#58 - General Issue

I have (possibly) a few minutes to write before we get called to formation. We just finished carrying around huge duffel bags of all our issued uniforms. I think my shoulders are probably bruised, as we had the duffels on ours backs for at least a half hour marching around.

I received four pair of ACU tops and bottoms, a BDU field jacket (does not match the ACUs, as the BDU jacket is woodland camo) , two pair of tan boots (temperate and hot-weather, or as we call them, summer and winter boots), brown polypro underwear, tan t-shirts, socks, two patrol caps, a belt, and my nametags and rank insignia. The ACUs are big on me, but I was told that they would shrink after washing.

In the barracks the girls were engaging in a very LOUD pushup competition with a lot of yelling and clapping. In the middle of the ruckus, a Drill Sergeant's voice came booming over the intercom. Of course no one could understand what was said through the noise, so everyone ran downstairs to formation (this is usually what the DSs want when they call over the intercom). Well, of course we weren't supposed to form up, and everyone got in trouble. I thought it was funny.

During our earlier uniform issuing, I had a difficult time finding boots that would fit, and had to try on at least eight pair. Some of the civilians who work on the base here in Reception seem to be quite nasty in attitute towards the recruits. I don't know if they are told to be like this in order to "toughen" us up, or their apathy stems from seeing thousand of people pass throught their rooms like a human assembly line.

I had my photo ID taken earlier, and I must say that the picture is probably my most unappealing image captured in several years. I don't think I'll be showing that off to anyone. Most people in my platoon who were having their ID photos taken were pretty miserable at that point after being sleep deprived and stressed for several days in a row.

Tomorrow is the first PT test. I am very nervous about the run. Word is that we're shipping from Reception to basic training next Wednesday...

One of the girls in my platoon was just complaining about being sex-deprived. I can say that I haven't had the time to think of such things. You would swear that these people have been away from their loved ones for years, not three days. It seems that this also seems to be on the minds of many of the males in Reception. If they get close to the females in the chow line, they will do everything in their power to strike up a conversation, even if it means getting in trouble.

Someone in our company already tried to hurt (or kill?) themselves to get kicked out of the Army. Last night a female was taken away in an ambulance. There are conflicting rumors about what happened, but the persistent account is that she tried to overdose by drinking some kind of bathroom cleaner. Wow.

There are actually a lot of people here who want to quit and go home, including my battle buddy. I told these folks that it is true that the quickest way to get out of basic is to graduate. The girl who tried to ingest cleaning fluid is likely going to be stuck in a psych ward for the next several months. I've been trying to encourage these people and tell them that it will get better. Morale in Reception is often low. There are a number of girls in the barracks who are now crying because they are homesick. It is like an emotional chain reaction. One person will begin crying, and the next thing you know, everyone is bawling!