End of week 3

11 Jul 10

Mom and Dad,

Greetings from week 3 of boot camp.  Friday was 3-1 day, and the weekends don’t count.  So tomorrow will be 3-2.  I’m sorry I wasn’t able to get a hold of you on the phone the other day.  [Editor’s note: this is because Mom left her cell phone in the wrong place!].  I was looking forward to talking with you, but hopefully we can get our act together and earn another call in a week or two.  Our division scored the highest on our first academic test out of our entire battle group (thanks to the awesome EPO of course).  That night I got to unfurl the academic flag in front of the entire division, which was a rare moment of triumph.  As “stick 6” I’m the one who gets to carry it now wherever we march, which is cool.  Hopefully this is the first of many flags we earn.  We can get honors flags for drill, comportment, inspection, etc. 

This coming week we have marlinspike (finally) [Editor’s note: this is knot tying and rope work in general].  I’m looking forward to something other than bunk making and clothes folding.  The RDCs are also stepping up their game, and we got beat a LOT for screwing up our marching of getting a street hit.  If we don’t get out of bed fast enough, now we get beat first thing in the morning.  We are either going to be smart sailors or strong sailors.  Personally I’d like to be both. 

Friday starts 4-1 day, which is the beginning of “hell week”.  We have weapons turnover inspection, zone inspection, drill inspection and second academic test.  And our next PFA test, but I’m stronger now anyway. 
Last night they re-arranged the bunks to put trouble kids with smart ones, so the “fantastic 4” of friends in my area was sadly disbanded.  Hopefully it will result in less beatings though.  Our RDCs know their stuff, so I trust them.

Life here continues to go on and fly by.  Hopefully next letter I will have more exciting updates.  They are supposed to let us write during the week now, so hopefully I can keep in contact more.  Keep those letters coming!

Love, Jackson