Post date: Nov 14, 2011 9:32:44 AM
(Original Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2010)
These entries are from the letters that Brandon has mailed to me. His writing at times can be a bit difficult to determine his words... bare with me, I do my best, especially with army terms.
I have to start with some thing I forgot to write about "The Rangers". A Ranger recruiter came and gave everyone a briefing. It started with a short promotional video, then a powerpoint and finally a Q & A. The recruiter threw out the F-bomb about 3 or 4 times a sentence and and he never lost a chance to let us know "We Kill People". If her is a bad guy out there we don't mess around. We just go in and kill the "effer". Everyone was given the requirements to apply and the MOS (jobs) that are available to apply. And yes even if your MOS is in HR, if the team leader likes you, he can invite you on a mission and you can kill people! I think they are a little too gun ho for me. LOL
This morning our bay was inspected by the DS. We won the honor of having the dirtiest bay of everyone. After that we headed to chow and then my 2nd haircut (which I had to pay for) in the week that I've been there. I forgot if I mentioned the clippers here before, but they have vacuums attached to them (I've been telling my wife forever that, that would be the coolest invention - no hair anywhere, just nice and neat.)
Today we also got our dog tags and our ID cards, but they didn't trust us with the ID cards so after we verified the information we had to turn them back in. We also checked the contents of our duffle bag and then locked it up and left it in the classroom. I guess for transportation down range for Basic on Thursday.
During this time in the classroom there was a lot of shuffling around. (People going and getting stuff they forgot etc.) The guy in the bunk next to me bumped into the DS, but he didn't even realize it was a DS - he didn't have his big hat on and he's a short dude. The DS turned around and said "Oh, hell no… get down in the front leaning rest position." The poor guy had to stay there for a few minutes in front of everyone.
I feel a little more like a soldier now, that I have my dog tags around my neck! We had a chance to go to the PX (general store) today. The DS & Cadre were pretty strict on us only getting essentials, they caught one guy getting a love card of some sort "I miss you" and kicked him out of the store and to back of the line. I got foot powder & Band aids ( I also got some stamps too, didn't know if they are essential, so after I got'em I stuffed 'em in my pocket in case they check my bag on the way out). Everything takes a long time to do here. Just going to the PX took hours because they only let about 10 in at a time and everyone has to wait before and after standing in formation. My feet are tired and sore and the DS and Cadre were telling us we are not allowed to buy gel insole or any other comfort for out boots.
Since lunch we haven't done much of anything. The bummer is that we did most of the sitting doing nothing in the classroom, at least in our barracks we can chill or even clean. Random over heard quote from Pvt. Home School " people tell me I have my mother's body" I told him he shouldn't tell people that! LOL