24AUG09

ALFA spent the day learning our first aid and CPR skills with YN1 Pascucci. We learned how to respond to common shipboard accidents and emergencies such as electrical shock, bleeding or burns as well as more serious injuries. We were able to practice CPR on foldable mannequins as well as the infant dummies. These are crucial skills to all Guardians in the fleet, regardless of their normal positions. Again, we never know when we may be called upon to assist in an emergency. We also spent time preparing our Trops uniforms for our big inspection tomorrow. But as usual, ALFA’s effort was lukewarm at getting everything ready and it showed. We will have little time tomorrow to fix them. ALFA must utilize teamwork or make do on a wing and a prayer to succeed at this important assessment. Our company’s pride depends on it.

25AUG09

Today’s inspections were a continuation of ALFA’s roller coaster performance. We sailed through the Trops inspection with our Battalion Officer, but our ship took on some water with our Close Order Drill routine with Chief Bou. It was a bit of a deflation after our uniforms success, but BM2 Crews left us with some perspective and we noted our corrections and moved ahead. We are looking forward to another day at Seamanship to complete our Line Handling class, and continue to build momentum towards a strong Week 07. It is strange to feel like we will be gone soon, but the fleet needs us and we still have a lot to learn.

26AUG09

ALFA spent our last day at Seamanship, learning mooring techniques and competing for the Marlinspike Seamanship Award. We were sad to say goodbye, since we have enjoyed BM2 Humphrey’s instruction, and the hands-on learning has been helpful to all of us. To earn the award, we competed against each other in rescue line heaving and knot tying. We practiced mooring from the giant ship mock-up. Afterwards, we had a very large chunk of time that we devoted to our uniforms, haircuts, unit calls, work details, etc. While we are excited about winding down training, our previous experiences with free time hasn’t always been this painless. On the other hand, we didn’t seem to have as many issues as a company today, so it’s possible we’re actually pulling it together and thinking about being the senior company on the regiment next week.

27AUG09

One more day passed for ALFA as we prepared to bid farewell to ZULU-181, which will make us the senior company in Cape May. We are studying for our final exam, gleaning our uniforms of stray threads, and making preparations and contacts to our units. Today we had our Work-Life and STD classes, further preparing us for life after Basic Training. ALFA is carrying a more relaxed and confident air these days; as we have more time to work, our demeanor feels less forced and more like a natural growth in maturity as a company. This week we have been able to give back to the base through various work details around the regiment. We are definitely excited about our upcoming off-base liberty as well. The graduation clock is now audibly ticking in our minds, and we are fighting the impulse to be restless. Tomorrow we will march the parade field to graduate ZULU, signaling the beginning of our end of Basic Training.

28AUG09

ALFA Company has officially begun wrapping up its requirements here at Cape May. We all did well on our final exam, adding a fourth pennant to our guidon and colors. We marched the field with pride as ZULU-181 bid adieu to Cape May, and we stepped in as the senior company. We were a little sad and excited as we surrendered our pieces back to Goff Hall (No more Piece IT!). On the way back, we stopped over at Sexton Hall to make the racks for next week’s arriving company. Overhead, the nervous shuffles of GOLF-182’s feet as they formed brought strong emotions as we realized how much we have learned so far. As we left, forming up on those famous little yellow triangles next to the bus parking, we read the words outside the building again with greater clarity, understanding, and anticipation than ever before- “Through these doors pass the future Guardians of the sea.”

Blog

16Aug09

Alfa’s struggle with commitment continued today. While earning our colors should have inspired us to keep up the hard work, we have instead chose a different course. To rekindle our enthusiasm, our CC’s directed us through some very physical urgency exercises for the majority of the afternoon. As a result, we marched to chow sopping wet and not at all looking like we were a company headed into week 06. Our company is experiencing internal discord as it becomes more and more obvious where our weaknesses continually lie. We are still so wrapped up in our own issues that we often deny ourselves the opportunity to experience how much true teamwork can accomplish. After evening chow, we headed out on an uplifting company run with bravo. Again, we always seem to put our best foot forward when others are watching. We have the raw material of integrity within us, but we are exhausting every way to find and keep it.

