# My Journey



## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

_The Academy and the Scholarship_

I soon found out that my parents were firmly, and not unjustly, against me enlisting. I understood their reasons, but that didn't mean I liked it. So, we made a compromise. I could join the military, as long as I received a college education first. So I applied to one of the most prestigious schools in the nation: The Naval Academy. The initial application wasn't horrible, by far it was one of the nicer applications I had filled out. So after submitting that application, I received a message on facebook from the recruiter I had talked to saying that he had a scholarship I might be interested in. With my parents approval, I filled it out. Now, I know that this was a really naive of me, especially since I had no idea what I was applying for, but I did it anyway. The application, I found out later, was for the NROTC Scholarship. That scholarship application was about 20 pages long and asked for the most information I've ever had to give out.

Not too long after I sent in my application, I received word that I had an interview at the State's head recruiting station, at 8 am. Okay, no problem. I'm wondering now if I should have invited my recruiter to come along for the interview, but it's too late now. I'm not sure it would have made a difference. Instead I had my mom take me. When I got to the head Rss station for my interview, I had my first real interaction with the government and learned the rule, "Hurry up and wait." I spent the next hour sitting in the Rss station, awaiting my turn for an interview. I did have a nice conversation with a couple of other interview candidates, that was until, I met my first short recruiter. Now, tall military members can be intimidating, but there is nothing more intimidating than a short military person. But that's a whole different story. It wasn't too long after that awkward few minutes that I had to use the bathroom. So, naturally, I went to the nearest office and asked where the bathroom was. The conversation was this:

Person: "The bathroom? We don't have a bathroom."
Me: (thinking) "What? Marines don't have to use the bathroom?"
Person: (looking at me from head to toe) "You don't look like you need to take a shower." (yes, he was trying very hard not to smirk)
Me: (stares concernedly at him, I didn't know where he was going with this)
Person: (still smirking) "We do have a head though, that you could use. If you'd like to."
Me: (still not sure, but is somewhat catching on) "Okay."
Person: "Alright follow me then."

Now my mom told me later that she had been listening to the entire conversation and was trying really hard not to laugh at what was going on. Yeah, it was fun. So the guy leads me down the hall and to a staircase, where he stops and leans on the railing and says to me:

Person: "Now, you're going to go down the stairs and at the bottom will be a door." (he's watching my face the entire time he says this)
Me: (I nod)
Person: "Go through the door and on your port side will be another door, go in there. That's the head." (he's staring at me as if he's waiting for me to ask what side my port side was)
Me: (thinking) "Port side, port side...Um...four letters..Left!"
Me: (nods) "Thank-you."

It was at that moment that I was so glad that not even two weeks before I had learned how to tell the difference between port and starboard.

So onto my next chapter: The Interviews

Yes, I know I'm writing this like I would a story, but I find that it's easier for me to remember what I've already writen about, and the chapters will help me to keep it in chronological order for right now. Later I'll probably stop using chapters and just write.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

Ah, forget going back to the beginning. I'm going to start with today. Look at me. I've been here a month, I made it through Freshmen O *cough, hell week, cough, cough* That is a story for another day.

2011OCT14

So I got up at 0400 this morning to go on my companies 6 mile hump (hike for you civilians). Doesn't sound too bad right? Now it wouldn't have been except for the fact that along with hiking six miles, we were carrying 40lb sand bags. Now for the more experienced military folks, 40lbs isn't much but for an person newly instigated into the miltary life, 40lbs over six miles is a lot. I started to get a little tired around 3 miles.

...I'll finish this later, I promise I will. But I've got things to attend to.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

Luckily, or unluckily, I haven't decided yet, at the 3 mile mark we stopped to take a short rest. I could just feel the blisters starting to form on my feet. Darn boots, I had even spent the past two weeks trying to break them in. My Squad Leader and Platoon Sgt both came by to see how I was doing. Honestly, I was tired, but I kept telling myself that I wasn't going to be the week Freshman and fall out just because something got hard.

