I am working on the next post. I want to make sure i have everything i forgot to mention. Look for it by the end of this week!!!
thank you
Marines in Action
Special forces unit from Indonesia Marine Corps in rapid response attack simulation. (Surabaya, 15 November 2006) Photograph by Mbahji (Deviant Art)
20110202
Boot camp 5
20110128- The end of Grass week!
(more importantly....3 more days until February! That means 2 months down 1 to go)
So, after my disappointing experience with swim qual and MCMAP, things seem to be improving... or maybe it's just one of those "Edmiston" things and our love for hard core activities like playing with deadly weapons and tear gas.
After initial testing last Tuesday, We made our way to the rappel tower and the gas chamber. The rappelling was pretty cool, but I didn't rappel down the wall, I ended up doing the fast rope. free falling for a few seconds until the hand break pulls me back to reality... it was definitely a good boot camp experience.
Then the gas chamber ( dun dun dun)
4th battalion had to wait until all male platoons went through the gas chamber first. We got to see the looks of terror on all their faces as they ran out of the gas chamber, arms up and out to the side looking like a plane plummeting down in a " mayday " spiral.
Most of the females began to panic knowing they were going to come out with the same red, irritated skin and nasal drainage slimming up our faces and running down over our mouth and hanging from our lower jaw, But we had to get over our anxiety and step through that door regardless.
As we filed in and lined up against the wall our vision became impaired from all the smoke in the air. they locked the doors behind us and began briefing us.
The smoke became thicker as the instructors increased the chlorine, Once it reached the right consistency we were instructed to break our seals, at first the gas had no affect on me, I did what I was told, I held my breath and kept my eyes shut.
But with the curiosity of how the other girls were being affected and the way the gas seemed to tighten my burning skin, I automatically gasped for air, opened my eyes, and quickly learned what a mistake that was.
The best comparison I have is a jabinero pepper, Imagine rubbing the freshly cut pepper all over your face and in your eyes, taking a bite and having it burn your mouth and throat from the intense heat, And the more you try to hold your breath , the more you cough and breath in more gas. the harder you try to squeeze your eyes shut the more they burn and tear up, causing them to open again.
Even though we went through the same chamber with the same gas, the females seemed to react less dramatically than the males, we looked just as disgusting as we ran out drooling, but not as desperate for oxygen.
The rappel tower and gas chamber, beginning of phase two, a milestone that increased my motivation of continuing through boot camp.
The next thing that came along in the schedule...
Grass/Rifle week!
Right now we are still learning the basics of rifle handling and sight adjustments. We have been shooting targets in the I.S.M.T ( a marksmanship simulator) So far my groupings have been pretty good, Today is our last practice day in the I.S.M.T and starting next week we move to the range for live fire. I am hoping I qualify as a sharpshooter at least.
I will update everyone in a few weeks with my qual and what else we are going to be doing.
See you all soon! Just 5 more weeks ( Because Marine week doesn't really count)
1 week of firing
1 week of BWT
Team week
1 week of TBD activities
CRUCIBLE
Marine week ( doesn't really count Ha Ha )
...
GRADUATION!!!
Can't wait to see everyone!
Rct Edmiston
4th Rtbn Plt 4008 Co O
P.S. The chow at the range is amazing.
Bigger portions, more time to eat, more options. Only down side the males food is right across the room calling my name, but females aren't allowed all the fatty onion rings, french fries and cheeseburgers.
It's Ttorture, Cruel and Unusual punishment....
(more importantly....3 more days until February! That means 2 months down 1 to go)
So, after my disappointing experience with swim qual and MCMAP, things seem to be improving... or maybe it's just one of those "Edmiston" things and our love for hard core activities like playing with deadly weapons and tear gas.
After initial testing last Tuesday, We made our way to the rappel tower and the gas chamber. The rappelling was pretty cool, but I didn't rappel down the wall, I ended up doing the fast rope. free falling for a few seconds until the hand break pulls me back to reality... it was definitely a good boot camp experience.
Then the gas chamber ( dun dun dun)
4th battalion had to wait until all male platoons went through the gas chamber first. We got to see the looks of terror on all their faces as they ran out of the gas chamber, arms up and out to the side looking like a plane plummeting down in a " mayday " spiral.
Most of the females began to panic knowing they were going to come out with the same red, irritated skin and nasal drainage slimming up our faces and running down over our mouth and hanging from our lower jaw, But we had to get over our anxiety and step through that door regardless.
As we filed in and lined up against the wall our vision became impaired from all the smoke in the air. they locked the doors behind us and began briefing us.
