Coast Guard Recruit Company Yankee 182 weekly journal posted March 9, 2010

YANKEE-182 WEEK 04

As for progress goes, week 04 proved to be a success for YANKEE-182. We’ve made a lot of headway in the teamwork department, as well as in general moral. Let’s hope week 05 proves to be as productive.

We started out the week at the range, practicing small arms. The actual range was down due to cleanup but we all got to try our hands at the virtual world of handgun marksmanship. Set up with a projector screen and laser technology, we got to fire at targets to get a feel for the real thing. We we’re proud for our 4 shipmates qualifying as ‘expert marksman’ and the fact that 90% of our company qualified.

The company split up in to two groups over a couple days, running separate schedules for the same classes. In the long run, it seemed to have brought us together a bit more.

As for classes and activities this week focused a lot on our Coast Guard careers. Administrative details such as setting up e-mails, and learning how to utilize the systems here at Cape May, as well as some seamanship classes. We learned of all the different ranks that are available in the coast guard. All the “jobs” and what exactly they entailed. We also learned of how the advancement system works and that our ‘performance trackers’ for our minor mishaps (such as not having our boots bloused) here in boot camp don’t actually affect our resume’. I was relieved…

As for seamanship class we went over some basic knot tying and Helm commands. Helm commands proved to be a bit challenging but we got the swing of it. After we all passed our tests we had a bit of a rivalry knot tying contest in which S.R. McNiff took home the award. 

Friday was a big day for Yankee. We started the morning right with a mid-term!  Basics of all we’ve reviewed in class so far. It went by quick and we succeeded as a company in the fact our average was 94%. Congratulations Shipmates, we earned our pennant. After chow was the mile and a half run assessment. Turned out to be a good day for it- nice and cool, with a little sun to lift our spirits. Another fine accomplishment- everybody passed that as well. We arrived back at the squad bay for some more good news. The cleaning evaluation was decent. Always room for improvement of course, but it wasn’t a disaster area.

Lastly was the blood drive, which we got a good portion of the company to participate in. Pennant number two! Good job guys, let’s keep it up.

Saturday brought more smooth sailing for Yankee. Well, as smooth as you can get at basic training. Sure we do our fair share of pushups between all this accomplishment, but it’s good for us right?

 The sun was high, lifting chins and spirits to conquer the week ahead. The biting wind took a break and a companywide sigh was shared. To start the day off right we got to release some pent up aggression with ‘Pugil sticks’. If you’ve never heard of them, you’re not alone. I’ll try to explain- you stand, feet apart, big q-tip looking stick in hand, and you swing block and growl at your opponent.  While trying to knock him/her off of his/her post. Like caveman with clubs, but more refined. We didn’t get to participate in contact, just practice for now, but should prove to be an entertaining venture.

 Afterword it was off to Sexton hall for more watch standing classes. For those of you who don’t know, Sexton hall was the ‘holding tank’ for forming week before we’re turned over to our Company Commanders. Needless to say it was a little nerve wracking, and another company wide sigh was shared upon exit. Besides a class on performance Evaluations and some more drill and manual of arms practice that was the extent of our Saturday. Let’s keep our heads high Yankee-182. One more day and we’re off to conquer week 5!

 Sunday ah Sunday, divine hours are much more productive now that we know what to do with them. Uniform inspections are tomorrow, so lots of ironing and boondockers shining. After chow was a run through the Cape May community with several other companies. We sang cadence with the company commanders, songs to lift our spirits and boost our moral, oh and to let everyone know just how great the US Coast Guard really is. We got to fly our colors on loan during the run; we don’t actually get to fly them until we earn them around week 6, but it was a nice taste.  Definitely a goal to work toward. The remainder of Sunday was eventful; we welcomed a new shipmate and ran some regular drills. But this week has chocked up to have been a learning experience and a good one. It doesn’t get easier; we’re just finally starting to understand the processes. Plenty of work to be done, plenty of willing hands to do it. Let’s keep on the ball Yankee!

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