17Aug09

Alfa reached deep within today and provided a good effort at making progress in our teamwork. It may have been a switch turned on or merely the soreness from yesterday’s drills that served as our catalyst, but one thing was for certain. It was a genuine effort. Maybe we’re tired of bickering, maybe we’re scared of losing Saturday’s much anticipated on-base liberty. Whatever the circumstance, we worked hard to stay quiet, move more quickly, and help our shipmates. That’s not to say we succeeded at every task, but our mood was certainly different. It did not feel like our usual motivational bursts, but more like a very small step towards understanding. None of us want our graduation to be to the relief of the regiment. We have a little over 02 weeks to change everyone’s minds, including our own. We were afforded a rare and exciting opportunity today to join the base for a country music concert put on by the “Spirit of America” tour. Featuring major recording artist mark wills, we were able to enjoy an intimate and inspiring show for a few hours. Afterwards, we did our best to lock back onto business as usual. As always, tomorrow is a new training day and a new opportunity to continue to progress.

18Aug09

Another day brought our new opportunity, and Alfa was again up for the challenge. We managed to continue our progress from yesterday, and maybe even grew a little. Alfa had an adventure-packed day that demanded our total focus, since we began our fire-fighting classes this week. Today we got to wear and operate our masks, respirators, and helmets and practice hose handling and positioning. We also each extinguished a small fire in the shipboard simulator. The class was fun and more difficult than you would think. Later this week we will be putting out fires in full suit with the hoses in a training area designed like a ship’s hatch. It is a mandatory class, but most of us have been looking very forward to it. Maybe it’s what has inspired us to start putting out our own fires.

19Aug09

Alfa was back to separate groups today to complete 02 missions- our fire fighting exercise and to complete career counseling and ID card issue. We were able to ask many questions about our first duty stations, to YN1 Pascucci, who patiently answered them all. Then we were issued our common access cards (CAC). They are much more than identification- they are practically mini computer for all the functions they perform. Alfa has many preparations to make before our departure, and tonight we began making our first contacts to our units to ask questions about our arrival. All of the steps we’re taking make us feel so close to the end, but so far we’ve managed to maintain our bearing through the excitement. There is so much to look forward to in the next few weeks that staying locked on will be a challenge for Alfa, but each day we are coming closer.

20Aug09

Days like today are what recruits look forward to from day one. Alfa was split again today between ID cards and firefighting, followed by another round of pugil sticks, and generous time allotted to uniform maintenance. Our CC’s have been rewarding our (mostly) good behavior with more time to produce higher quality work. The firefighting proved to be an intense experience for most of the company. Besides being physically demanding, it was challenging to remain levelheaded under layers of clothing, very low visibility, and claustrophobic masks and respirators. Many of us recognized that we may need to fight a major onboard fire at some point in our careers, and swallowed that fact with some difficulty. Others of us loved the experience and were excited to go again. To release some tension afterwards, we went head to head in another round of pugil stick fighting. Our training schedule today kept us fully engaged, and we’re hoping that momentum carries into tomorrow.

21Aug09

Alfa’s day today consisted of many new and non-routine tasks that veered steeply away from our normal schedule. We provided set-up and watch duties for Yankee-181’s graduation, had our smallpox injection sites reviewed, and performed several other “odd jobs” around the regiment. BM2 crews is helping us build our signature cadences, now that we have developed an identity. Our last big event of the day was our weekend inter-company kick-off. As mentioned before, large blocks of unscheduled time can put us doing just about anything, and our CC’s plan some very tactical exercises between companies to foster camaraderie and teamwork. While we don’t socialize with our junior companies, these exercises are realistic so that when we arrive at our new units, we will need to work with new people and new ideas to accomplish a mission. Our variation in schedule and impromptu activities kept us occupied and our minds off of our long awaited shot at on base liberty tomorrow.

22Aug09

Alfa’s day started out sweaty in the non-traditional way as we piled on our gortex rain gear to fend off hurricane bill’s spittle. With our close order drill test looming near, we took to the parade field to practice. Maybe we had too much breakfast, or maybe the rain was distracting, because our practice runs were definitely below our capability. When Alfa is locked on, our c.o.d. generally looks pretty good and is one of our strengths. At least we all seemed to be disappointed with ourselves and committed to fixing it, which shows we may have grown beyond our “lecture, awesome, not so awesome, lecture” routine. Our CC’s were still kind enough to grant our liberty, and Alfa swarmed cape may with radars on for food and pay phones. Of course a good time was had by all, and we returned promptly to our squad bays. Tomorrow we’ll begin earning next week’s off base liberty, so it will be interesting to see if a little R&R refreshed Alfa’s focus for another week of training.

