TRAINING WEEK SEVEN
980608; Monday; (980609; 0230); MCRD, San Diego - T30
Well, Final Drill Inspection was this morning. Even though we didn't win, we did impress our Senior and he was very pleased with our performance. Verdi, our 4th squad leader, was fired after Final Drill and Southern, who was in my squad, was made the 4th squad leader. We ended up taking fourth in the company of six platoons.
This afternoon was the Company Commander's Inspection. This inspection is just about the same as the Battalion Commander's Inspection will be. For this inspection we wore our Service Alpha uniform. What an uncomfortable uniform. The cover that we wore for this inspection was the service cover, the same cover that recruiters wear, except that it is green instead of white when wearing the Service "A" uniform. That cover, though, gave me a nasty headache. It isn't quite formed to our heads and because of that it puts a lot of pressure upon our forehead and gave most of the platoon a headache.
After getting undressed from that, we spent the rest of the afternoon and into the evening working on our practicals. The Senior talked to us in the evening about our performance during Final Drill. It was brought to his attention during this time that our Sato class was tomorrow (Sato is the travel agency through which we make flight arrangements home after graduation and coming back for MCT (Marine Combat Training). We needed to make a phone call home so that we would know what those coming to graduation were planning. We were supposed to get this phone call last night, but the phone center was down. So our Senior got us up there and we made a 10 minute phone call home.
It was great to hear someone with a familiar voice. In this case, Mom. Since I already know what they are planning on doing, I had 10 minutes to just chat. Never long enough, though.
Tomorrow's big event is Final PFT. Our Senior really wants to take it. My goal is to improve in every category. To do this will require more than 100%. We'll see.
980609; Tuesday; (980610; 0245); MCRD, San Diego - T31
Final PFT was this morning. I'll list all my scores for comparison.
My scores on the IST, Initial PFT and the mock PFT were:
IST 12 pull-ups, 64 crunches, 9:38/ 1/2 mile run
Initial PFT 12 pull-ups, 82 crunches, 20:30 run time
Mock PFT 11 pull-ups, 86 crunches, 22:20 run time
This morning's Final PFT:
Final PFT 13 pull-ups, 90 crunches, 20:30 run time
This was the best PFT that I have ever done.
The rest of the morning was spent working on practicals. After noon chow we went out to go buy the airline and bus tickets that we need to get home after graduation and when flying back to San Diego for MCT. Since Dad and Mom are driving down for graduation, all I needed was a plane ticket to bring me down to San Diego and a bus ticket up to Camp Pendleton. Just to do that took 4 hours. 3 3/4 hours was spent in line. The whole Company was doing it together. By the time I got back to the house it was almost chow time.
Evening chow was great. They had Turkey Pot Pie. That is one of their best menu items. Another reason is that they dish it out in a huge ladle. The serving is about double of most portions they give.
The rest of the evening was spent working on practical stations. 0730 is prac testing tomorrow.
Wrote a poem (I guess that is what you would call it) about how God's attributes work in me.
GOD, HIS ATTRIBUTES, HIS LOVE, AND ME
My God is full of grace.
For He allows me to live, imperfect as I am.
For He died for me and paid my punishment.
For He gives me life eternal.
My God is full of patience.
For He strives with me every day.
For He listens to my every complaint.
For He accepts me as I am, sinful and unworthy.
My God is full of strength.
For He clears my way all the day.
For He carries me during my trials.
For He bore the sins of the world on His shoulders.
My God is full of wisdom.
For He guides my path throughout the day.
For He knows what's best for me.
For He provides for my every need.
My God is full of humility.
For He was born as a babe.
For He, the Son, became the Savior.
For He became our Mediator.
- Seth Howard - 980609 -
PRAISE GOD
980610; Wednesday; (980611; 0437); MCRD, San Diego - T32
Today was Practical Evaluations. One of the most important and most studied events that are required for graduation. Trail series (PLT's '69-'71) did Oral Practicals first and then Written Practicals. It took all morning. Oral prac was a lot easier than we recruits had made it out to be. Our Drill Instructor had even told us that.
