When I was in Basic Training, by the end of the third Week of Training we were allowed base liberty on the weekend. For four hours, we were allowed to go to the library, use the internet, buy junk food, all sorts of privileges that were normally denied to us. Naturally, I went straight to the Base Exchange and located the Toblerone... mmmmm. Mission accomplished.
Moral of this story is: Toblerone cannot deny me, not even at Basic Military Training.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Good Morning Baltimore
It's been a long time. Last time I wrote here, I was preparing to leave for US Air Force Basic Military Training (BMT). Three months later, I'm stationed on an Army post, Fort George Meade in Baltimore, Maryland, going to the Defense Information School. I am studying to be a TV/Radio broadcaster. But perhaps I shall start at the beginning.
...okay, its been over a week since I started writing this entry, and coming back to it I just don't have the motivation to make it as detailed and intriguing as I originally intended. I will sum up instead.
BMT was crazy. Of course. I was laundry crew chief, which doesn't sound so bad, but if you've ever been through BMT and had to do it you know exactly how shitty it is. You'd think most of these kids had never done their own laundry before, which sadly is probably accurate. Although always highly stressful, BMT had its fun moments. Our MTI (Military Training Instructor) was funny as hell, and told me at the end that I was the only 'trainee' that didn't piss him off once the entire time in BMT. Oh, yeah.
In the end, I got the Warhawk Fitness Award, but missed out on honor grad by one lousy point on the End of Course Test. Apparently the answers the instructors give you IN CLASS don't matter if the Study Guide says something different. Oh well, I can live with that. But I also missed out on Marksmanship, because during CATM (basically weapons training) I shot at the wrong target. My rifle had jammed, so I cleared it out and when I went to aim again, I aimed at the paper of the guy beside me... and hit every target. I didn't even realize it, the instructor was watching closely and I couldn't figure out why until he told me I was a dumbass for shooting at the other dude's sheet. So instead of getting 46/50, I got 36/50. Still good, but you need 43 to get marksman... Hey, I was wearing a gas mask, its hard to shoot in those! I'm still angry at myself for that. But I digress.
I made friends, gained some valuable life experience, and graduated. Three days after Parade, the graduation ceremony, I was shipped off to Fort George G Meade, Maryland, to begin technical training at the Defense Information School (DINFOS). I arrived with three other new airmen from BMT. Most notably Smith, who is my suitemate, and we are a dangerous pair, so I hear.
I started school on Nov. 17th, and its been crazy busy and fun all at once. I really like it here on Fort Meade; its really cool to have a specialty where you constantly work and train with the other services. Public Affairs is a very purple envrionment. Its nice to be back on the east coast too, I missed it over here.
To sum up, I'm loving it so far. Maybe its crazy, but I can't wait for Holiday Exodus to be over so I can get back to Fort Meade. Of course there's a little more to it than that, but a couple people reading this might know why ;)
Oh! Holiday Exodus. During the holidays the military essentially 'shuts down' and most personnel take leave to go home or whatever... so I'm in Utah right now. It's good to see people, but... its Utah. Oh well.
...okay, its been over a week since I started writing this entry, and coming back to it I just don't have the motivation to make it as detailed and intriguing as I originally intended. I will sum up instead.
BMT was crazy. Of course. I was laundry crew chief, which doesn't sound so bad, but if you've ever been through BMT and had to do it you know exactly how shitty it is. You'd think most of these kids had never done their own laundry before, which sadly is probably accurate. Although always highly stressful, BMT had its fun moments. Our MTI (Military Training Instructor) was funny as hell, and told me at the end that I was the only 'trainee' that didn't piss him off once the entire time in BMT. Oh, yeah.
In the end, I got the Warhawk Fitness Award, but missed out on honor grad by one lousy point on the End of Course Test. Apparently the answers the instructors give you IN CLASS don't matter if the Study Guide says something different. Oh well, I can live with that. But I also missed out on Marksmanship, because during CATM (basically weapons training) I shot at the wrong target. My rifle had jammed, so I cleared it out and when I went to aim again, I aimed at the paper of the guy beside me... and hit every target. I didn't even realize it, the instructor was watching closely and I couldn't figure out why until he told me I was a dumbass for shooting at the other dude's sheet. So instead of getting 46/50, I got 36/50. Still good, but you need 43 to get marksman... Hey, I was wearing a gas mask, its hard to shoot in those! I'm still angry at myself for that. But I digress.
I made friends, gained some valuable life experience, and graduated. Three days after Parade, the graduation ceremony, I was shipped off to Fort George G Meade, Maryland, to begin technical training at the Defense Information School (DINFOS). I arrived with three other new airmen from BMT. Most notably Smith, who is my suitemate, and we are a dangerous pair, so I hear.
To sum up, I'm loving it so far. Maybe its crazy, but I can't wait for Holiday Exodus to be over so I can get back to Fort Meade. Of course there's a little more to it than that, but a couple people reading this might know why ;)
Oh! Holiday Exodus. During the holidays the military essentially 'shuts down' and most personnel take leave to go home or whatever... so I'm in Utah right now. It's good to see people, but... its Utah. Oh well.
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