So too soon we were told to put our packs back on. I'm not strong enough to flip it over my head so getting my pack on wasn't easy, amazingly I managed to do it by myself without looking too stupid. About a half mile into heading back I noticed that the frame of my pack was starting to rub against my lower back through my utes. Great, just great. My back was already hurting from the way the pack was sitting. Oh, well not much I can do about it while we're moving and I was not going to fall out. I started having trouble keeping up at about the 5 mile mark, I couldn't seem to get my walking stride to be even enough or be less tiring so I started half jogging. You would think that I would get more tired that way but it was actually easier. And as expected, at the 5.5 mile mark the MOI and the AMOI decided to have everyone run. I wasn't able to keep up with the OCS grads and the MOI and AMOI but I was able to run for about 400 meters before my body just decided that it was done. I tried to keep pushing myself forward but I honestly couldn't push myself at a run any longer, my legs were threatening to give out. So, I gave the signal that I was falling out and fell out. Basically there was no formation anymore, all the freshmen had fallen out of formation, there were a few OCS grads and a lot of the SSgts and Sgts fell back with us to make sure we finished and didn't die. A death would've meant a lot of paperwork and wouldn't have looked good. lol

I told myself that if I was going to fall out I was at least going to make sure I kept moving forward. Yeah, I was more staggering and trying to not fall over, but hey I was still moving forward. I heard one of the SSgts tell someone to fall out with me, and one of the OCS grads started walking next to me. He kept telling me to keep moving forward. After about a minute he said, "Alright, we're going to try to run again. Think you can do that?" I half nodded, I didn't trust that my voice would work. We started running again adn he kept telling me that the stop was just beyond the bridge (about 200 meters ahead). Longest 200 meters of my life. I ran the 200 sprint in track, but man that was the toughest race of my life that day. I dropped back down to a walk, and the OCS grad said, "Alright, I don't want me to be outwalking you. You've got longer legs and should be outwalking me." I decided then that I was going to finish this at a run and I wasn't going to stop to rest. So I picked up the pace again, the OCS grad than told me to catch the Sgt. A Sgt had passed me and was jogging in front of me. Well, my competitive nature got the better of me. I love endorphins. It hurt like hell but I caught the Sgt and passed him. I was about the second or thrid freshmen to rejoin the main group. I want to say the second but I'm not sure. I ended up standing next to the BSgtMaj. He asked me if I was tired. I told him yes, he then asked me, "Are you awake?" I told him yes because even though I was tired and didn't want to move, I was wide awake. Well, the junior in front of me said, "Apparently she's not because she can barely talk." and then they both kind of laughed. Yeah, it was sooo funny. 

So after we completed the hump, we were told to take our boots off and let our Platoon leaders look at our feet. That was weird. My blisters were probably some of the better ones. One was about the size of a nickel, I was missing a little skin on the top of my feet, and I had a smaller blister that had popped. Nothing of major concern. My biggest concern was now the meeting I had to go to meet the AMOI. Well, this guy makes me nervous. The MOI makes me nervous but not as much as this guy does. He's a SSgt, nothing too scary, but as it turns out he was on tour until August 2011, and spent quite a few years as a DI at both Camp Pendleton and OCS. Add that plus the fact that he wears an eye patch due to an injury he sustained in the field. He just looks intimidating, and the only side of him I've seen is his DI and AMOI side. I've heard he has pretty good sense of humor. Or so I've heard.

This was pretty much the extent of our conversation.
AMOI- "Name?"
Me- *gives last name*
AMOI- "How do you spell that?"
Me- *spells name*
AMOI- "First name?"
Me- *gives first name*
AMOI- "Last four?"
.......
AMOI- "SAT score?"
.......
AMOI- "ACT score?"
Me- "Both of them SSgt?"
AMOI- "Just one."
Me- *gives best score*
AMOI- "Air or ground?"
Me- "Ground, SSgt."
AMOI- "Any tattoos?"
Me- "No, SSgt."
AMOI- "Getting a tattoo?"
Me- "No, SSgt."
AMOI- "Don't get a tattoo. PFT score?"
Me- *gives PFT score*
AMOI- "That's f***ing horrible. Dismissed."
Me- "Dismissed, aye-aye, SSgt." (executes step back)
"Good morning, SSgt."
AMOI- "Good morning."
Me- (executes about-face and leaves with purpose)
AMOI- "Is there anyone else out there?"
Me- (walks back to office door) "No, SSgt."
AMOI- "Aren't there more freshmen in AC?"
Me- "I don't know SSgt."
AMOI- "Okay."
And as I walk away I hear from the office, "Stupid spell check is driving me f***ing insane!" I walked away a little faster. So overall, despite me being nervous, and the cursing at me for my PFT score, I think the meeting went well. I was the only freshman out of the group that he didn't yell at.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