The smoke became thicker as the instructors increased the chlorine, Once it reached the right consistency we were instructed to break our seals, at first the gas had no affect on me, I did what I was told, I held my breath and kept my eyes shut.
But with the curiosity of how the other girls were being affected and the way the gas seemed to tighten my burning skin, I automatically gasped for air, opened my eyes, and quickly learned what a mistake that was.
The best comparison I have is a jabinero pepper, Imagine rubbing the freshly cut pepper all over your face and in your eyes, taking a bite and having it burn your mouth and throat from the intense heat, And the more you try to hold your breath , the more you cough and breath in more gas. the harder you try to squeeze your eyes shut the more they burn and tear up, causing them to open again.
Even though we went through the same chamber with the same gas, the females seemed to react less dramatically than the males, we looked just as disgusting as we ran out drooling, but not as desperate for oxygen.
The rappel tower and gas chamber, beginning of phase two, a milestone that increased my motivation of continuing through boot camp.
The next thing that came along in the schedule...
Grass/Rifle week!
Right now we are still learning the basics of rifle handling and sight adjustments. We have been shooting targets in the I.S.M.T ( a marksmanship simulator) So far my groupings have been pretty good, Today is our last practice day in the I.S.M.T and starting next week we move to the range for live fire. I am hoping I qualify as a sharpshooter at least.
I will update everyone in a few weeks with my qual and what else we are going to be doing.
See you all soon! Just 5 more weeks ( Because Marine week doesn't really count)
1 week of firing
1 week of BWT
Team week
1 week of TBD activities
CRUCIBLE
Marine week ( doesn't really count Ha Ha )
...
GRADUATION!!!
Can't wait to see everyone!
Rct Edmiston
4th Rtbn Plt 4008 Co O
P.S. The chow at the range is amazing.
Bigger portions, more time to eat, more options. Only down side the males food is right across the room calling my name, but females aren't allowed all the fatty onion rings, french fries and cheeseburgers.
It's Ttorture, Cruel and Unusual punishment....
20110126
Boot camp 4
20110117- Martin Luther King Jr Day- TRAINING DAY 24
Counting down the days probably wasn't the best idea. Now I am anticipating graduation even more, causing the days to feel longer and the weeks to go by slower, We are just about halfway done, Hopefully things will start moving faster and Graduation is here in the blink of an eye! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Lately we haven't been doing any physical training. We have been too focused on 1)swim qual 2)MCMAP testing 3)Initial Drill 4)Initial testing.
1) Swim Qual: for most of the girls in my platoon, swim qual was extremely challenging. More than half failed the first day, and then half of them failed the second day too. There were only two or three that had to go back a third day.
Because of the failures we were only able to go through swim qual 4. I was hoping to try and go for swim qual 2 ( I guess that's the highest they offer) Swim qual 4, if you already know how to swim was very easy. We pretty much just covered the basics of swimming. Not being able to challenge myself was disappointing. We spent the rest of the week studying for initial drill and knowledge testing.
2) MCMAP: If anyone is worried about not doing well at MCMAP, don't be. I am confident you are more than capable of passing.
3) Initial Drill: Initial Drill wasn't to bad. It was disappointing that we didn't beat our sister platoon, 4009 but drill itself was fun, Even though I am no longer the guide, I was the drill guide. ( only because they fired me the week before and the new guide didn't have time to learn the movements)
4) Initial Testing- Phase 1 Knowledge: The knowledge test is tomorrow, morning or afternoon? I don't know, It shouldn't be too hard, All we have been doing is reviewing study guides and practice test. Hopefully, No I will ace this test and get a phone call home, Along with everyone else in the platoon that gets 100%
We might get Reese's cups too! mmm
Once testing is finished tomorrow we get to go to the gas chamber (which everyone keeps going on about. The nerves are getting to some of the other recruits.) Maybe I will have some horror stories to add to the list. We do have repel tower tomorrow also! No broken legs this time! or any other bones for that matter.
Aside from the 4 events we have been stressing over this past week, not much else has been happening. We haven't been able to write because we are focusing on knowledge. This is the 1st thing I have written in a few days, Ive even been neglecting my mom of mail!
With the past week having been sort of relaxing, Some of the stress has gone away. I am still homesick and tired of the drill instructors and other recruits. But the constantly moving from here to there has slowed down. Now if only some of the recruits here could learn respect and discipline, we could add that as another milestone and maybe get It'd less.
Any who, the stress that was somewhat alleviated with our break was replaced when I was called into Executive Officer's office, right before initial drill Saturday morning, for a "Secret meeting".That threw off everything, Every ounce of focus I had was flushed down the toilet. It certainly didn't help my drill performance any either.