For Oral Prac there are ten stations:
1. Disassembly M16A2
2. Assembly M16A2
3. Function Check M16A2
4. Marine Birthday Traditions
5. Factors Affecting Promotion
6. 3 Steps To Preventing Terrorism Against Yourself
7. Mouth-To-Mouth Resuscitation
8. Fireman's Carry
9. Marine & Navy Rank Structure
10. General Orders
I passed all ten stations. If you failed 3 or more of the stations, you failed Oral Practicals and were recycled.
Written Practicals consisted of 50 questions. If you got 11 wrong, you failed. The questions were multiple choice. In Written I didn't get any wrong. Our platoon average was a 96. 3069, the Prac winner, had a 97.
The afternoon was spent going to the Px (for those who didn't go yesterday). There was a list of required items as well as things needed. We also had to pay for all of our haircuts and dry cleaning, about $25. We also paid for the graduation photos and video as well as the yearbooks. One other thing that I paid for was a subscription to Leatherneck Magazine (a magazine by the Marine Corps for the Marine Corps). The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent starting preparations for Camp Pendleton.
The Drill Instructor School just graduated and there is a new Drill Instructor (one who just graduated) hanging around. Just getting a feel for being a Drill Instructor. From what I understand he will be here until we leave on Sunday.
I have been greatly encouraged by God while here. I do pray that I will make the time necessary to spend in His Word. I have found it more and more difficult to do so. Please pray and continue the encouragement. This is not easy and will not get easier.
980611; Thursday; 2245; MCRD, San Diego - T33
We had our graduation photo and video shoot this morning. A lot of hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait. Won't see the finished product until I graduate.
In the afternoon we had our second uniform fitting. We were fitted in our Service "A" (trousers and blouse) to make sure that everything fit properly. Some of the recruits that have lost a lot of weight need the fitting most.
When we finished with the fitting we picked up the 2 pairs of cammies that we turned in a week plus ago. We also had a class on Credit Awareness this afternoon. Most of the classes that we have yet to take are petty things like money management, etc.
Our evening was spent in a field day (barracks clean-up). A field day consists of moving everything to one side of the squad bay and scrubbing the floor with scrub brushes. When that side is done the same is done for the other side.
Read I Samuel 17 this evening. The parallels between David, Goliath and our conflicts with the devil are amazing. One simple lesson to learn. Rely, depend, and fully trust in God and He will bear you up and deliver you to His place in your life. Praise God for that.
980612; Friday; (980614; 0755); MCRD, San Diego - T34
This had to be one of the best days that I have had at MCRD. We started in the morning with PT. PT was the Bayonet Assault Course. The Bayonet Assault Course is similar to the Rush Course from a couple of weeks ago. The differences are that it is several times longer and it involves more than just crawling. The Bayonet Assault Course is a combat rush course. There are fighting holes, a wall to go over, the barbed wire back crawl (cool), dummies to "bayonet" with rubber rifles, high crawls through culverts, and rushes from log to log. It was a blast. We wore our LBV's, gloves, combat helmet, and the rubber rifle. Morning PT didn't end there, we went straight to the "Thunder Dome," Pugil Sticks 3. The whole thing is covered by a camo net. A pugil player from Lead was on the left and Trail was on the right. At the whistle both ran down the path and through the hatchway, meeting somewhere in the middle. The Drill Instructors on the platform were loving this competition. The key was to beat your opponent to the hatchway. In some matches one opponent would meet the other just inside his hatch and we could see the slow one literally fly back out. Most matches only lasted a few seconds, with my match lasting less than 5 seconds from reaching the hatch. It took 2 cuts before my opponent had one end of my Pugil Stick in the back of his head.
That afternoon was the highlight of the week. RAPPELLING.
We started rappelling with fast roping. The rappelling tower has 3 decks 20' apart. Fast roping is at the first deck 20' up. It is used to deploy troops from helos into areas that helos can't land. Fast roping is very similar to going down a fireman's pole. 20 feet was way too short to even enjoy. The next thing we did was rappelling down the 60' tower. ABSOLUTELY COOL. At the top of the tower they have you face inboard (back off the wall) with your right hand (brake hand) holding the rope in the small of your back. Your left hand (guide hand) in front of you with the rope run through a D-ring attached to your harness on the front. By holding your brake hand in the small of your back you will remain steady. When the Drill Instructor says "Go" you throw your hand out at 3 o'clock and double-time down the wall. At 10' from the bottom you put your hand back in the small of your back and you slow all the way down to a stop, abruptly. Surprisingly you have a lot of control.
