing its military bearing.  We found ourselves Incentively Training for the rest of the night.  Whether it was fire drills or piece IT, Chief Garry was giving us a reality check to make sure we realized the opportunity we were blessed to have.

Day 02: Today Sierra got a taste of what life may be like in the Coast Guard.  Today we learned the survival float with the Mustangs.  These “Mustangs” are big wetsuits that act like lifejackets.  We donned our mustangs and hopped into the pool.  Everyone was surprised at the fact that we could almost fall asleep while floating in the Mustangs.  The fun seemed to end too soon for Sierra.

Day 03:   Sierra Company is getting buff as we press on with our two-a-day work outs. After our physical fitness workouts it was time to put or minds to work in class. Once we make it to the fleet many of us are going to be pushing ourselves to advance; we learned today how that would be possible.  In the evening the Chaplain came and talked to us about sports, headline news, the weather, and a special tradition that Training Center Cape May partakes in, Operation Fireside.  The Chaplain explained to us that families in Cape May would be taking in recruits for the Christmas Holiday.  The thought of using a phone and computer brightened the spirits of everyone in Sierra Company.

Day 04:   Today at “The Ranch” Chief Garry made us collect our locks and toss them into a bucket.  He then proceeded to shake them up and toss them on the floor.  He then gave us 15 minutes without talking, to work as a team to find our locks.  This was one of Sierra’s proudest moments as we accomplished the task with a couple minutes to spare.  Today also marked our first day of Seamanship class.  We started marching towards the Bay and couldn’t quite figure out where we were going.  When we arrived at the Seamanship building, everyone couldn’t wait to learn about all the things we will be doing in the Coast Guard. 

Day 05:  “Push up position… Take.”  This will be the last time Sierra hears this at 0530, as we went to our last Physical Fitness Enhancement session.  We headed out to the Parade Field for some marching practice. We also grabbed our pieces to work on our precise drill movements. After our attempt at marching with the piece we met the .members of the Coast Guard who do this for a living, The Honor Guard. Some of us were interested in taking on this prestigious position.

Day 06:  “Tie your boots together and throw them in a pile” It was time for some more team building as we sorted through the pile.  We pulled this one off as well as we did the locks.  We then went from tying or shoes together to tying nautical knots.  Some of the class had the chance to take the helm of a simulated cutter to test our skills at helm commands.  Next week will be a big test for Sierra as Christmas is around the corner and we need to focus on passing our midterms and fitness requirements.