Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Post 26 - Last Post Before Graduation :-)
Dear Family,
I know you probably might not get this till after graduation but here goes anyways today is Sunday. Last week was team week which is fun we get assigned place where we go and work for other Marines to see what it is like in the actual working force. I had to stay at the house most of the week doing paperwork, but I got to go one day to the warehouse and unload semi trucks for an hour and then sat and talked to the marines and ourselves for a couple hours. This week is the Marine Corp Birthday so there has been ceremonies all week on Thursdaywe had the cake cutting ceremony, the reading of General John A LeSuene (not sure if I spelled this right I couldn't make out all of his letters) birthday message the recognition of the oldest and youngest Marines and a birthday message from our Commander of the Marine Corp. For lunch we had steak, shrimp, Lobster tail and rolls oh and birthday cake. I also had to run another PFT this one counted incase we are not able to run the final one I was only 14 pts below a first class PFT 10 pull ups 105 crunches and a 24:30 three mile run. Friday night I got to participate in night patrols which mean that I go to patrol an area at night with rifles and radios. I also was on the QRF quick response force which is basically like a swat team so we were on the alert all night ready to activate with in a min or two I can't wait to see you all on Monday we all. On monday we are doing rappelling off a 100 ft tower and tuesday we are going to SATO to schedule a flight home. I will try to find out when you are flying get a flight on the same one or close to it. LOVE you all and only 5 more days till I see you
LOVE
Ben
I know you probably might not get this till after graduation but here goes anyways today is Sunday. Last week was team week which is fun we get assigned place where we go and work for other Marines to see what it is like in the actual working force. I had to stay at the house most of the week doing paperwork, but I got to go one day to the warehouse and unload semi trucks for an hour and then sat and talked to the marines and ourselves for a couple hours. This week is the Marine Corp Birthday so there has been ceremonies all week on Thursdaywe had the cake cutting ceremony, the reading of General John A LeSuene (not sure if I spelled this right I couldn't make out all of his letters) birthday message the recognition of the oldest and youngest Marines and a birthday message from our Commander of the Marine Corp. For lunch we had steak, shrimp, Lobster tail and rolls oh and birthday cake. I also had to run another PFT this one counted incase we are not able to run the final one I was only 14 pts below a first class PFT 10 pull ups 105 crunches and a 24:30 three mile run. Friday night I got to participate in night patrols which mean that I go to patrol an area at night with rifles and radios. I also was on the QRF quick response force which is basically like a swat team so we were on the alert all night ready to activate with in a min or two I can't wait to see you all on Monday we all. On monday we are doing rappelling off a 100 ft tower and tuesday we are going to SATO to schedule a flight home. I will try to find out when you are flying get a flight on the same one or close to it. LOVE you all and only 5 more days till I see you
LOVE
Ben
Friday, November 9, 2007
Post 25
Dear Family
Another Sunday well waht can I say. I am only two and a half weeks away from being home and I am so excited. Last week was swim week and I qualified swim 4 which means I get to graduate. I also got to turn in my old belt and don a new belt I am now a tan belt in MCMAP. Yesterday was the series PFT I did 8 pull ups 118 crunches and 25 min 3 mile run I passed and now only have one more PFT to pass and even if I fail that one I will get a bad day waiver and pass any way. In the run I got to help someone and how someone helped me last time. I ran next to someone and ran them in. It was nice to be able to help someone out this time. I am still sore though. We are going into Team week where all we do is go to some classes and do work aroun dthe base basically no drill instructors all week to help us get use to being in the working force. We also get our uniforms back from the Taylors to get them ready for our two inspections. Now our main concern is studying up for prac and first aid. I can't wait to eat some real food and see all of you. The airport is a constant torture reminding me of how close that I actually am to finishing up boot and heading home. I would still like info on where we are staying after grad, if we aren't leaving until Thursday and what time we are leaving on Thursday don't worry if it is too early I am fine with it. I wake up at 0439-0500 every morning and I am slowly starting to become a morning person. I don't know now but I am becoming better at getting up all I need to hear is "Lights Lights Lights" and I am up and on line not awake but there. Well I need to go get ready for another week.