Only 45 training days left! I'll make it through. 7 Sundays to go , 1 of which is liberty Sunday and 1 of which is my 21st birthday! what a way to celebrate ha ha
Initial PFT and grass week are coming up in the next few weeks. I will send an update after the gas chamber and then one after grass week.
Thank you for everyone's support, I can't wait to see you all when I get home
Recruit Edmiston
4th Rtbn Plt 4008 Co. O
Po Box 16445
Parris Island, Sc 29905
Counting down the days probably wasn't the best idea. Now I am anticipating graduation even more, causing the days to feel longer and the weeks to go by slower, We are just about halfway done, Hopefully things will start moving faster and Graduation is here in the blink of an eye! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Lately we haven't been doing any physical training. We have been too focused on 1)swim qual 2)MCMAP testing 3)Initial Drill 4)Initial testing.
1) Swim Qual: for most of the girls in my platoon, swim qual was extremely challenging. More than half failed the first day, and then half of them failed the second day too. There were only two or three that had to go back a third day.
Because of the failures we were only able to go through swim qual 4. I was hoping to try and go for swim qual 2 ( I guess that's the highest they offer) Swim qual 4, if you already know how to swim was very easy. We pretty much just covered the basics of swimming. Not being able to challenge myself was disappointing. We spent the rest of the week studying for initial drill and knowledge testing.
2) MCMAP: If anyone is worried about not doing well at MCMAP, don't be. I am confident you are more than capable of passing.
3) Initial Drill: Initial Drill wasn't to bad. It was disappointing that we didn't beat our sister platoon, 4009 but drill itself was fun, Even though I am no longer the guide, I was the drill guide. ( only because they fired me the week before and the new guide didn't have time to learn the movements)
4) Initial Testing- Phase 1 Knowledge: The knowledge test is tomorrow, morning or afternoon? I don't know, It shouldn't be too hard, All we have been doing is reviewing study guides and practice test. Hopefully, No I will ace this test and get a phone call home, Along with everyone else in the platoon that gets 100%
We might get Reese's cups too! mmm
Once testing is finished tomorrow we get to go to the gas chamber (which everyone keeps going on about. The nerves are getting to some of the other recruits.) Maybe I will have some horror stories to add to the list. We do have repel tower tomorrow also! No broken legs this time! or any other bones for that matter.
Aside from the 4 events we have been stressing over this past week, not much else has been happening. We haven't been able to write because we are focusing on knowledge. This is the 1st thing I have written in a few days, Ive even been neglecting my mom of mail!
With the past week having been sort of relaxing, Some of the stress has gone away. I am still homesick and tired of the drill instructors and other recruits. But the constantly moving from here to there has slowed down. Now if only some of the recruits here could learn respect and discipline, we could add that as another milestone and maybe get It'd less.
Any who, the stress that was somewhat alleviated with our break was replaced when I was called into Executive Officer's office, right before initial drill Saturday morning, for a "Secret meeting".That threw off everything, Every ounce of focus I had was flushed down the toilet. It certainly didn't help my drill performance any either.
Only 45 training days left! I'll make it through. 7 Sundays to go , 1 of which is liberty Sunday and 1 of which is my 21st birthday! what a way to celebrate ha ha
Initial PFT and grass week are coming up in the next few weeks. I will send an update after the gas chamber and then one after grass week.
Thank you for everyone's support, I can't wait to see you all when I get home
Recruit Edmiston
4th Rtbn Plt 4008 Co. O
Po Box 16445
Parris Island, Sc 29905
20110115
Boot camp 3
20110109- Training day 25 (evaluation day) is right around the corner. We are on training day 17 now, 8 more days until the gas chamber. I am looking forward to watching all these girls panic and shoot snot bubbles out of their noses. Everyone is dreading the chamber except for a few of us who can't wait.
I am finally getting used to using third person speech. but I can turn it on and off when I need to, so I won't still be saying " this recruit" after graduation.
Unfortunately, I lost my guide position. I was on bed rest for the past two days with a bad double ear infection. I still can't hear out of my left ear. I hope I'm not permanently deaf. While I was on bed rest though, The rest of the platoon decided to replace me because "I quit on them when they needed me most". I guess it was my choice to have an ear infection. I didn't realize I could make that kind of decision :p O-well hopefully I will be able to get guide back for graduation.
Things would be alot easier here at boot camp if the whole platoon could learn respect and discipline. We get punished a lot for recruits that want to run their mouth and disobey orders.
We have been continuing with MCMAP, but nothing has really excited me yet. I already knew how to throw a punch and do a leg sweep. I feel like half the things we do , with MCMAP and also Pt, I would be better off learning on my own. Pugil sticks isn't all it's cracked up to be either, we only get 15 seconds to fight each other, which isn't enough time.