We then went back up to the top to go down the 'hell hole'. This simulates rappelling down out of a large helo through a hole in its center. Hell hole rappelling is like rappelling down a fireman's pole. 20' from the bottom you brake and glide down the rest of the way.
The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent with Field Day.
I Samuel 17. David and Goliath. Couldn't stop thinking how this parallels to us and Satan. Though I read this on Thursday, it has stuck in my mind. Especially David's responses to Goliath. David had faith in God and trusted Him for the details. His confidence came from God and the experiences that God provided him as a shepherd. Goliath, on the other hand, gained confidence from prideful victories that were front page stories in the Daily Philistia. Goliath strove to build his image and gain recognition. David strove to protect the flock in the back pastures away from the town square in the solitude of God's presence. This is why I love David so. He sought God alone and quiet.
980613; Saturday; (980614; 1000); MCRD, San Diego - T35
We had a 3+ mile run for PT. Then spent the rest of the day packing and cleaning. Don't think I've spent so much time cleaning before.
I did manage to meet the quarterdeck 3 times today. Twice was a squad leader/guide IT party. Apparently we didn't do our jobs to the Drill Instructors requirement. The third time was because one of my squad members was out of line, and squad leaders usually join their squad members in these situations.
Things are really starting to hop around here. Drill Instructors are getting harder. IT sessions are becoming much more frequent.
980614; Sunday; 2315; Edson Range; Camp Pendleton - H6
Moving day. We were moved completely out of our barracks before morning chow. After chow we had freetime/church services. I left for First Steps just after morning colors at 0800.
First Steps today was about spending 7 minutes a day with God. 30 seconds spent adoring and thanking as you are rolling out of the rack in the morning. 4 minutes reading your Bible. Most likely time can be found during the military's hurry up and wait program. Lastly, 2.5 minutes in prayer at the end of the day. He suggested using the acronym --
A - Adoration I Chronicles 29:11
C - Confession I John 1:9
T - Thanksgiving Ephesians 5:20
S - Supplication
Some other verses he used were Habakkuk 2:1, Mark 1:35 (which he called his "Morning Watch"), and Psalm 57:7.
The "Morning Watch" is time alone in the morning spent in the presence of God.
Jesus had a morning watch. His definition of morning watch also ties in with Habakkuk 2:1. Another thing that I found to be important was this statement, "The Bible is bread for daily use, not cake for special occasions."
Freetime ended at 1100 and we ate chow within the hour. Our last meal before leaving MCRD. It wasn't the best, either. For some reason they are out of a lot of food. Got back from chow and waited for the trucks to load our gear. Lead in one truck and Trail in the other.
After loading all of our gear we picked up our gear and weapons and moved out to the buses. It took 7 buses to move the Company. Lima Company for this cycle is small. Combined, all six platoons are less than 200 strong. This averages out to about 45 per platoon. Next cycle is estimated to have 85-90 per platoon.
While traveling up to Camp Pendleton each recruit carried his own weapon. The Drill Instructor, in our case Senior Drill Instructor Sgt. Saenz, used one of our weapons and inserted a magazine with 10 rounds in it. The Drill Instructors are responsible for the safety and security of the weapons.
As soon as we arrived we unloaded the trucks into each respective house, then left for supply. At supply we were issued our packs with flak jacket, shelter half (our half of a tent to be shared with our rack mate), wet-weather gear, combat helmet, magazine pouch, and 4 magazines. The rest of the evening was spent organizing and straightening our house.
Snapping-in starts off immediately. Tomorrow morning at 0700 we are due at the rifle range. All this week is snapping-in, intro to various field necessities, classes on poisonous snakes, spiders, and lizards. Here at Camp Pendleton there are Rattlesnakes, Tarantulas, some other poisonous spider (Brown Recluse), and the Gila Monster. Truthfully I would rather be here around them than back at swim week. That will probably be the only thing I did not enjoy at boot camp.
Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom. I am proud that I can tell people that my parents have been married for 23 years, have 9 children, one income, homeschool their children, and live in harmony.
You might wonder what harmony, but from out here in the midst of this world's bustle, our home was harmonious in a very beautiful way. Thank you for your HONOR in living standards. Thank you for your COURAGE to do right. Thank you for your COMMITMENT to God, each other, and us as your children.
Please feel free to me!
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