Love
Ben
Another Sunday well waht can I say. I am only two and a half weeks away from being home and I am so excited. Last week was swim week and I qualified swim 4 which means I get to graduate. I also got to turn in my old belt and don a new belt I am now a tan belt in MCMAP. Yesterday was the series PFT I did 8 pull ups 118 crunches and 25 min 3 mile run I passed and now only have one more PFT to pass and even if I fail that one I will get a bad day waiver and pass any way. In the run I got to help someone and how someone helped me last time. I ran next to someone and ran them in. It was nice to be able to help someone out this time. I am still sore though. We are going into Team week where all we do is go to some classes and do work aroun dthe base basically no drill instructors all week to help us get use to being in the working force. We also get our uniforms back from the Taylors to get them ready for our two inspections. Now our main concern is studying up for prac and first aid. I can't wait to eat some real food and see all of you. The airport is a constant torture reminding me of how close that I actually am to finishing up boot and heading home. I would still like info on where we are staying after grad, if we aren't leaving until Thursday and what time we are leaving on Thursday don't worry if it is too early I am fine with it. I wake up at 0439-0500 every morning and I am slowly starting to become a morning person. I don't know now but I am becoming better at getting up all I need to hear is "Lights Lights Lights" and I am up and on line not awake but there. Well I need to go get ready for another week.
Love
Ben
Post 24
Dear Family,
I just wanted to contact you life is ever picking up in pace this week is pretty intense when it comes to training I have swimming which I failed the first day because my bag malfunctioned and to put it short and nicely the bag and my rifle tried to drown me. But I am alive and trying again perserverence to the end. Tomorrow we have RAV where we get our official orders to tell us when and where we ship to next. The day after that we have our McMap test (Marine Corps Martial Art Program) and on Saturday I have series PFT "yeah" which means I have to run 3 miles do all my pull ups and all my crunches. I will let you know how it goes. Two days ago now we got issued more uniforms our dress uniforms our Service Alphas our Service Bravos & Charles and our dress blues Alphas, Bravos Charles, and Deltas so we spent time getting fitted and then sent them off to the taylors to get them better fitted, we also received our first third phase hair cuts which means it is the first hair cut I got that didn't hurt to high heavens and now I am sporting a high and tight till graduation. To answer some questions that I forgot to answer my oral surgery was for the cavity that we never took care of. And now for information when you come. I know I told Jen to bring my cell phone but if we are staying and extra night with internet I would like to have my computer or someones computer to come so as to check my accounts and some platoon issues I need to set up. I don't know if SSGT Smoger has told you anytime frames about family day or grad day but on family day at 0700 is the parents Drill Instructor time followed by the moto run followed by the pinning ceremony followed by the hang out time till I believe 1900 PSish if you come around 0600 you will miss traffic and get to see grad practice. Grad day graduation is at 1000 but to beat the crowds and get good seats you need to be here around 0800-0830 after that it starts to get really crowded. Please send me info on what you would like to do later so I can figure out arrangements with luggage and clothing. Also to remind you please stop sending letters by about next week Saturday I believe it is T-60 as Nov 9th or 10th. I love you and hope to see you soon!