23Aug09

Alfa rode the hamster wheel back to the bottom again today after our cc’s discovered that our heads, squad bays and gear lockers were not only not to USCG standard, they were not clean by any standard. Our liberty yesterday seemed so hard earned, but Alfa has learned how to put on a good show, then our efforts often are revealed to be superficial. Bm2 crews led us through a strong briefing that will hopefully penetrate our thoughts and percolate down into our actions. In about 10 days, we will need to pass final inspections and act as a graduating company. We should each leave Cape May prepared to answer a plea for help. We discussed the expectations that civilians develop for you as soon as they see your uniform. People generally expect us to be prepared for emergency as soon as we walk off this base. Right now not many of us feel ready or confident in our shipmates’ readiness. Anais nin said, “one’s life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” We are on the threshold of amazing opportunity. Each one of us must find the courage to seize that opportunity and all of the responsibility and sacrifice that comes with it. Not one mentor we have met on this base has ever regretted their decision to take that chance, and they rely on us to do the same.

Blog

10 Aug 09

Alfa seemed to have its batteries completely recharged today. We were pretty focused, energetic, and had an air of confidence. Our big event of the day was another round of pugil sticks. Letting off some steam and tightening our shipmate bond through close contact pummeling really seemed to lighten our spirits. Afterwards we locked right back on and set our sights on radio communications class at seamanship. We learned the lingo of radio and the phonetic alphabet. The weather here in Cape May has been brutal hot and humid for several days out of the past few weeks. Everyone has been taking precautions such as plentiful hydration, sunscreen, and at times we are authorized to wear just our navy USCG t-shirts to beat the heat. Today the heat index was especially high and we (gratefully) spent a portion of the day in our physical fitness gear. We also attended our flags and pennants class, after evening chow, many of us moved into whiskey company's now empty squad bays. We are so much closer to our goal. We are picking up steam. We have 04 more days of growth to show the regiment what Alfa's made of.

11 Aug 09

Week 05 is proving to be productive for Alfa. Now over the hump of our midterm and physical tests, we are zeroing in on the real-life operations of a guardian. At seamanship, we practiced our radio skills by responding to a distressed vessel report. We're also perfecting our knot-tying abilities. We are mulling things over less and reacting more. Shipmates are perfecting their internal teamwork to get it all done. In fact, now we answer to one shipmate who leads and motivates us all. We are proud to be led by one of our own, even if it is taking us several tries to get things right. It is forcing us to be aware of our core value respect at all times. Out in the field, it's possible that someone much younger than yourself could be your boss or you are working alongside a less experienced group both situations demand not only respect for your leadership, but also your shipmates to accomplish each mission effectively. These are the values and habits that Alfa is learning not in a classroom, but in every move we make as a company.

12Aug09

Alfa's agenda for today was filled with requirements for seamanship. We began with our class on boat crew duties taught by our valued Coast Guard auxiliarists. Again emphasizing teamwork, our instructors let us through the typical duties and qualifications for each member of a small boat team. Each must know the duties and typical reactions of the others to produce the quickest response or to fill in if a member is injured. We also completed our pfd (personal floatation device) class. We participated in a timed event to see who was the fastest at donning the jacket, although all of us had to have it on and adjusted from stowed position in less than one minute. We also took our seamanship midterm, which will up the ante on who will win the marlinspike seamanship award at graduation but as our biggest boost of morale for the day, our commanding offices Captain Thomas sweated it out with us through a blistering bike workout, then gave each of us an individual fist pump of encouragement. It was truly a special moment for all of us. It proved to us that no matter your rank, we all have to work hard and we are all here to support each other.

13Aug09

Today was Alfa’s defining day. Amidst rain, sun, mosquitoes, laundry bags, and a full class schedule, Alfa-182 finally carved out it's niche on the regiment. It was the day we've been waiting for - our assignments. We waited on pins and needles until after lunch time, when the time finally came. There was a glimpse of our futures as Guardians in every location thinkable, from the arctic to the tropics. While some of us were surprised, most of us were excited with possibility. Suddenly we were no longer bumbling through boot camp for no reason - we now had a vision, a mission. A recommitment to the reasons we are here and overwhelming emotions about the process of getting from here to there in 03 short weeks. But before we could possibly think, we were off again. In the end, we emerged locked on and looking good - with our newly earned colors flying from our usually naked guidon post, signaling - Alfa has arrived, we are now visible, recognizable - not just as recruits, but as Guardians marching toward their purposes and passions.

