Or at least mostly everyone. Just wanted to let you all know that I miss home already, but I am doing well.
I was at Fort Jackson, SC for the last two weeks, living in basically a big warehouse of a room full of bunkbeds with about 40 other people. Yes, people snore like they are angry at someone, sometimes, but when you are getting up at 4 or 5am, you learn to sleep through it. More difficult to get used to? The communal showers, which are less awesome than in those late night Cinemax movies would have you believe.
Actually, it could all be a lot worse. There was one guy there who actually served in VIETNAM!!! And they called him back. However, he had recently had heart surgery and his chest was being held together by staples, so they mercifully sent him home. Others were not so lucky, including the one soldier who got married last March and has a baby due this March. So I guess he will see his kid for the first time at his 1st b-day or so. The one thing that was weird was that, out of about 170 people that got called up, I was the only officer. It was enough to make me think I was in the wrong place, which I tried to tell them, but they just shot me a little and told me to get back in line.
Actually, even thought there were Drill Sergeants in charge of us, they recognized that 1) none of us really wanted to be there and 2) we are all grownups, so they did not need to treat us like they do the brand new privates, so the work environment was pretty decent. We trained on what kind of guns there are, how to shoot them, and when to shoot them. Oh, and how to kill people with your hands. No, seriously.
So, once we were done there, I went Greyhound to Fort Gordon, in Augusta, GA where I am going to learn about how Army communications equipment has changed in the last three years. Thankfully, I remember nothing, so it is all new to me. This is just about the opposite of the last place, as I am training on my own, have a hotel room (b/c they had no room on the base) and a rental car. So, while before I never had a moment to myself, now I am by myself alllll the time.
Oh, did I say rental CAR? I should have said rental VAN! And not just any van, one of the realllllly big 15-person vans. All for Zoidberg!
No word yet where I am going from here as of Dec 8, but I am sure it will be awesome. Hope you are all doing well, and hopefully I'll see you soon.
-Pat
All my Stuff- Here is everything I need for the next 18 months crammed into one locker. Good thing yea rs of playing Tetris prepared me for this.
Army Bunk- Ah, just like in Full Metal Jacket
Beds and lockers as far as the
eye can see...
Oh, it is even more appealing than
it looks. Just imagine waiting in
line in here.
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