2011OCT18

Well, I love paperwork. I really do. Not! I'm really beginning to hate government paperwork. You have no idea how many ways the government can hand you paperwork that asks you the exact same thing as all the other paperwork you've filled out. Yeesh. So after filling out the required paperwork, I find out that I'm supposed to have typed all the information in. *sigh* Okay, not a problem. I fill out the paperwork, again, and turn it in. It was then that I realized that I had given the wrong SAT score to the AMOI. Wonderful ending to a day. So I sit there and debate about whether or not to tell him about the false information, when I think about what someone said to me during Freshman O, "They appreciate it more and think more highly of you if you talk to them yourself. You've got to have initiative." So, I decided to face the potential wrath of the AMOI.

After morning PT I decide to wait around until he's done talking to the upperclassman to bother him. As I'm waiting around one of OCS grads comes by, and I inquire about how I should address the AMOI in this situation. He told me to just follow his lead because he had to talk to him also. So very quickly it's my turn to talk to him. The meeting went better than I expected, haha surprise. The AMOI seemed to be in a good mood, either that or he was tired from being sick, but anyway, he was more pleasant about the false information than I expected. He asked me what I needed and then said, "Is there anything you can do about your (insert choice word here)name and spell check?" except it wasn't so much a question as a statement. So I told him what I did wrong and he changed the information and then told me to leave. He then called me back and asked me if I had seen another one of the freshmen because as he put it, "Either he's a (insert choice word) genius, or he did exactly what you did." So I went on my first mission: Locate said freshman. I didn't find the freshman so I called the guys number and left a message on his voicemail and then sent him a text telling him that the AMOI wanted to see him ASAP about some possibly false information.

I than had to decide about whether or not I should bother the AMOI again and tell him that I was unable to find said freshman and instead called him and left him a few messages. After consulting someone else about my indecision, I went to go tell the AMOI about the new situation. He appreciated it. So if that guy never went to see the AMOI...it's not my fault. But I'll check with the freshman tomorrow to see if he did.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

11OCT21

Ever had one of those days where you just want to crawl back into bed and not leave? Of course you have, everyone has. Well, Wednesday was that kind of day for me. There are two kinds of PT, there's hard PT that leaves you feeling great, and there's PT that leaves you feeling like crap. Wednesday was the day for PT to make me feel like crap. So after PT I crawl back into bed and when I wake up I feel like I've been beaten with a sledge hammer. I then find a message from my Squad Leader telling me that I need to have another meeting with the AMOI about the paperwork I was filling out. *insert feeling of dread*

So after my math class I head over to the AMOI's office. During the math class we got the results of our midterms back. Yeah, mine was not good. This day was starting out really well. When I get to the AMOI's office before I even introduce myself formally he tells me to come in. Not a good sign. That and he didn't say good afternoon back to me. He then proceeds to ask me what my name is, so I tell him. Here's the story behind my name and what comes next. I have a name that Microsoft Word doesn't like. It loves to autocorrect it. I have it set up on my computer so that it doesn't autocorrect it but when I transferred the paperwork to another computer it autocorrected it and I didn't catch it. I didn't think about it because it shouldn't have been an issue, but it was. So anyway, he then starts to yell at me for a number of things. Basically he was calling me out for not being proactive, not paying attention to details, and not following directions. The not following directions part was motly because I had attached a typed statement to the paperwork and the directions had said to handwrite the statement. Originally I had handwritten the statement but the 1st Sergeant who looked over my paperwork said that everyone else had typed theirs and he wanted me to type it to be like theirs (I had showed him where in the directions it said to handwrite the statement). So I typed it and turned the paperwork in.

By the time the AMOI is done yelling at me I've got five minutes to get to class. But that's not what's on my mind at that moment at least not until he asks me if I have time to redo the paperwork. I decided that it would be in my best interest to redo the paperwork at that exact moment and be late to class than it would be for me to tell him no, I didn't have the time. So I redid the paperwork and handed it back into him. He's calmed down by now because he then asks me if the name issue was a computer error and I told him that it was, because it was true. He then asked me how I fixed it. Apparently he had been very close to having me come into his office and fix the autocorrect on his computer myself. So I told him how to fix it. He then told me to get out. I was now officially ten minutes late for class. Yay. Sadly, getting yelled at was the better part of my day.