14Aug09

Alfa began the day pounding the pavement on our morning quadrangle run. It's just long enough to get our blood pumping and open our eyes to the new day. Today it was a especially important that we were at our best, because the Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Allen, was in attendance at X-Ray 181's graduation. Alfa struck out onto the parade field in sharp uniforms and "blinging" boots, ready to impress. Our company seems to march a little taller and straighter when we know our appearance is squared away, so our cc's raised the bar on our uniform standards. We are starting to look and act like a more senior company, with the exception of some fidgeting that we can't seem to quit. In the evening, we met up from some inter-company march with seabags and pieces that undoubtly got all the fidgets out. A little friendly competition for the loudest, most squared away company boosts our spirits and sets the tone for another day of training tomorrow.

15Aug09

Some days in boot camp it's difficult to find motivation, even if the day before was great, or even the last hour. Some much occurs in a 24 hour period in training that each experience may turn a completely new page. Alfa struggled today with this, and our moods tend to fluctuate in general. Short bursts of motivation quickly dwindle into mediocre efforts until we are corrected. Today we spent time with our company mentor, who presented us with coast guard footage of rescue operations after hurricane Katrina. As civilians, we saw our helicopters plucking survivors from rooftops with distracted and disconnected hearts and minds. Today, we saw these heroes as our shipmates - people who once walked these same halls and slept in the same racks - they were made here the same way we are being made. Many of us will one day be those heroes, but the same applies to all of us. The coast guard demands our service, but our shipmates and the civilians lives that depend on us demand our commitment every hour and every day. Alfa is learning, that we must find it within ourselves to commit to excellence regardless of situation or mood.

Blog

Another Sunday brought more divine hours to ALFA, and for the first time we were able to complete all our assignments and devote some time to studying, writing a letter home and practicing Manual of Arms. ALFA has been working hard to get our Required Knowledge down pat. Company Commander MK1 Bailey has us play a version of General Orders baseball. We all recite our General Orders one by one, and after 03 strikes we hold our manuals out at shoulder height and read them aloud. It takes about 08 minutes to make one complete round, as you can imagine we are all developing major shoulder muscles! On the upside we are learning them a lot more quickly. Unfortunately our parade was rained out today, but we spent a lot of time on uniform maintenance and Manual of Arms. Working together to allow us all to look good and learn new moves has hopefully flipped the switch in ALFA that turns us on and keeps us on. Tomorrow begins Week 04. We have midterms and pictures to take. We are almost halfway there. Can we walk the talk?

03 AUG 09

Today ALFA split into two groups, Port and Starboard, for our training schedule. Port spent the day at the range qualifying with the .40 cal., and the Starboard group spent the day in classes that Port will take tomorrow. Since ALFA is such a large company, splitting us was an interesting experiment in our development. Suddenly a large magnifying glass was balanced over us and we could easily distinguish problem points. Everything was made easier by simply reducing our volume- teamwork suddenly got better as people could no longer hide in rows of recruits. Each individual was important and vital to the mission, whether it was moving our formation around or cleaning the squad bay. We were sounding off and marching strong, and really honing in on our strengths and weaknesses. It will be equally interesting to see if ALFA will be twice as strong when we reunite as a company.

04 AUG 09

There's no way around it, ALFA has a very difficult day today. Our company was split again into range and classes, and everything seemed to come to a head. The timing was strange to say the least. We have also been getting our graduation portraits made. One would think that seeing ourselves in the dress Bravo uniforms and caps would have inspired us to step it up a notch, but unfortunately all it seemed to do was exacerbate our lack of self-discipline. We are sure that we're not the only company in history to take a nose-dive, but that does not make it acceptable. So much more of our morale than we think is wrapped up in how we appear to others on this regiment. Our demeanor and bearing in formation relays what kind of company we are. We seem to be in a hamster wheel of guided discussions, temporary improvement, then back down to the same old stuff. We are in Week 04. We will be requesting our duty stations this week. We are searching ourselves for the answer that will help us move forward.

