Day 36: Finally a letter! It has been forever!

7/13/09

Meggers,
just read you letters. It's week 3. We spent 2 1/2 hours outside practicing for the parade on the 21st. That sucked. So we talked about everything that will happen that day. A lot of sun... But we'll look good. Just so you know how to find me I will be in flight 557. Out instructor is the tallest one out here, and I should be one of the tallest whitest trainees out there.

I have a rash down under from sweat... took a shower. We are going to be doing self aid buddy care all week. (basic life saving skills)

I have received 341's for Having an area in complete disarray, improperly filling out a form, (it was in sharpie) One for not opening a door for a TI and one for failing inspections. I was given demerits for dirty clothes when the TI found sand in my pants that I took to the dry cleaners... Oh and one for "not following instructions." (I was never given any instructions) 2 trainees almost went home today for not getting their areas cleaned up. There are those that get 341's pulled all the time and there are some that try to stay invisible and have none. I am too big and busy to not get noticed.

So we walk to church and then sit in a big multi-religious chapel and sweat until the second hour. After Sacrament they split into groups, one for blessings of comfort. One for zero week and one for Priesthood. Every week they recognize the graduates and have them give talks. They are usually short. The leadership is pretty old and you can tell there is a different twist or feeling coming from the local LDS people.. There really aren't many. When we get there trainees are doing everything. Including prelude music.... that usually sucks. They start playing music that isn't spiritual and we keep asking why no one will stop them and play normal stuff. Grrr....

Running in A-Lane sucked today. They just started sprinting for the first three laps and then a TI finally told them to slow down. We run in groups for 15 minutes and then a 10 minute free run and then 30 second sprints! You feel like you are going to die every time!

So it's going to be hard to push it and get honor-grad and marksman but I think I can do it... Hardest experience ever.

We get up at 4:45 every morning to do PT. We sleep in our PT clothes. We don't really slow down until after lunch.

Oh a kid from our brother flight got recycled back to zero week at lunch today. He didn't know any of his memory work. The section supervisor gave him plenty of chances to prove something and the kid couldn't tell him anything.


7/17/09

Just caught up with your letters. There is no time to read or write letters unless you are lazy and don't do your work and studies. Let me answer some questions. The TI's are completely random with rewards. They like to use the words, "if" and "maybe." Phone calls come when they say. I think we'll get one tomorrow. We have 58 trainees divided into two bays. Sharing eight stalls, eight sinks, four urinals, one big shower with 8 heads and a big day room... well big enough to squeeze us all in it. The bays are half bunk bed and half normal. They are single twin mattresses. I am 6'3" and there is one that stands at 6'4." The instructor is 6'7." There are a bunch of young and short guys... anyway the beds are made to exacting standards and we try to sleep in them so that we don't have to completely remake them. That sucks. I constantly wake up with numb toes or sore legs from the tightness of the sheets or shortness of the bed. Our usual schedule consists of:

Week Days:
0445 Wake up
0500 PT (run alternated with exercises)
0700 Breakfast
0730 Details
0830 Classroom instruction or drill practice
1130 Lunch
1230 Instruction or drill practice
1630 Dinner
1730 Airman's time/ Day's review
1830 Details/ Study/ Get everything ready for inspections
2100 Lights out

Sunday

0545 Wake up
0630 Breakfast
Church (we do laundry here)
1130 Lunch
Church (we do church at 1430)
1630 dinner
1830 Details
2100 Lights out


So that's what it's like... I guess. It changes a lot. Like yesterday we had KP duties and woke up at 0230 to go to work at 0330 in the kitchens. We worked clear to 1930 with breaks only to eat. we were sooo tired. Come week six we will spend a whole week "out in the field" at the BEAST.

I am probably the 4th oldest here. The oldest being 30 and the youngest 17.

There is a lot of foul language but it is easy to ignore when I am with two other Mormons. I have said my fare share of, "Damn its" though. :(

This is definitely harder than the MTC. Mentally, physically, emotionally it's all extreme. It's hard for me to imagine anyone going through all this. Even myself. It's pretty amazing though.
It's good to hear that...

Sigh.. I need to send this off

Loves,
Christaupherson



My plans are set. 23 days 'til Graduation!!