Love
Ben
I just wanted to contact you life is ever picking up in pace this week is pretty intense when it comes to training I have swimming which I failed the first day because my bag malfunctioned and to put it short and nicely the bag and my rifle tried to drown me. But I am alive and trying again perserverence to the end. Tomorrow we have RAV where we get our official orders to tell us when and where we ship to next. The day after that we have our McMap test (Marine Corps Martial Art Program) and on Saturday I have series PFT "yeah" which means I have to run 3 miles do all my pull ups and all my crunches. I will let you know how it goes. Two days ago now we got issued more uniforms our dress uniforms our Service Alphas our Service Bravos & Charles and our dress blues Alphas, Bravos Charles, and Deltas so we spent time getting fitted and then sent them off to the taylors to get them better fitted, we also received our first third phase hair cuts which means it is the first hair cut I got that didn't hurt to high heavens and now I am sporting a high and tight till graduation. To answer some questions that I forgot to answer my oral surgery was for the cavity that we never took care of. And now for information when you come. I know I told Jen to bring my cell phone but if we are staying and extra night with internet I would like to have my computer or someones computer to come so as to check my accounts and some platoon issues I need to set up. I don't know if SSGT Smoger has told you anytime frames about family day or grad day but on family day at 0700 is the parents Drill Instructor time followed by the moto run followed by the pinning ceremony followed by the hang out time till I believe 1900 PSish if you come around 0600 you will miss traffic and get to see grad practice. Grad day graduation is at 1000 but to beat the crowds and get good seats you need to be here around 0800-0830 after that it starts to get really crowded. Please send me info on what you would like to do later so I can figure out arrangements with luggage and clothing. Also to remind you please stop sending letters by about next week Saturday I believe it is T-60 as Nov 9th or 10th. I love you and hope to see you soon!
Love
Ben
Friday, November 2, 2007
Post 23
Dear Family
Yesterday night we definately had fun the night before we have a mountain range about 4-5 miles out that I can see from my bed well two nights ago we watched the fire burn up and over the mountain then last night we watched as the fire came within a half milke to a mile away from the carracks we even backed all of our main packs to be able to evacuate across the street to the hovercraft base across the street but during the night it changed directions to head away from the MCRD portion of the base. Today more sitting around we didn't get to do much today weapons maintanence prac, first aid and lecture from my senior drill Instructor the only change is that the power is out and we now have to wear masks to make sure we don't inhale to much smoke. IT still looks like Christmas as the white ash falls around us. I am not looking forward to tomorrow more sitting around and more bordom the plus for the electricity going out is we get 11 1/2 hrs of sleep yesterday and tonmight from dawn to suck. Well I need to go write more letters I think I have 20 or so I am a little behind
Love
Ben
Dear Father,
I didn't have any more room on the family ltter and I wrote that last night and am writing this one tonight. I have realized that it is all a game to night they were messing arond withus before bed because we had extra time basically we were getting in and out of bed a couple of times and getting on line a whole lot more. About 20 of us right around me were trying not to laugh because they drill instructors had to find the mallest thing like one person wiggling their toe to punish us. It was hilarious that they have to try so hard now to find anything wrong with us. It is all becoming a game and we are loving it. 26 more days to go and in one hour I will officially be a third phase rady to gaduate.
Love
Ben
Yesterday night we definately had fun the night before we have a mountain range about 4-5 miles out that I can see from my bed well two nights ago we watched the fire burn up and over the mountain then last night we watched as the fire came within a half milke to a mile away from the carracks we even backed all of our main packs to be able to evacuate across the street to the hovercraft base across the street but during the night it changed directions to head away from the MCRD portion of the base. Today more sitting around we didn't get to do much today weapons maintanence prac, first aid and lecture from my senior drill Instructor the only change is that the power is out and we now have to wear masks to make sure we don't inhale to much smoke. IT still looks like Christmas as the white ash falls around us. I am not looking forward to tomorrow more sitting around and more bordom the plus for the electricity going out is we get 11 1/2 hrs of sleep yesterday and tonmight from dawn to suck. Well I need to go write more letters I think I have 20 or so I am a little behind
Love
Ben
Dear Father,
I didn't have any more room on the family ltter and I wrote that last night and am writing this one tonight. I have realized that it is all a game to night they were messing arond withus before bed because we had extra time basically we were getting in and out of bed a couple of times and getting on line a whole lot more. About 20 of us right around me were trying not to laugh because they drill instructors had to find the mallest thing like one person wiggling their toe to punish us. It was hilarious that they have to try so hard now to find anything wrong with us. It is all becoming a game and we are loving it. 26 more days to go and in one hour I will officially be a third phase rady to gaduate.
Love
Ben
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