10 days and counting

I now have about 10 days until I leave my home here in Florida to make the trip up to Bowling Green Kentucky, which is where my recruiting station is located. My dad and I are going to leave on the 26th and visit with my grandfather for a day or so, then drive over to Bowling Green on the 28th. Sunday morning, the day I ship off, we are supposed to meet and have breakfast with one of my dad's old high school buddies who is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army. I've never met him before, but we've spoken a few times on the phone when I was considering joining the Army, and I'm kind of excited to meet him. After breakfast we will go and meet my recruiter at the station and finish any last paperwork that is needed from us, and I will get on the van that will take me down to the Nashville MEPS station.

For those of you who don't know what MEPS is, it is the Military Entrance Processing Station. That is where most soldiers who enlist go to take their ASVAB test, physical and to sign their military contracts. From there, they will bus us all to a really nice 4/5 star hotel for the night where we just lay low, eat dinner and relax. We will have to wake up around 0415 (4:15am) and eat breakfast and then they will put those of us who are going to Ft. Benning on a van or bus and drive us down to the base where we will have to spend anywhere from 4 to 7 days in what the Army calls "Reception." Reception is a lengthly and often boring phase of Basic Training that is supposed to be pure Hell. We will spend those few days standing in long lines for our shots, to be issued our PT uniforms and BCU's (Basic combat uniforms which are the cool digital camo uniforms with the boots), get our heads shaved, and all of that fun stuff. Wake up there from what I hear is at 0500 and lights out at 2100 (5am and 9pm.) I'm not exactly sure but I think we are also given a PT test during that week as well. After there are enough people to send down range, we will be moved to start our actual Basic Training. Army Basic Training is consisted of roughly 9 1/2 weeks of rigorous mental and physical training that is split up into three phases: Red, White & Blue phase. Red Phase is known to be the worst because the first three weeks we will be expected to adjust to the military lifestyle and for some people It's not going to be an easy change. Once we are finished with that we will move onto white phase and so on. At the end of basic training, I will have graduation and a day or so off to spend with my family and then I will have to go right back at it to attend my AIT training (Advanced Individual Training.) my MOS requires what is called OSUT (One Station Unit Training) which is where basic training and AIT training are blended together instead of having them separately like some MOS's do.  My AIT training will be roughly 5 weeks long, and once that is completed I suppose I will be a full fledged Army Soldier, and where I go from there I'm not really sure at this point. 

As the days fly by, I'm beginning to get really anxious, nervous and excited about the whole experience that is yet to come. I've been working out and training with my old high school football team since my dad is still a coach, and I hope the weight lifting and running i've been doing will pay off. I don't mind the weight lifting too much, but the running I absolutely despise. I don't know how anyone could enjoy running for the Hell of it. However, I don't think I will hate it as much having to do with with other people. I just get bored to death when I'm running alone and don't have to see other people suffer along with me ha-ha. I've also been spending a great deal of time trying to get my finances in order along with my student loans. By the time I have to leave, everything should be taken care of though, and that will be a huge weight off of my mind. I will gladly give up three years of my life or more if it means I wont have to pay back those damn student loans myself. 

I'm also going to have to start packing up my stuff here in my room and putting it away because I'm not going to be needing any of it for the next 4 or so months of my life. I find that kind of weird also. I have more clothes and shoes than any guy should and I'm not going to be needing any of it. My packing list for basic training will consist of my Army issued backpack, the clothes on my back, basic toiletries (1 of each) and one change of clothes. I'm going away for almost 4 months and I'm only packing as if I were spending the night at someone's house. I still think that's crazy, but hey, the Army is going to provide everything I will need. What things I will need personally I can purchase on base during my stay. 

These last ten days I plan to spend as much time with my family and dog as possible, and I would like to also spend a significant amount of time fishing, riding my motorcycle, and sleeping in as long as I can because God knows I wont be doing any of that come 10 days from now. 

-PFC Zaleuke