Today we had an HM1 come in to give us future career options. Being an HMDA really seperates me from the normal HMs. The Navy is paying a lot of extra money to have me trained in dental as well as typical corpsman training, so they expect to get a lot out of me. As such, I won't be able to do SARC (Marine Recon Corpsman) or Dive Medical Technician. I had no plans of doing these specialties, but they are both super badass so it kind of sucks to know that I can't do them even if I wanted to. Of course, if I make E-5 I can try to drop my dental rating, but that would probably be a hassle to the Navy, and myself. I joined the Navy to push myself into these hard pursuits, so at first I was bummed that I couldn't push myself to do Recon if I eventually decided I wanted to try. However, there are plenty of awesome options for me still out there. As an HMDA I can still go to FMTB training (aka the Marines), and I can still serve with a Marine unit, although serving in a slightly different capacity than an HM. That's good to know, but the best part is that HMDA's will probably see Ship billets, unlike HMs who see virtually none coming out of Corps School. Serving on a ship straight out of school would be an amazing and rare opportunity, so I think that might move to the top of my wish list, along with FMTB. And even if I serve in a shore hospital, I can and probably will go on deployments. The future is full of exciting options, now I just have to study hard and finish high in my class.
Aside from earning ribbons, earning your "warfare device" is a huge deal in the Navy. It shows that you're an expert in that field, whatever it may be. As a Corpsman there are quite a few devices I can earn, which are a big part of what I want to accomplish during my time in the Navy. My goal is to receive the FMF (Marine) warfare device, and the surface warfare device, which you get serving on board a ship. To earn these, you have to know basically everything about that field (studying a lot!), and have served in that capacity for I think 9 months or so. If I can earn either of these devices it would be awesome, but to earn both would really set me apart from the rest, and label me a total badass!
26.8.10
24.8.10
new address
Finally, some good news. I get to class up on Wednesday! First test probably next Thursday. I'm so ready to go.
This also means I have a slightly altered address, in case you want to send me a letter or care package (coughdoitcough). :-)
SN Jackson Dehn
NHCS/10220
601 D St.
Great Lakes, IL 60088
This also means I have a slightly altered address, in case you want to send me a letter or care package (coughdoitcough). :-)
SN Jackson Dehn
NHCS/10220
601 D St.
Great Lakes, IL 60088
21.8.10
weekend update
Frustrating weekend thus far. Turns out my laptop doesn't recognize my bluray drive, at all. Chatted online with an HP guru, he eventually told me I have to remove the drive from the laptop and reinstall it to reset the drive. This requires screwdrivers I do not have, and following a semi-complicated user manual pdf. Hopefully the NEX has the tools I need. Also turns out that I can't burn cd's from rhapsody unless I already have the music downloaded, which costs money. So i still have no way to get songs on my ipod shuffle from rhapsody. Total disaster on the technology front. To make matters worse, I'm dealing with a super nasty post-bootcamp cough and fever. I'm gonna nyquil/dayquil nuke my body today and tomorrow, hopefully feel better.
Monday is a big day. I get to find out whether I class up or not. If I class up, I can start classes on Wednesday. If not, I have to wait until next Wednesday, and continue cleaning barracks all day until then. So you can imagine I'm really hoping to class up! Only 60 or so people get to class up this week, out of a lot more than that. Usually they do it alphabetically, so that gives me an edge, but we'll see.
Combat operations have ended in Iraq, but don't forget we still need troops there, and there's still a lot of fighting left to do in Afghanistan. Corpsman are needed everywhere!
Monday is a big day. I get to find out whether I class up or not. If I class up, I can start classes on Wednesday. If not, I have to wait until next Wednesday, and continue cleaning barracks all day until then. So you can imagine I'm really hoping to class up! Only 60 or so people get to class up this week, out of a lot more than that. Usually they do it alphabetically, so that gives me an edge, but we'll see.
Combat operations have ended in Iraq, but don't forget we still need troops there, and there's still a lot of fighting left to do in Afghanistan. Corpsman are needed everywhere!