05 AUG 09

ALFA had a physically challenging day today. Our physical fitness exam took place at the gym and track. Males and females had different requirements for push-ups, sit-ups, and the 1.5 mile run. In addition to our swim requirement, passing is required for graduation. ALFA made a good showing, with most of us passing the 3 part test, but most of those that didn't either came close of only had one area to work on. After our assessment, we went over to the obstacle course to learn how to climb the ropes. Later this evening we went for a long, difficult march that certainly made us tired, but a little proud too, for finishing. Some of us feel that eventually, we'll be too tired to keep getting into trouble. Tomorrow will tell. We have our Seamanship exam and our e-Resume classes, which will require our sharpest focus to succeed. Many of us also have ceremonial drills or other responsibilities to fulfill on top of our busy schedule. To help, Father Barrett offered us some encouraging words that will hopefully energize us for tomorrow.

06 AUG 09

ALFA had an exciting day today. We took our Helm Commands test today at Seamanship, and we all were nervous about filling out or Dream Sheets. There were pages and pages of stations to choose from - everything from small boat stations to the polar icebreakers. Many of us are read to see the world and selected out-conus locales, while about a third of us had a guaranteed district close to home. The class seemed to inspire us a little, especially since another company graduates tomorrow and we will become the senior company in Munro Hall. Another weekend will complete Week 04. Next week we will receive our first duty stations and being making arrangements. ALFA did their best to march tall and proud despite our recent downfalls, in anticipation of what's to come. Tomorrow is our mid-term exam and another stamp in the cook closer to our own big day. We still have a lot to learn, but at least we took a step in the right direction.

08 AUG 09

Saturday turned over a new leaf for ALFA today. Last night we were informed by our CC's that a "Fun March" was being planned for today and those who wanted to participate had 24 hours to prepare themselves for the 05 mile hike. All day today the choice was looming over all of us. As we stood outside Munro Hall practicing our Manual of Arms this morning it was in the back of our minds, which might account for some of us spacing on the different between our left and our right. By afternoon chow it was starting to creep close to the fore-front. We could hear our CC's planning it out that the Company Commander table amidst the indoctrination of a new forming company. The pugil stick introduction we received afterwards was a welcome respite, but by evening chow there was that 05 miles "Fun March" again, breathing down our necks. We were caught between hydrating ourselves and enjoying our "last meal". When we returned to the squad bays it finally happened, "Raise your hands it you are going to come along tonight" and instantly 70 some-odd hands shot into the air. We packed our rucksacks and slung them over our shoulders, grabbed our pieces, donned our covers and marched out the door where we were met by Zulu, Bravo and Charlie companies. Word had spread around the regiment that ALFA was marching and they had all come out to participate as well. So there was ALFA leading a column of over 200 recruits, setting the pace and holding our collective heads high. We have already been invited on another one next week, and ALFA might finally have something to sign its colors to on the base. We are ALFA-182, we are the new beginning!

Blog

26JUL09

There’s a saying here at Cape May about training and it’s that the days are long, but the weeks fly by.  Today ALFA concluded week 02 of training.  Most people would never believe how much you can learn and accomplish in such a short time.  Two weeks ago we were running around in civilian clothes.  Today ALFA stepped out for the first time in inspection-ready uniform, complete with shiny boots and trouser creases.  Our normally distracted company actually looked a little puffed with pride as we strutted out in formation.  We spent the bulk of our divine hours polishing, clipping threads, ironing and taping off lint.  No, we didn’t get it perfectly right-but we marched a little quicker and stood a little taller.  It was amazing to see bona-fide military bearing from our group in that manner.  As it becomes more routine for us to maintain our uniform s to these specs that confidence will spill over into our other work.  Tonight we also begin our watch duties- the quintessential of any Guardian.

27JUL09

Week 03 seemed to start out on the right foot for ALFA Company.  We looked better, marched better, and seemed to be getting along exceptionally well.  Petty Officer LaKose surprised us at the gym with another lifecycle interval workout instead of core training.  Everyone worked very hard and left the gym feeling better for the hard output.  There’s been a definite growth spurt within ALFA-182 over the past few days.  There’s less talking, more helping, and more attention to our duties.  If only we could just move a little faster.  Our CC’s raised the bar for our performance today as well- we will be performing our close order drill in a parade on Sunday with our pieces.  We are all nervous, but no doubt we will be working hard on our MOA for the rest of the week.  It feels good to be getting into the groove and turning our focus towards our Guardian training.