So I decided later, once I calmed down and started thinking rationally again, that I was going to inform the AC 1st Sergeant that the AMOI had wanted the statement handwritten. So the next morning (Thursday morning) I said, "The AMOI, wanted the statement handwritten." I said it nicely, like you would if you were just going to inform someone of something. And he said, "Oh...did he talk to you or flip out?" I told him that he had flipped out. And the 1st Sergeant said, "Uh, I'm sorry that was my fault. I'll go talk to him." When I heard that I kind of panicked. I'm sorry, but I've met with the AMOI more times than I cared to in one week and I really wanted to avoid another meeting with him. Yes, I was under the impression that I was going to get into more trouble. And yes, I was scared. I told the 1st Sergeant that he didn't have to do that, but he still went to talk to him anyway.

Now we're at the present day. I was really worried that I would have to explain why I didn't defend myself about the written statement, because honestly, I couldn't. I wouldn't have been able to explain why I didn't speak up, at least not without getting into more trouble. But thankfully, I didn't have to. Huge relief. Today's PT (Friday) was really easy, too easy actually. It consisted of 2 reps of 3, 4, 5, 6, 3, pull-ups and a max set of pull-ups and then 20, 25, 30, 35, 20, crunches and a max set of crunches in one minute. Of course, I had to use a pull-up band because I'm not strong enough to do one by myself yet, but I found out that the band I'm currently using is now making it too easy for me so I can move to up to the next band. Yay me!


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

11OCT24

So PT was good this morning, the bad part was I was moderately dehydrated so at the end I was feeling really faint and felt like I was going to pass out. Not good. Must drink more water throughout the day. So after that I realized that it was only 0650 so I could head back to my dorm to sleep for an extra half hour. On my way back I run into my friend and AC buddy, and she's heading back to the Unit so I decide to head back with her. Well, apparently I was more tired than I thought because when we got back to the Unit I almost fell asleep in a chair. Now what's wrong with falling asleep at the Unit? Well, nothing as long as you don't mind being at the mercy of whoever walks into the area and sees you sleeping. Anyone can mess with you while you're sleeping, whether it be someone drawing on your face or one of the SSgts going DI on you. For example, in study hall one of the other Midshipman fell asleep and one of the upperclassmen saw him sleeping, the upperclassmen said, "Hey, somebody mess with him. Do it!" Good thing the kid woke up.

So as I'm falling asleep in the chair my Company CO wanders in and starts to talk to me. I've never really talked to the guy. We just hadn't crossed paths a whole lot. He seems pretty nice. So I get back to my dorm and fall asleep and hated to hear my alarm telling me that it's time to get up and go to class. My bed was nice and warm. But I got up anyway. Hated every minute of it. I then walked two miles to take my uniform to be tailored before I needed to wear it. That was a fun walk. It was later in the day that I realized that the bicep in my right arm was really hurting and it wasn't an "I'm sore" type of hurt. It only hurt when I tried to straighten out my arm or lift anything. Great, just what I need. So I really don't think that anything is wrong with it other than it being sore but if it still hurts tomorrow like it does now, I'm going to consider telling someone.

Oh, and to top off the day I found out that the Unit is now requiring everyone to get flu shots. Yippee, ki-yay. I'm so excited for that. And they want proof of the shot. Yay.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

Edit to previous post.

However, the most epic part of the day was when I was waiting for my Naval 
Science class at the unit to start and saw some guy with a mohawk and a trenchcoat walk by the door. I had to stop and think about whether or not I had actually saw what I saw because it wasn't normal for hte unit. A trenchcoat? A mohawk? In a building full of crew cuts and shaved heads? Thankfully someone behind me said, "Am I the only one who saw that?" which told me that I hadn't been seeing things. lol


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

11OCT26

So today was overall a good day, compared to yesterday it was an amazing day. I'm beginning to think I'm Murphy's second cousin or something. Anyway, first off today for PT it was a workout called Pack Appreciation. Let's just say that I learned that if it looks nasty on paper it is most likely even more nasty in the actual event. I've never before in my life received more bruises than I did within 20 minutes today and I do NOT appreciate my pack any more than I did before. Pack Appreciation consisted of putting a 50 lb sandbag into your pack and doing 3 sets of the workout. The workout was:

10 push-ups at the first cone, a buddy drag for 30 ft to the next cone where you do 10 squats, you then do lunges from the second cone to the third cone (30 ft), at the third cone you then did 10 burpees (a push-up then you jump to you feet and do a jumping-jack), after the burpees you army-crawled from third cone to the fourth one, at the fourth cone you did 10 kettle bell swings you then you two footed jumped 10 small hurdles from the fourth cone to the first cone. That was one set.