15.8.10
Parcheezi's
Here in Parcheezi's, updating from my lapman on the bowling alley. I just bowled a 156 and 141, not too bad considering I haven't bowled in forever, but definitely leaves room for improvement. My corpsman buddies and I spend a lot of time here, since we haven't classed up yet. We are in the "SDCA" phase, which means during the week we go to classes on financial management and liberty protocol from 0700-1600, and then we have liberty until 2145. Weekends we don't have anything to do, so we usually trek over to the NEX, chill in the few different "clubs" on base, and eat a lot. Once we class up in a week or so, we'll have duty, real corpsman classes, tests every week, etc. So for now we enjoy the limited responsibility before the real work begins. Hooyah A school.
14.8.10
temporary address
Jackson sent an email with his temporary address should be good for 2 weeks Aug.11 - 25 probably.
SN Jackson Dehn
NHCS/SDCA 10224
601 D St.
Great Lakes, IL 60088
Keep those cards and letters coming.
added by KC Dehn 8/14/10 1527
SN Jackson Dehn
NHCS/SDCA 10224
601 D St.
Great Lakes, IL 60088
Keep those cards and letters coming.
added by KC Dehn 8/14/10 1527
13.8.10
12.8.10
A school
First post after boot camp! And this time I can actually write it myself.
So I've moved out of RTC, across the street to Naval Service Training Command. This base is a lot bigger and houses a lot of the A schools, including the Naval Hospital Corps School (NHCS). The corpsman get their own section of base, with our own galley and gym, so its pretty awesome. This is only my second day, so I've only seen the "school house", my barracks, the NEX, the hospital and galley, and Parcheezis, the bowling alley/massive arcade/bar. Yes, Corpsman get to drink in phase 1 of A school. I'm about to head over there and grab a beer and watch preseason NFL. We're in class 0700-1600, then we have liberty until 2145. On the weekends we can leave base on friday after class and all day saturday. Phase 2 we get to have overnight liberty on the weekends and can wear civilian clothes again. Right now im waiting to "class up" which means i wait 2 weeks until i actually start corpsman classes. Until then its other general navy classes, and exploring base and enjoying limited freedom! Hopefully I'll buy a laptop soon so i can surf the net more often, and hopefully my PHONE gets here soon! Mom, post those graduation pics! Love you guys,
Jackson
So I've moved out of RTC, across the street to Naval Service Training Command. This base is a lot bigger and houses a lot of the A schools, including the Naval Hospital Corps School (NHCS). The corpsman get their own section of base, with our own galley and gym, so its pretty awesome. This is only my second day, so I've only seen the "school house", my barracks, the NEX, the hospital and galley, and Parcheezis, the bowling alley/massive arcade/bar. Yes, Corpsman get to drink in phase 1 of A school. I'm about to head over there and grab a beer and watch preseason NFL. We're in class 0700-1600, then we have liberty until 2145. On the weekends we can leave base on friday after class and all day saturday. Phase 2 we get to have overnight liberty on the weekends and can wear civilian clothes again. Right now im waiting to "class up" which means i wait 2 weeks until i actually start corpsman classes. Until then its other general navy classes, and exploring base and enjoying limited freedom! Hopefully I'll buy a laptop soon so i can surf the net more often, and hopefully my PHONE gets here soon! Mom, post those graduation pics! Love you guys,
Jackson
3.8.10
Final Report (maybe)
29 Jul 10, 5-5 Day
Mom and Dad,
By the time you get this letter, I’ll (hopefully) have seen you in person at Pass in Review (PIR) [Editor’s note: no chance; we got this on Tuesday, August 03]. We officially have one week to graduation, and only 5 days until battle stations. It’s looking to be a stressful finish.
Today we had Firefighting 1, aka learning about CBR (Chemical, Biological and Radiological) protection and culminating in the “confidence” chamber, aka the gas chamber. This was the highlight of my day! We learned how to operate our gas masks, and then it was into the chamber. We formed up in rows, with about 12 people per row. Since we were in with another division, it was about 120 people crammed in there. We donned our masks; then they set the tear gas burning.