28JUL09

ALFA dove right into training today, with several classes and our survival float at the pool.  The float seemed to be exciting for many of us, since we were able to zip up into the “Mustang” survival suits.  Picture what you’ve seen the Guardians wear on the “deadliest catch” and you’ve got the idea.  We stepped off into the deep end and practiced survival floating and huddling techniques.  It was awesome to think that only a few short weeks from now, some of us would be wearing them as a standard issue.  Our classes ranged from our Military ID cards, to safety protocols, to the Coast Guard History.  Our schedule is getting busier, with several core Maritime classes this week.  Our CC’s have been kind enough to allow us longer trips to the head and time in the evenings to devote to our uniforms and squad bay cleanliness.  As a result, ALFA’s morale is swinging up and away from the terrified “New kids on the block” mentality.  At every muster there are shipmates correcting shoes under the racks, rolling uniform sleeves, and asking for required knowledge. 

29JUL09

By now we have determined that each person in ALFA has a role to play, even if they don’t know what that role is just yet.  Today we had our class on the Coast Guard roles and Missions.  It was enlightening to break down what we really do in an average day from search and rescue operations to marine mammal protection and beyond.  Discussing all the ways we operate has gotten many of us excited about what we’’ soon be doing out in the fleet.  But since we’re still starting small, our CC led a great discussion tying our Manual of arms training to our overall teamwork and the teams we will be joining after basic training.  It came as a surprise to most of us that our “pieces” we carry are not WWII reproductions, but was actually manufactured during the war and could have been seen action.  The thought was sobering and immediately instilled a deep sense of pride and respect within us.  The Coast Guard is so small that our survival and mission completion depends entirely on infallible teamwork.  Pushups and incentive training get easier after a while; you can practice to run faster.  Forming a well training, responsive, and totally trustworthy team from a muddle of different people is by far the hardest part of basic training.  ALFA-182 is doing our best to motivate ourselves to live up to the standard. 

30JUL09

As you probably already know, seafarers speak their own language altogether. There are thousands of terms and new vocabulary to master before being able to converse fluently on a ship. Today ALFA-182 began seamanship classes, starting with the basic nomenclature of a vessel by its areas and major features. Many we already know, since we’ve been using terms like “deck“ or “bow” to describe our surroundings’ We learned the types of securing devices found on the decks of a ship for moorage. We also practiced for Sunday’s parade with the rest of the battalion. Unfortunately, we had a difficult day discipline-wise. ALFA is still struggling with consistency in sounding off and self-discipline, but the more times we all get Incentive Training for one or a few people’s actions, the fewer incidents will occur. Of course for the sake of our shipmates, we hope it gets better before it that happens! As we’ve said before, tomorrow is a new training day and a fresh attempt at getting it right.

31JUL09

Another busy day of training for ALFA! We literally hit the ground running this morning as a group around the track. Friday’s are busy around Cape May since we have Graduation Day every week- and this time ALFA got to march the field with the senior companies. It was an emotional event for many of us- we were excited for our graduating shipmates, but we are of course counting the days down until we are the guests    of honor.  Aside from an early turn, ALFA seemed to make a good showing out on the field. We worked very hard to keep the same military bearing our more experienced shipmates exhibited. Afterwards, our spirit of teamwork seemed to linger through the day despite the minor squabbles we are facing. Everyone is making an effort to get it all done, we are just honing our communication skills amongst ourselves. Additionally, we had a great time at Seamanship putting knot definitions to memorable tunes. So far everyone seems to enjoy those classes, especially since it will be real live practical knowledge out in the fleet. Participating in the graduation and our interactive classes seems to have motivated and inspired us.