Aside from the ear infection, I have been to medical for a fever, and dental for fillings, I missed our 5 mile hike and Senior Drill Instructor inspection.:( Hopefully they won't put me on trial training.
The most exciting thing we have done so far was the confidence course. One girl fell from the 40+ foot rope and shattered her leg. She will be here for 12 month's of therapy! The confidence course isn't hard, it's all about finding courage to face the things you fear, like heights, water, and failure.
Drill is so much fun, It's one of the only things I feel like I have benefited from while here. It's the only thing I never really experienced before. Without PFC Nepo's help, I probably wouldn't be that great at marching. He helped me and Recruit Griffith while we were still in pool function.
Swim week is coming up! I have been told by the upperdeck it's kind of lame though. It doesn't last all week, unless you are an iron duck ( which means you can't swim ) and then they take you before everyone else and teach you how to swim.
As far as how I am actually doing, and how I have been coping with the lifestyle change... Well, It's hard, emotionally. Mostly from being homesick. My family is extremely close, and this is the longest I have been away from home. I have been extremely stressed out because the only communication I have with them is snail mail, March 11th can't come fast enough.
There have been times ( like 24-7 ) when I want to quit and be done with this place,but when you sit back and look at it, it's not all that bad. It's a good cause, even if I joined not really knowing if it's what I actually wanted. I miss the freedoms I had outside of boot camp, but I have learned to appreciate a lot more while here. There has been good and bad, but the experience will be positive over all and I will have a huge sense of accomplishment once handed the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor.
I will send another update in a week or so to let everyone know how training is progressing.
For everyone who is shipping soon and just recently shipped: GOOD LUCK!
I miss everyone and can't wait to see you all in March! Love you family!
Recruit Edmiston
4th Rtbn Plt 4008 Co.O
PO Box 16445
Parris Island SC 29905
I am finally getting used to using third person speech. but I can turn it on and off when I need to, so I won't still be saying " this recruit" after graduation.
Unfortunately, I lost my guide position. I was on bed rest for the past two days with a bad double ear infection. I still can't hear out of my left ear. I hope I'm not permanently deaf. While I was on bed rest though, The rest of the platoon decided to replace me because "I quit on them when they needed me most". I guess it was my choice to have an ear infection. I didn't realize I could make that kind of decision :p O-well hopefully I will be able to get guide back for graduation.
Things would be alot easier here at boot camp if the whole platoon could learn respect and discipline. We get punished a lot for recruits that want to run their mouth and disobey orders.
We have been continuing with MCMAP, but nothing has really excited me yet. I already knew how to throw a punch and do a leg sweep. I feel like half the things we do , with MCMAP and also Pt, I would be better off learning on my own. Pugil sticks isn't all it's cracked up to be either, we only get 15 seconds to fight each other, which isn't enough time.
Aside from the ear infection, I have been to medical for a fever, and dental for fillings, I missed our 5 mile hike and Senior Drill Instructor inspection.:( Hopefully they won't put me on trial training.
The most exciting thing we have done so far was the confidence course. One girl fell from the 40+ foot rope and shattered her leg. She will be here for 12 month's of therapy! The confidence course isn't hard, it's all about finding courage to face the things you fear, like heights, water, and failure.
Drill is so much fun, It's one of the only things I feel like I have benefited from while here. It's the only thing I never really experienced before. Without PFC Nepo's help, I probably wouldn't be that great at marching. He helped me and Recruit Griffith while we were still in pool function.
Swim week is coming up! I have been told by the upperdeck it's kind of lame though. It doesn't last all week, unless you are an iron duck ( which means you can't swim ) and then they take you before everyone else and teach you how to swim.
As far as how I am actually doing, and how I have been coping with the lifestyle change... Well, It's hard, emotionally. Mostly from being homesick. My family is extremely close, and this is the longest I have been away from home. I have been extremely stressed out because the only communication I have with them is snail mail, March 11th can't come fast enough.
There have been times ( like 24-7 ) when I want to quit and be done with this place,but when you sit back and look at it, it's not all that bad. It's a good cause, even if I joined not really knowing if it's what I actually wanted. I miss the freedoms I had outside of boot camp, but I have learned to appreciate a lot more while here. There has been good and bad, but the experience will be positive over all and I will have a huge sense of accomplishment once handed the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor.
I will send another update in a week or so to let everyone know how training is progressing.
For everyone who is shipping soon and just recently shipped: GOOD LUCK!
I miss everyone and can't wait to see you all in March! Love you family!
Recruit Edmiston
4th Rtbn Plt 4008 Co.O
PO Box 16445
Parris Island SC 29905
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