Training Day 3

It's hard to believe I've only been here a weekish, and not either forever or just got here.

At boot camp, there are only two different levels of voice: "Shut your fat mouth" and "Open your stupid mouths." There are two separate speeds – "fly" / "step it out" and "DO NOT RUN." All of our gear is "trash". There are no pronouns – recruits don't get those. They are disgusting creatures, all civilian-y, and the only difference between us and civilians is we once thought, "I might be able to become a Marine."

The days are very regular so don't be too shocked at a lack of content here. The recruits wake up at 3:45 a.m. and during the night is the only time we have a watch because we take two-hour rifle security watch posts. That report sounds like: "Good evening ma'am! Recruit Snider and Recruit Samek reporting as rifle security watch for Platoon 4000. There are 58 M16-A2 service rifles properly secured to the racks and on safe. There are 58 seabags properly secured in the containment area. There are 58 footlockers properly secured. There are 56 USMC recruits asleep in their racks and 2 on rifle security watch. Today is Training Day 3. Good evening, ma'am."

It becomes easy to memorize MASS amounts of knowledge verbatim when you yell it constantly while going place to place.

DI: The three types of flags.
Recruits: Ma'am, the 3 types of flags are storm, post and garrison, ma'am!

Etc.

We all look like we have chicken pox because of the gnat and flea bites. Dozens and dozens of pink itchy spots. You put hand sanitizer on it, on everything, because it's easy to get infected here. My hands and arms are covered in cuts and bruises from grabbing and moving heavy things and my rifle quickly all the time. Everyone's fingers are bandaged. The DIs congratulate each other each time they get a recruit to 'drop' (to say she wants to go home) but doing so is a long and awful process. I guess that's the DIs job though.

After we got up today, we dressed Marine boot camp style – "Put on your boots. 30-29-28-27-" etc. for each item. The countdown is as fast as the numbers can be said. Then we went to PT – an exhausting time, I assure you.

There are classes 'n' stuff. Write more later. Love!! Keep sending gossip!