#114 - Sick call ranger

"Sick call ranger, where ya been? Gone to sick call, and back again..."

Yeah, I feel like a bit of a sick call ranger, as I have one again returned to battalion aid. Nothing is really wrong with me; I just need a refill for my allergy medicine. At this point I'm having difficulty distinguishing between the symptoms caused by the allergies and the prolonged series of colds I've been fighting off since January 17th. I cannot remember a period in my life where I have been sick and miserable for so long a time. It sucks. I'm hoping that AIT won't be like this.

I was cut short on my writing yesterday. After we were smoked in the sand pit, the platoons worked on practicing drill and ceremony (D&C), We then had a competition in front of the 1SG and CSM. My platoon came in second place. Actually I was relieved in a way that we weren't #1, as we would have then had to go to a battalion competiton - too much scrutiny!

I found out that I will likely be in front of the company during marching at graduation, as they put shorter people in the front. I'm not looking forward to it... being so visible. At least my husband will be able to see me when he comes for the ceremony, I suppose.

Yesterday we finally transitioned to Blue Phase. Those of us who passed our PT test are now allowed to eat bad things, including the candy in our MREs. Of course people are pigging out on cookies and pie at the DFAC, but I'm trying to be relatively conservative. I know I lost weight here, I don't want to gain all of it back and then some. I would like to treat myself to some good chocolate and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, however... maybe on family day. I've been craving weird kinds of foods, like Boston Market fare. It will be nice to sit with my husband and slowly enjoy a meal, not feel like I have only a few minutes to cram it into my mouth a la "eat now and taste it later".

Today we are scheduled to go to the Shoppette. I will try to purchase a watch with an alarm. Unfortunately I've been unable to rely upon the fire guards here to wake me at a specified time. I need a few other items for the upcoming Victory Forge too - things like handi wipes, cough drops, and tissues.

I am still sitting at sick call at the battalion aid building. I can hear the birds singing outside. Some of the trees are beginning to show buds of new growth. I believe that spring may be here. The pine trees have always had their needles, of course, but the deciduous hardwoods have been bare until now. I have heard that temps are mostly going to be in the 70s this upcoming week (such news is disseminated on what the DSs call the PNN - Private News Network. We are cut off from the rest of the world, so if anyone is lucky to catch a fleeting glimpse of a newspaper, or something on TV while they are in someone's office, they will share the info with everyone).

We do spend most of our time outdoors - so much that I've been sunburned on my face for awhile. My face is black and blue again from being smacked with the M-16 at the Omaha Beach range. It's a good thing they are giving us a few days to recover after Victory Forge, as my body will need the time to become more presentable before I see my husband and venture out in public.

There is supposed to be a person coming today to take down our info for hometown newspaper releases. You know, those little blurbs that say, "Pvt. so-and-so has completed basic combat training..." Graduation is definately on everyone's minds. We are scheduled to have a pizza party on the day after we return from Victory Forge. We have also been promised some sort of a good breakfast and lunch that day.

For family day, there is a dinner buffet being offered to soldiers and their families, which I will likely opt out of. I would rather spend that time dining alone with my husband. There are several folks here that I've gotten close to while I've been at BCT, but I think we all need our space... and there are certainly many that, even though this might sound mean, I wouldn't care if I never saw again.

Folks were making phone calls last night, but I didn't get a chance to. Jackman told me that we should be able to use the phone again today. Aside from the time we will be at Victory Forge, for the rest of BCT I should be able to, in theory, use the phone any time. No internet computers, though. I think the cadre were just teasing us. It sounds like they haven't been networked yet. Where's a good 25B when you need one?

Yesterday I was disappointed to have received no mail, which is unusual for me. Sometimes there is a glitch in the system, as no one will receive any mail. We suspect that one of the DSs just forgot to go to battalion to pick up the company's mail...

Last night in the barracks I overheard a conversation between two of the resident lesbians. They were being quite graphic in describing sex acts, and I think they drove a few folks out of the room...lol. Some of the females here are having a little fun with the whole drama of the lesbian finger-pointing going on in the bay (the whole "Rainbow List" incident). About seven of them formed a lesbian sisters "sorority" and performed an animated skit in front of the other girls in the barracks. One girl would say, "I'm sister licks-a-lot" and then make appropriate gestures. Another girl was simulating, well, certain sex acts. It was quite the spectacle, but very entertaining. If guys ever wonder how large groups of females behave amongst themselves, sometimes they go a little crazy. Some on the antics reminded me of things that went on in the dorm in college.

I am still sitting in sick call. I've been here for over 1 1/2 hours and haven't been dealt with yet. The person next to me is sleeping, but I'm not so brave nor brazen, even though I am tired. I wish there was a way I could somehow catch up on sleep before Victory Forge.

...

It is 2:46pm, and we just finished at the Shoppette. I didn't spend as much as I thought I would. My purchases included a Timex indiglo sports watch ($30), a few postcards, and other small items. I'm interested to see what the main PX here on post has to offer. From what I've been hearing, the only places that civilians can really eat on post are at food court of the main PX. Unfortunately we are unable to leave Fort Jackson on family day.

One of the girls in my platoon, Kobe, just went into the barber shop and had her head shaved. It's not quite Sinead O'Connor, but not far off. I'll bet she is going to be in for some interesting comments when the Drill Sergeants see her.