I thought it would be interesting to post this young man's blog as he goes though basic.
Jon's Army training journal
benningtraining.blogspot.com
This is an attempt to record my experiences at Fort Benning, GA as I go through Army basic combat training and officer candidate school. I know it will be an interesting experience and I want to share it with my family and friends, so hopefully you all will read it
30 March 2005
My first BCT journal entry
3/27/05
Reception Battalion (3/17-3/24)
A week in the 30th Adjutant General Reception Battalion at Fort Benning feels more like a month. The first couple of days were stressful because we didn’t sleep at all the first night but once I got used to all the screaming and having to wake up at 4am everyday, I got bored of all the standing in formations six times a day and waiting in lines for shots and gear issue. It wasn’t until the day before shipping “downrange” to Basic Combat Training that I got my camouflage Battle Dress Uniforms and other cool stuff. The best part of reception was finally getting to put on my infantry combat boots and BDUs and feeling like a real soldier while we waited for the trucks that would deliver us to Charlie Company, 2/47 Infantry for BCT, while getting speeches from the Reception Drill Sergeants about not quitting during the tremendous ass kicking we were about to receive. All together, I got over $1200 worth of sweet military gear, 6 shots, 19 high school cafeteria quality meals, and several “corrective PT” sessions from the Army during my week at Reception.
Army Basic Combat training (3/24-3/27)
As soon as the trucks stopped in front of the C Co. 2/47 Infantry BCT barracks at about 10am on 3/24, about twelve Drill Sergeants pounced all over us scared Privates like pitbulls. They were screaming and throwing our bags everywhere making us lift our heavy duffle bags with all our gear over our heads and dropping us for pushups. Even though I was expecting day one to be crazy, experiencing it isn’t really something I could prepare for, just like you can’t prepare for a kick in the nuts. Just about all we did that day was get smoked by the DS’s until about midnight when we were lined up in towels, given 30 seconds each for a shower, and sent to bed.
The next morning our DS, Drill Sergeant Ybay (pronounced like ebay) woke us up at 3:30 with a bullhorn and we got smoked for at least an hour. My “battle buddy” (bunk mate who we are not allowed to go anywhere without) cried during that corrective-PT session and got smoked even more. He isn’t the only one who has cried in the past three days either, because at least two or three other guys have been brought to tears during smokings.
Honestly, BCT has not been that hard physically so far. Yeah, we get smoked all the time, but I’m probably one of the top 3 strongest guys in my platoon. There are some kids here who can’t even do twenty pushups, it’s pathetic. The main things I hate are lack of sleep, being controlled all the time, having zero privacy or time to relax, and missing my girlfriend, family and friends. Hopefully once I get some mail, things will be more bearable.
Today things relaxed a little, and all we did was set up our body armor, ruck sacks, and wall lockers. Our squad bay looks exactly like the one in Full Metal Jacket, but our DS is a stocky Asian who likes to talk a lot of crap. I’m starting to really like DS Ybay because he knows how to motivate and he expects us to be the best platoon in Charlie Co. in every training event we have. He is always talking trash to the other DS’s about how his 4th Platoon “Outlaws” will smoke 1st, 2nd, and 3rd platoons, and he has several trophies in our squad bay from his previous platoons winning, the Basic Rifle Marksmanship competition and “Soldier of the Cycle” awards.
I think once we get into the real soldiering part of BCT, I will enjoy it more, but for now it pretty much sucks. I always feel like I’m surrounded by idiots when I’m with my platoon. I am pretty sick with a bad sore throat and head aches, and I’m exhausted all the time from lack of sleep. I passed out yesterday during a boring lecture about people going AWOL at BCT and got smoked in the back of the class for an hour. And I haven’t gotten any mail since we didn’t get an address until yesterday, so I feel pretty lonely since there is no one in my Platoon I would really be friends with. They are either all really punks who run their mouths all the time and get us smoked, or really weird geeks (especially the other OCS guys here). Some of these guys make me embarrassed to say I’m going to OCS.
This week we will be required to run everywhere in our body armor and it’s starting to get warm here in Georgia. It will suck. We are also being issued our M16 rifles on Tuesday which we will have to take everywhere with us. I’m still trying to think of a name for mine. I’m looking forward to the next couple weeks because eventually we’ll start qualifying with our rifles on the shooting range, and DS Ybay said he would give anyone who is in the A-group for both running and pushups and situps a 5 minute phone call every weekend, which so far is just me and one other guy in my platoon.
Well, I’m getting tired and I’m the only one still writing a letter with his red-lense flashlight, so I’m ending my first BCT journal entry. Please send me some letters to:
PVT. Bland, Jonathan Roster # 416
C Co. 2/47 IN
Ft. Benning, GA 31905 |