Normally this wouldn't have been too difficult but add a 50 lb sandbag to that and something easy because very difficult. By the time I got done with the first set I was ready to fake an injury or fake passing out. I had sweat running down my face and was breathing way too hard. But I decided that faking an injury would not be good in any way, shape, or form, so I finished the workout. In the end I had was having difficulty standing up but hey I did it. I completed the workout from hell.

After I was done the Major came over to see how I was doing. He then inquired as to whether or not I thought I could complete that workout when I first arrived at the Unit. And honestly, no, I definitely wouldn't have been able to. I would have quit and said I was done. I love mind games. That's all that really was, a mind game and a physically and mentally exhausting one at that. I left that workout feeling better than I had when I went in, so it was a good workout.

The best part of the day was when I was in my Naval Science class and we were being taught when and when not to salute. Well, the instructor was using me as an example and we were having a "conversation" and the MIDN who was supposed to be doing the saluting walked up to the instructor and I and said, "Good afternoon, gentlemen." and gave his salute. I was acting as an unofficial "Captain." Now for starters. The instructor is a guy, and I am a girl. After cutting my salute I said, "Gentlemen?" The room got really quiet and I could tell that the instructor and the other instructor in the room are really trying hard not to laugh. Me? Well, I was just staring at the kid. I have never been called a gentleman before and I've been called large amount of weird things before. Well the first instructor (the one who I was in conversation with) walks back to his desk and tells me "I'll let you handle this one." So I ask the kid, "Do I look like a guy? Do I?" Now the instructors are laughing, and the rest of the class is smirking. I don't blame them, it was funny, but was this kid serious? I don't look like anything like a guy! So I then told him, "In this case, you would have said 'Good afternoon, ma'am. Good afternoon, sir." I kind of feel sorry for the kid, but not enough to let him off the hook. So the rest of the class got a good lesson in how to address officers when there is a male and female. You always address the female first and using the proper greeting of the day and by the correct gender. Remember that everyone.

So attached are a few photos of the outward effects of today's Pack Appreciation workout. And yeah, it does hurt, but it's also extremely awesome.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

11OCT27

So, I got in trouble today during our drill period for taking notes. It started out as me simply doodling in my notebook during the brief. I know, I know, not very professional of me and slightly rude, but not too long after I started, maybe 30 seconds, I received a poke in the shoulder from the upperclassman behind me. Well, I thought that this was for doodling and so I put my pencil down. A little while later I saw something interesting in the presentation that I wanted to write down, so I started to write it down and received another poke in the shoulder. Okay, that's interesting, but I put my pencil down again. I'm slightly confused by now because no one else was getting in trouble for writing notes. A while later, turns out it was a two hour brief not the usual hour and a half, I again see something interesting in the presentation and I start to write it down, but am quickly told to go stand up in the back of the briefing room. Alright, now I'm really confused. Why am I getting in trouble for writing notes and no one else is? What was going on? So I do as I'm told and stand in the back of the room and finish watching the presentation while still trying to figure out why I was in trouble. About five minutes later I'm told to go sit back down, so I do, because I'm a good little Freshman and do as I'm told to do. After the brief is done the person who told me to go stand up asked me if I knew why I was told to go stand up. And I told her no, I didn't know because I truely did not know why I got in trouble. As it turns out, they thought I was falling asleep. Multiple people did and swore they saw my eyes close. The disciplinary action for falling asleep during military classes or briefs here is making the offending person stand up in the back of the room, there may be a paper involved too, I don't know. So, feeling the need to defend my actions I told the person that I wasn't falling asleep and had been trying to write things down off of the slides for the presentation. Because I truly had been trying to write notes and I wasn't even tempted to fall asleep, I wasn't that tired. She then told me that next time to make my note taking more obvious to avoid another misunderstanding. I can prove that I had been taking notes. You will see sentences that are half finished because I was either poked or told to stand up every time I tried to write something down. I really hope I don't have to write an essay or do work detail because of a misuderstanding.