01AUG09

Alfa spent the entire day at Seamanship today, learning to tie the 05 basic knots and helm commands. We were able to get behind the helm simulators and practice calling and executing the movements. The simulator was actually pretty realistic, with environmental factors such as choppy waves affecting your rudder alignment. This time it was only a practice run, but Thursday we will be tested for graduation qualification. Our pace at Seamanship is generally a little more relaxed, and in addition to being fun subject matter, we are afforded a lot of study time between course sections. BM2 Humphrey, our instructor, finds some engaging and helpful ways to get us to retain the information. ALFA also made a strong effort to pull our discipline together today. Our CC BM2 Crews gave us a truthful and constructive briefing of our status, with self-discipline and motivation being the main issues we all agreed on. Afterwards, we headed out the door to practice our MOA for the parade tomorrow. As if it was a divine test, a black cloud of mosquitoes lit on us and tested every bit of restraint we could muster at attention. Apparently we missed a few questions, because our next step was some inter-company IT to welcome Charlie Company to boot camp. On the parade field! ZULU, ALFA, BRAVO, and CHARLIE companies all sweated it out together. Seeing our junior companies up close seemed to sharpen our attention to how we appear as a company. ALFA may have some good wheels turning!   

Blog 

Friday, 17 JUL 09

After three long, stressful days after our landing at Cape May, the forming company that arrived 14 JUL 09 stewed in nearly palpable anxiety as the dreaded hour ticked closer: Today was the day we would form ALFA-182. We would meet our Company Commanders and begin the arduous, yet necessary Indoctrination Weekend. We timidly stuffed our sea bags and with newly issued gear and reality sank in as we filed back into the Sexton Hall classroom to meet our chain of command. We were honored to have CPT Thomas herself thank us personally for our decision to serve, and we were bolstered with the positivity with which our superiors imparted both stern expectations and the faith that our company would fulfill them. Our new CC’s, MK1 Bailey, FS1 Harmon, and BM2 Crews would guide ALFA-182 from a group of undisciplined civilians to a well-oiled, thoroughly knowledgeable task force of Guardians over the next eight weeks, and the process would begin as soon as we set down our gear in Munro Hall.

Saturday, 18 JUL 09

ALFA-182 was about to find out quickly that Indoc Weekend is all about learning the rules, executing them correctly, and the consequences  for not doing just that. We attended several classes on the Coast Guard Core Values, uniform standards and procedures, and stuffed our racks full of supplies from our trip to the Exchange, where we also began learning our drill movements. Our company is over 80 strong, so mastering the steps will be challenging. Fortunately our CC’s were patient enough to demonstrate them repeatedly. We were also introduced to more Incentive Training that has tested every fiber of our minds and bodies. We are just learning to pull together as a team to encourage and help our shipmates  who are struggling with the mental and physical stress. The very small seed of true teamwork has been planted by the CC’s with push-ups and sweat over this weekend, and it is up to ALFA to learn to nurture it to its potential.

Sunday, 19 JUL 09

ALFA-182 has also learned quickly that Sunday’s divine hours are a thing to be cherished. The company spent the quiet hours poring over their racks folding gear and getting them to Coast Guard Standard, and we were finally able to write a short letter home. It was a constructive time to reflect and process all the information we had been given since forming. But once the clock struck 1300, we were back on duty and learning some very difficult lessons in group accountability. We have practiced a lot of marching over the past few days, and were surprised to hear that MK1 Bailey felt that our movements were headed in the right direction. We also received positive feedback that our speed was improving. It was welcome news after what was most likely the most difficult weekend of our lives. We are only just beginning to understand the importance of the standard the name ALFA should hold for all the companies to follow- we are the first, we will be the best. We were also nervous and excited to receive our company jobs and duties. Each individual volunteered and was selected based on their unique skills and experience. ALFA-182 is looking forward to accepting our new roles within our company and applying the diverse skills we already possess.

Monday, 20 JUL 09

ALFA-182’s very first scheduled training day began with some Incentive Training to motivate our performance and serve as a reminder for all of the objectives we were expected to follow for the day. We received more detailed instructions on the stowage of our gear, and headed over to the gym for our Cybex Machine Indoc. Petty Officer Lakose walked us through our strength training regimen and directed us through a pain-relieving stretch session. After chow we made our way to the chapel for our class on Stress Management and Suicide Prevention. Our chaplain, Father Barrett, goes to great lengths to ensure the recruits feel at ease in the chapel. The recruits were very thankful for the lighter atmosphere, and our spirits were buoyed as we left the class to tackle more company business and issues we are addressing. By now our stress levels are peaking, but our company is finally starting to recognize the concepts that our CC’s have been teaching us from Day One- Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty.  In the coming weeks, we will continue to grow under our CC’s tutelage and learn the required application of these principles.

