Letters Home
Sunday, May 31st, 1998


Yes! I finally got my clean BDUs back from the quartermaster today after wearing the same pair for at least 5 days in a row. This means I sweated copious amounts each and every day while wearing these. We are all glad tonight.

We have learned how to disassemble the M16-A2 rifle as well as basic rifle commands and safety procedures. We have also begun to wear all our gear, including rucksack, LBEs (Load Bearing Equipment- also known as ALICE- All-Purpose Lightweight Carrying Equipment), kevlar helment, etc. Preceeding all this sweaty trudging about each day is a 0500 PT session with a Ranger for a guide. Rivera is his name, and he's the sculptor of "the elite", the A-Group PT. There are about 60 of us in this group out of the 240 in the platoon. He picked up immediately on the fact I'm not very flexible. Something to work on...

The entire company has made the not so startling realization now that the drill sergeants all work from the same script. Here's my top 10 list of drill sergeantisms (all shouted):

  1. "Hey, nut!"
  2. "Hey you- shut your freakin' mouth!"
  3. "You better sound off, you!"
  4. "What, you think you special or somethin'?"
  5. "Am I your buddy, huh?" (When a private fails to address them correctly).
  6. 7,8,9,10-- Expletives, expletives...

We hear these same phrases shouted from the other drill sergeants as well.

This entire place- this environment- has been surprisingly easy to become accustomed to. I also feel I've become much stronger in an all around way.

Great, now the lights are off.