#42 - DEP function

Last night I attended my first DEP function at the local recruiting office. There were several other recruits in attendance, all apparently half my age at 17 or 18 years old. I realized I was out of my element as the conversation usually revolved around X-box, PSP-3, and the video game Halo. Yes, I only have vague ideas of what these things are. Most of my video gaming experience revolved around Pong, PacMan, Star Raiders, and Missle Command some 20 or more years ago. ;> Nevertheless, the kids seemed nice enough, but god, I felt so old in their presence.

We went over a few things that we needed to know in basic, including military time, the three general orders, and the phonetic alphabet. I received a few Army tchotckes, including a 2006 calendar, a coffee mug, and travel mug. The first page of the calendar depicts some Army trainees grimacing while they crawl on their bellies through a mud and water-filled pit (see above photo). I suggested that my husband should hang this on the wall so he can think of me and all the fun I'll be having in basic training.

My recruiter wanted to do some PT, so we went to a local high school. Both of the tracks were closed, so he proposed running laps around a series of roads on the high school property. I wasn't looking forward to running as I didn't know we were slated to do PT, I had eaten dinner not long before, and had strained a muscle in my back earlier that day. Plus these roads were almost completely dark with no streetlights.

It was good that I did participate in run, as I was able to tell how pathetic my running ability truly is! After about the first 1/8 mile, I found it very difficult to breathe (probably not helped by the cold temperatures). My throat filled with phlegm, and dinner nearly returned for another visit. I was dismayed to find that running outside on pavement was very different from running around the inside of my house, or on a treadmill. Afterwards I felt like someone had completed a spirited Tanya Harding baton-wielding on the front of my shins. I had to stop and walk a few times briefly during the run, but I ended up finishing with about 20 seconds longer on my time than I needed to have. It showed me that it wasn't completely unattainable, but I still have work to do. I should have been running outside a long time ago.

For those who are gifted with more time in the delayed enlistment program - use it wisely! I have been spending plenty of time on pushups, situps, and developing upper body strength, but not enough on the run. Those of us who have gone from enlistment to shipping with a month or less haven't had much to work with in the limited time offered. If I had six months or a year to prepare, it would be a different story. Now, I will do the best I can in the time remaining, and hope that I won't be assigned to a fitness training unit at basic (http://www.jackson.army.mil/120/FTC.htm).