Tuesday, 21 JUL 09

Reveille brought a new day and a fresh start for ALFA. We were able to don our Gortex jackets  for the first time in the morning rain as well as our boondockers (boots).  Maybe it was the gear, or maybe things were starting to sink in, but at least we looked, if not felt, a tiny bit more like a military group than a harried bunch of misfits in half uniform.  Of course it wasn’t long until the blisters started cropping up.  We also attended our swim assessment today. Our objective was to jump off of a 05 foot platform, then swim 100 yards, then complete a secondary portion of treading water for 05 minutes. Our Company Commanders were on deck encouraging us the whole way- we each got a “Good Job” from our CC’s as we hauled our exhausted carcasses out of the water. After attending our classes on Basic Human Awareness and Saluting, our morale today has been the best yet. While we did receive some IT, we took our lumps with what seemed to be a better attitude. Our training has begun; we are learning the actual skills we will need as Guardians. ALFA may be getting excited about learning our skills rather than fearing the inevitable and necessary corrections.

Wednesday, 22 JUL 09

Pieces. In a million pieces. Pieces of the puzzle. Broken into pieces. Put the pieces back together. Piece of the pie. ALFA-182 spent today learning every possible usage of that word. Today, we were entrusted with our demilitarized M-1 Garandes, or “pieces”, since they are disabled and technically no longer a firearm. Our CC’s introduced our new nine-pound friends and to Manual of Arms training. There is definite intention in the introduction of  this skill at this particular time. We came into ALFA as individuals-pieces of all places, walks of life, and have been broken down into more similar (albeit sweaty) pieces that may form a solid foundation. Although most of us had already anticipated all the ways our pieces could be used for IT, their true purpose is to bring all the pieces of ALFA together. We want to be a team. We want to stand out above the rest on the regiment. We are putting the pieces back together.

Thursday, 23 JUL 09

One of the most difficult issues ALFA is facing is learning to address military personnel correctly. We have spent the past two weeks using what we call the “Sir Sandwich” to respectfully address our superiors. i.e., “Sir, yes, sir!” or “Ma’am,  yes,  ma’am!”  Now, we have taken our classes on ranks, rates, and pay grades and are expected to address others correctly. We participated in a fun exercise that helped us learn our ranks by sight. Several recruits were stationed around the parade field wearing jackets with insignias or holding flashcards with uniform devices. The recruits ran around the field greeting each “superior” properly. ALFA-182 seems to be nervous about taking the plunge and trusting ourselves with the information we’ve been given. Many of us try to add a “sir” to a proper greeting, or misread insignias or nameplates.  This is a crucial skill in the day-to-day operation of the military- hopefully our company’s nerves will settle after our first full week and we can move forward.

Friday, 24 JUL 09

Believe it or not, there are moments in Basic Training that are insanely funny. The seagulls at Cape May possess deadly accuracy, everyone wears the standard issue eyeglasses, and the CC’s have a whole repertoire of comments for every kind of person that walks through these doors.  The hard part is keeping your “war face” when something really funny happens- especially when it feels like you haven’t laughed in a while.  We spent a lot of time today in formation practicing our close order drill (which is getting better!) so we were glad to shake off some tension. Though it sounds like we take a lot of hits, what is happening as a result is worth it. Shipmates are starting to seek out those who need a hand. There is more peer pressure on each recruit to have him or herself squared away. Accountability is coming to the forefront of our minds. The CC’s always remind us that tomorrow is a new training day, and ALFA 182 will drive forward with lessons in hand.

Saturday, 25 JUL 09

Today was ALFA’s first Saturday after a normal training week, and we were a little apprehensive about how few scheduled items we had for the day. To elaborate, any blocks of time between classes or meals could put us doing just about anything. Our CC’s are encouraging extra sanitation around our squad bays in an attempt to buffer us from the raging Cape May Crud. The nasty virus has gone from bad to just plain mean and is debilitating several companies in training. The females moved to a new squad bay, and we all sanitized as best we could. As an additional measure, we are all required to eat 02 granola bars at evening muster. So far, all ALFA has displayed are the typical coughs and sniffles produced by a new environment and new germs. We spend time every night sanitizing our bunks and sleep in opposite directions in the racks. Other progress for ALFA today included more drill work, practice meeting time objectives, and a positive guided discussion with LCC MK1 Bailey to revisit the Coast Guard Core Values. ALFA is looking forward to tomorrow’s devine hours and another day to learn.

Blog