So I haven't had a good look at my bruises today, yet, but my left bicep really hurts and I can't pop my shoulder to make it feel better. And my friend graduates from boot camp on Friday. Yay! He'll be coming home temporarily and I can talk to him again. Because he did not write back to me after I sent him a letter. He had two months to do it and he didn't. So he's going to get an earful. On the downside I found out that the one person I my age, who I looked up to, decided that he didn't want to be a Marine anymore and quit before he attended boot camp. And then proceeded to lie about his reasons to his and my recruiters. Yeah, I felt great after that. He was one of the people who you knew would go through with what he wanted, he was the motivator, the guy every looked to for help, and he quit. I'm so mad at him right now. I guess I leanred another life lesson about having role models my own age. They're unreliable.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

11OCT29

So my friend graduated form boot camp yesterday as Private First Class! I'm so proud of him! I knew he could do it! I debated on congratulating him on Facebook but then thought, it would be better if I did it through the phone. I wish I could tell him in person but that's just not an option, so I told him to call me. Then I told myself that he gets a three day grace period to call me himself before I call him. I just can't explain how happy and proud I am of him. All I do know is that I was so happy I started crying. I can't wait to see him again, he's going to get a huge hug from me and then we're going to talk. Just talk. He may be a person of little words now but I'm just going to listen to him. That is if I can let him go from the hug. I'm just so proud of him! I have his picture on my bulletin board and I'm beginning to cry again. I wish I could be home right now to see him.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

31OCT11

So on Saturday there was a home football game. Now as a member of the NROTC at this particular school if there is a home football game the NROTC spends the next day's morning hours cleaning the stadium. Can anyone tell me if they know what a stadium looks like after a football game? Well, let's just say it's gross and nasty. Add it being cold on top of that and you have some not so happy campers. Most of the time I won't complain because I know that it wouldn't be good to complain but I do feel the need to say something on here that I feel needs to be heard. The time it takes to clean the stadium varies between 3 and 4 hours.

"So we managed to get the stadium done in 3 hours and 15 minutes. For all you football goers out there. Please keep in mind that there are people who have to clean-up all the garbage and things you leave behind. It would be much appreciated if you picked up at least most of your garbage when you leave and to take all of your personal items with you. Don't buy something just to leave it unopened and please, please, do not, I repeat, DO NOT make nasty little concoctions with your leftover food and drinks. It's not only a pain to clean-up but it's gross beyond belief. And next time you see anyone in the NROTC, please thank them for picking up after you because you sure seem to be unable to."

Okay, little rant over with. I'm sorry but I think what a lot of people don't realize is that there are people who have to cleanup the messes that every sports fan leaves behind. It's not fun and is a tiring and disgusting task. I'm thinking that everyone should have to clean up a stadium at least once in their lifetime. I have to do it 5 games out of the football season. And we don't get up at 9 to do it. No, we're up cleaning the stadium by 6 am and we get done at 9. You would make it a lot easier on some people's lives if every sports fan picked up at least one piece of their trash and threw it away or recycled it when they leaft the sports vacinity.

Like I said, rant over, good day, and I will have more to report later today.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

31OCT11

Happy All Hallows Eve/Halloween/Reformation Day/All Saints Day, whatever your preference is. So I had to do turnover for OOD today. I didn't mess up too badly, all I did was run into a closet door. Nothing says "I'm perfectly capable" like running into a door. I was dismissed and I took my step back but when I went to execute the about face I was too close to the closet behind me. My foot hit the door and when I turned I turned into the closet door. Yep, highlight of my day right there. I was then trying so very hard not to panic the rest of the morning. I head back to my dorm with the intent on changing my clothes and the getting some breakfast but then received a text from my squad leader telling me that I also needed to hang the signal flags up. Okay, I'm not panicking yet, I've still got time before my advising appointment. So I hang the flags up and head back to my dorm. By now I have 7 minutes to change my clothes and get to my advisor's office. And to answer any questions pertaining to why I had to change my clothes, I was in uniform and I'm only allowed to wear the uniform when I'm on duty and on certain days. Today wasn't one of those days and I was "off-duty." Amazingly I manage to change out of my uniform and get the office in 7 minutes. Okay, focus on breathing and relaxing, you're not rushed now. Day works out okay until I get an email from the A 1st Sgt telling me that I need to find a replacement for OOD because I failed my OOD test. I was supposed to do OOD but obviously not now. Luckily, the A 1st Sgt is a nice guy and called my Platoon Sgt and had him find a replacement for me. I should thank him and my Platoon Sgt. Unfortunately, he wants to talk to me about me failing the test and combine that with a horrible PT session, should be fun. And because I failed my test I'll have work detail or party (I don't know) on Friday. *sigh* I know that I'm not a failure, but for some reason I feel like I'm failing a lot more than usual. Maybe I'll talk to my Unit advisor about this. I just may feel better.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

