Missionary Opportunities!
I've also had some opportunities to share my religion with a few OCs who are curious. A few OCs are writing a company wide SOP on displays for the inspectable wall lockers. I spoke to them about those who are LDS and don't feel comfortable displaying garments which allows the TAC to throw them around as they go about tearing lockers apart and mixing everyone's clothes together. Turns out one of the OCs writing the memo is sensitive to the topic because he knows Watson!! Turns out they were in Afghanistan together. So I conferred with him about how to write the section of SOP that will allow, or rather be sensitive to religions so I won't have to display my bottom garments in my display drawer.
I've also had a few conversations with several others who were curious about what I/we believe. The guy from Missouri who was active in Dugway always seems to find a way to chime in with his answer to a ? that another young 21 year old named Crisp asks me... he's from GA and attended Ft. Benning about a year and a half ago. He's probably the baby in words and personality of the bay. He knows a lot about infantry stuff though. We've had a few conversations about his background and my assignment as chaplain (btw I'm no longer Chaplain. When I was sick they re-assigned the duty to another platoon.) Earlier today we were chillin out and he saw my Book of Mormon and asked a bunch of questions. This is when Hopkins chimed in and then we had to leave for chow. Since getting back, he's asked me a few times to continue the conversation. I told him as soon as we're done packing, we'll talk.
Smoking
Did I tell you that I've had a few times eating where my esophagus reflux thing flared up and I waasn't able to finish dinner? Usually it's the same old thing of me eating chicken, meats or rice too fast. Then I have to go home hungry. No worries, I still have a little fat stored up to see me through the night. I can definitely see the cuts and tone in my body, now like I was at basic. This even though we haven't been smoked hard for about a week now. Remind me and I'll tell you about our 3 hour smoking session. And I don't mean cigarrettes!!
What's next
I want to check on my next 2 phases of training BOLC II (7 weeks at Benning) and BOLC III at Ft. Leonardwood for engineers. I want to find out if I can extend that for a long time. Means more time with you and less time away in the mid east. If they do let me extend it, it will only be for a year I think. Like I said before though, if I change to MI it'll be about 9 months at the earliest before I go to BOLC II + III AND then I can get sent to language school for 1.5 years, that will mean more time with you but that we'll have to move. I'm not trying to put off my service. I simply want to spend as much time with you as possible. Plus, I can get language skills and we can have an adventure on the coast of cali!
ADD Moment
An OC here said the requirements to become a TAC is only a 5 day course. That's much different than the 7 week course drill instructors attend. But they do the same strict thing with trainees. Of course that bit of knowledge makes me despise how they treat OCs even more.
Back to the Grind
I also do know that in BOLC II and III that we are typically done with our training day at 4pm. And we get most weekends off. If I have to do it alone I can make it and you can make it. And being in GA I'll be able to visit your family. Of course I'll need a ride so I might just have to purchase a motorcycle or something.
Things are going to get hectic again tomorrow. I'll try to write and send this as soon as I can. I know we're going to have 2 exames per day. So paying attention and passing is a priority. The training schedule for tomorrow is posted. And it looks like we will be doing combatives this coming week as well. There's also word the physical nature won't be as demanding. I've got no complaints if that happens. Our PLT lost 6 total candidates today. In a sense you could say they all officially resigned but most were counseled to resign. This allows them to re-try OCS again or go the traditional route. If not and they are dropped by AL-OCS then they can't apply to OCS again.
PHASE II - Day One
26-January
It's 5am of the morning of Day 1, Phase II. They let us go to bed early last night and get up later so we would be resed for the next start of the phase and finish packing. There's a somber feeling in the bay as it continues. Kind of sad that as we are just starting to feel comfortable and work together, they split us up. That's how the cookie crumbles, as they say. As any other time you move, your mind tries to tell you that there's not going to be another cool OC like the ones you know. But as it turns out there's always a new friend to be made. I've got to look on the bright side; there are some spotlight rangers here who are annoying. One is right across the TAC strip from me. Butcher is his name. He's the one who thought he could hold onto an electronic clock radio even after the TAC staff briefed us on honor code violations and what was considered contraband. Guess what? A clock radio is contra-band. Plus the 1st few days here this joker was serving up lemonade in the chow line while everyone else had water. And now he's Mr. know it all, take charge, platoon sergeant. Highly annoying. And of course the guy bunking next to me is from Florida and just got out of basic at Benning. He's a bit naive, unsure & doesn't have much command presence. The worst part, as I mentioned before, is the smell. I think he's using deodorant now, but his clothes and body still smell. Living in defined quarters next to dirty OCs sucs. Plain and simple he just doesn't have good personal hygiene from his locker, equipment area to his clothes.
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