#105 - Grenades and troublemakers

<-- Grenade training

It is 3:17pm, and I am currently out at the Remagen hand grenade range. I threw two live fragmentation hand grenades this morning. It was not as bad as I expected. In all of our practicing, we had to throw the grenades a considerable distance, but for the actual "real" grenades, we didn't have to throw them very far - just over the wall. The wall was part of a pretty considerable bunker, and one of the cadre told me that it was thick enough that a grenade did not have to be throw, just lobbed over the side. Of course the grenades made a very loud explosion, and the ground rocked. I was the first to go, and happy to have gotten it over with.

This morning we had another AGR (ability group run). It was awful. They had us wearing shorts, sweatpants, short-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved shirts, and sweatshirts over them. It was not cold out, so we were quickly drenched in sweat and overheating. A different DS was leading the 'C' group run who isn't used to running with the slow pokes, and he could not maintain a slow enough pace.

Therefore, most of the people fell out of the run because they just couldn't keep up with him. I had trouble too. We all ended up getting screamed at by the First Sergeant, and as punishment, were made to repeatedly sprint down the road. The 1SG also said that he is going to recommend to the company commander that we not be allowed to transition to Blue Phase because we are a bunch of "fat bodies". Most people are still beat up in some way from the road march on Monday, and we are all tired.

This afternoon we turned in our IBAs. The 1SG said that we are getting more in tomorrow, but I suspect that it is an empty threat. We have heard that the IBAs are needed elsewhere, and we think this is the last of them we'll see at BCT. The cadre here often say things that aren't true to psyche people out. It is just a part of the game, I suppose. This is basic training, after all.

My back was killing me today from wearing the IBA. Luckily I still have a (dwindling) supply of Ibuprofen. Hopefully it will tide me over for the duration of BCT.

All of the platoon phase banners are rolled up right now. One of the platoon's flags has a pack of Newports tied to it. Someone in the barracks snitched on a girl for smoking in the latrine. Cigarettes have been selling on the BCT black market here for between $10 and $20 per cigarette. I've been told that they are obtained in two ways - folks buy them from AIT students on post (usually when they see them at sick call, as this is one of the few times away from the Drill Sergeants), and also that some of the males have been sneaking out of the barracks on Sundays to the nearby PX. I've heard that people usually smoke in the shower to avoid detection. They will turn all the showers on to steam up the bathroom and disguise the smoke, then open the windows, and spray bathroom cleaning products to cover the smell.

The shit did hit the fan, though, as we had a surprise locker inspection. Luckily this never poses a problem for me, as I have nothing to hide.