3NOV11

So yesterday was a pretty good day. I had an emotional break down on Monday night, was so very tempted to run the 415 miles home, but I didn't because that wouldn't solve any of my problems. I hate being a girl sometimes. Darn hormones make me so dang emotional when I get stressed out. But after about a half hour of spilling my guts to a guy from the Unit who just so happened to care about making me feel better, I felt better. Not perfect or great, but better. On Tuesday I had to run an inventory PFT, it was extremely cold out. I lost all feeling in my hands. No problem on the running and flex-arm hang, crunches still an issue. So I'm still on REM/FEP. I'm feeling better, I almost threw up on my way to the Unit because I was so nervous about the PFT, but I'm okay. At least it was before and not during like the last couple of times.

Wednesday was a good day, I woke up in a relatively good mood, PT was good, a little easy, but good. Push-presses and burpee buddy jumps. Now I had no idea what a burpee buddy jump was, but it turned out to be just doing a burpee and then jumping over your buddy. No big. 7 rounds of 7 sets. I wasn't really tired when we were done. Which was strange and makes me a little nervous. But that was okay I was the guinea pig for another Freshman's workout plan. That one hurt a little more.

So today (Thursday) I realized that this week has been more of a "Let's see who isn't going to be angry at me" sort of week. Ugh, so much fun. So we had a Unit POW/MIA/KIA ceremony today. Wasn't too bad. I've discovered that I enjoy the SDBs a lot better than the Khaki uniforms. So much more comfortable. Oh, I also found out yesterday that the guy from A Co that I haven't seen for a week but really liked is leaving the Unit because he got kicked out of the OCS and the Marines for sleep walking during OCS. Great, it seems like everytime I start to find someone I'd like to be friends with who is older, they leave. Well, I knew that not too long after Freshman O I slept walk a few times, so I decided to ask my roommate if I was still sleep walking. I am. That isn't good. But hopefully this is only temporary. I hope.


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## tempest (Jan 26, 2009)

So today we had another 6 mile hump. I have decided that even though I've done some pretty difficult events before, but today's really dimmed all those other things. For once my pack fit pretty good, but the pace was much faster than last time where we walked most of it and only around the 4.5-5 mile marker did I start having trouble. I was having trouble from about the mile marker. Most of the time the entire battalion was jogging in order to keep up. So basically I jogged/ran six miles carrying about a third of my overall weight. So instead of 140 lbs I was hauling around a total of 170 lbs. Much more difficult than just jogging six miles. I fell out twice for long periods of time. I never got put into the van though so technically I finished the hump, at least that's what I've been told. My injuries aren't too bad. My back is bruised again, my shoulders are bruised, feet blistered (of course), and it's hard to walk. When I stopped walking my calf muscles started spasming. Fun stuff. I hate how I had to fall out. It's so irritating.

I learned a lot about the Well of Fortitude, which apparently my Well isn't very deep. I was determined not to fall out but unfortunately my body had other ideas, especially when my knees kept trying to give out. Stupid physical limitations and stupid mental blocks. I hate how I'm one of the weakest people there. I'm not making any apparent progress. My push-ups have been getting worse despite doing them a lot. Maybe I'm not doing them right. I don't know. I'm fine doing crunches in my dorm room but when I get to the PFT I can't do very many. Do I need to start practicing going from the flex-arm hang to crunches? I don't know. Probably. Most people don't realize this but the flex-arm hang does work a persons abs, not a lot, but you do use your abs when doing this workout. So I might just have to work on that transition.


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