WHISKEY 182 BLOG

01FEB10

Teamwork seems to be the theme at boot camp.  We all arrived with different goals and expectations, different backgrounds and personalities, so it is understandable that working together as a unit is the most challenging aspect.  With that said, it will also be the most rewarding.  Today we worked together to accomplish a common task better than we have in previous days.  We are learning how to manage our time and more importantly, how to make the best of what time we have.  The company went to the gym today.  The trip was both slightly intimidating and exciting.  Though there have been a few stressful times in the past week, today everyone seemed in high hopes.  Eagerness certainly was not an expected feeling from any of us when we first stepped off the bus Tuesday, but it is definitely a welcomed one.  We look forward to no longer being the new recruits and simply getting on with the everyday activities of boot camp at Cape May.  The snow is melting, the sun is shining, and we look forward to the challenges of the new day.

02FEB10

After chow this morning our company ventured to the gym for our swim assessment.  Though not everyone was able to pass they’ll have extra time to improve their swimming.  Some recruits were disappointed by this but were far from being discouraged.  Also some members who are in ceremonial received their uniforms and they had their indoctrination today. 

A good deal of time was spent directed toward marching.  We still are not quite there but are improving every day, and today we looked better than yesterday- just as I am sure tomorrow we’ll look even better.

In class today we learned about saluting, discrimination, and the importance of diversity in the Coast Guard.  We cleaned our squadbays and Quarterdecks.  The weather is perfect for marching.  The snow is still not entirely thawed but it is a welcomed relief that the sidewalks are no longer iced over.  Tomorrow we will be issued pieces and we are all excited by this. 

We ended the night with a group prayer and together huddled around our religious petty officers to send our prayers to those we love and who miss us.  Today made one week that we have been here.  We are all eager to get back home.  Seven more weeks to go…….

03FEB10

Today Whiskey Company received pieces.  We also learned how to march with them, which was interesting.  We also traveled to the gym today for a cycling workout.  The class is designed to build our endurance and to help us with our required mile and a half run.

Those in band and Color Guard went to their first practice/rehearsal today.  They are all very excited by the possibility of performing at the graduation ceremony in seven weeks. 

Our training kicked up a notch today after we had a class on Ranks and Ratings, including the proper way to address each.  We have to really be on our toes because we have to greet every person we see in Recruit Training (aside from other recruits) properly.  This is the quickest way to get us prepared for our Coast Guard career at the end of the next seven weeks so everyone understands the rank structure.

As always, we marched more today.  We are still trying to get in sync, but its coming along.  We may not be marching well as a unit yet, but we are definitely getting in shape.

04FEB10

Today was a tough day.  We worked on marching with our pieces.  We are building up muscles we’ve never  known existed before.  When we finally get it together, the company will look impressive in formation. 

We attended our first workout in the gym this morning.  We did core exercises to prepare us for our physical fitness test.  It was difficult but rewarding.  Everyone felt good afterward because we feel we’re achieving something.  It was cold today, but the sun was shining.  It’s expected to snow this evening and nobody is looking forward to it. 

Tomorrow is Friday.  For most people it’s the start of their weekend; for us, it’s just another day.  Sunday is our favorite day, so that’s what we are counting down to.  We’ve been receiving a good bit of mail and that always lightens everyone’s mood!

05FEB10

As usual, we marched more today- working on perfecting it for a close order drill exam tomorrow-that is, if the expected blizzard doesn’t hit first. 

We also learned about watch standing and tonight is our first night posting watch.  This is a very important thing to learn because no matter where we go, at some point in our USCG career we’ll be on watch.  

While marching in formation today, we were followed by a flock of wild geese.  This reminds us that we are not as secluded from the world as we may sometimes think.  It also gave us more iniative to stick it out for a few more weeks.  Everyone is nervous about the marching test tomorrow- but I hope we all remember the different movements and do well.  Today was also our first full workout in the gym.  The was the best part of the day, with the exception of TAPS. 

We also had our first rack inspections today, and some of us did not do too well.  Our cleaning skills are improving though.  We are also getting into great shape developing muscles whose names we can’t even pronounce.  Overall we are becoming more comfortable with one another and that will help to develop our teamwork capabilities.

06FEB10

Saturday was the most interesting day of boot camp yet.  Starting off around 0430 the electricity went out on base due to a blizzard.  Then our company mentor, LT TWOMEY, came to speak to us.  He gave us some encouraging advice and answered every question we could think of.  We look forward to meeting with him again in a few weeks.

The only electricity we had was the emergency lighting, so the fact that the galley was able to prepare meals and feed us sandwiches, salads and fruits was impressive.  That night all of the companies came together at the medical bay to sleep because they had a generator going.

07FEB10

The blizzard is over but the snow remains…and there is a lot of it.  We shoveled snow all day.  We had to dig our way out of the building and into other buildings.  We dug out sidewalks, fire exits, cars, trucks, parking lots and roads.  Two and three feet of snow covered everything.  The electricity is back and we are back in Munro Hall again.  Now it is time to concentrate and get back into the routine of boot camp.

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