The front row had to take off their masks, then one at a time state their rank, name and division. Once this was completed, they could exit the chamber, the next row would step up and the process would repeat. Lucky SOB that I am, I was in the very last row, and thus in the chamber the longest. But, I did a good job sealing my gas mask, so I didn’t feel the effects until I removed it in the front row. I did a great job resisting the effects until we were leaving, then it hit me. Yeah, it sucked for a couple of minutes but really it wasn’t so bad. A lot of my shipmates were dying from the get go. Oh, and they make you catch all the snot running out of your nose in your hand, AND there is a big glass window where the RDCs literally point and laugh hysterically at you as you choke and die. Overall, pretty fun.
Then we practiced for out PI/DMI (Personal Inspection/Department Material Inspection) which is tomorrow (Friday). We’ve practiced it to death, but we sucked hardcore today, so we got beat twice during our practice run. The floors ran with sweat. We had PT (Physical Training) at Freedom Hall after that, so I’m exhausted now. Gonna sleep like a baby. I’m confident going into the inspection tomorrow but I’m worried our division will falter and suffer the consequences.
I probably won’t write again, as it’s almost over and I’ll be seeing you soon (with some luck). Here I go, wish me luck!
Love, Jackson
Mom and Dad,
By the time you get this letter, I’ll (hopefully) have seen you in person at Pass in Review (PIR) [Editor’s note: no chance; we got this on Tuesday, August 03]. We officially have one week to graduation, and only 5 days until battle stations. It’s looking to be a stressful finish.
Today we had Firefighting 1, aka learning about CBR (Chemical, Biological and Radiological) protection and culminating in the “confidence” chamber, aka the gas chamber. This was the highlight of my day! We learned how to operate our gas masks, and then it was into the chamber. We formed up in rows, with about 12 people per row. Since we were in with another division, it was about 120 people crammed in there. We donned our masks; then they set the tear gas burning.
The front row had to take off their masks, then one at a time state their rank, name and division. Once this was completed, they could exit the chamber, the next row would step up and the process would repeat. Lucky SOB that I am, I was in the very last row, and thus in the chamber the longest. But, I did a good job sealing my gas mask, so I didn’t feel the effects until I removed it in the front row. I did a great job resisting the effects until we were leaving, then it hit me. Yeah, it sucked for a couple of minutes but really it wasn’t so bad. A lot of my shipmates were dying from the get go. Oh, and they make you catch all the snot running out of your nose in your hand, AND there is a big glass window where the RDCs literally point and laugh hysterically at you as you choke and die. Overall, pretty fun.
Then we practiced for out PI/DMI (Personal Inspection/Department Material Inspection) which is tomorrow (Friday). We’ve practiced it to death, but we sucked hardcore today, so we got beat twice during our practice run. The floors ran with sweat. We had PT (Physical Training) at Freedom Hall after that, so I’m exhausted now. Gonna sleep like a baby. I’m confident going into the inspection tomorrow but I’m worried our division will falter and suffer the consequences.
I probably won’t write again, as it’s almost over and I’ll be seeing you soon (with some luck). Here I go, wish me luck!
Love, Jackson
The Lull before the Storm
27 Jul 10 5-3 Day
Mom and Dad,
Apparently last night I was talking in my sleep. To the Officer on Deck! They come in to our compartment at various times of the night to intimidate the watch and check the deck log. Apparently he came in and asked the watch how many Sick in Quarters we had (SIQ). Since my bunk is near the watch, I must have heard it in my sleep and apparently responded “one or two”. I had no recollection of this, but when I woke up everyone thought it was pretty funny. Yeah, boot camp haunts our dreams.
We are doing better though, thus I’m really enjoying my time. Today we had Basic Damage Control and our last “long” run. Long for them is 25 minutes, which I scoff at (secretly). Wow, I just got 6 letters! I’m seriously thrilled that my friends keep in touch with me. Even if it’s just a card, it helps to make me feel connected.
Later this week we have a ton more DC and basic firefighting training, but I don’t think we work on live fires until next Monday. Oh, and I’m looking forward to the “confidence” chamber later this week! They stick us in a room and gas us with military/riot grade tear gas. In the words of James T. Kirk, “sounds like fun”!
Only 1 week until battle stations! I’m pumped to be on that last lap of boot camp. We’re finally becoming a confident division, so hopefully we can finish strong. Saturday is the Captain’s Cup, an athletic competition between the battle group divisions, and the last flag we can earn. I’m signed up for the seabag relay, where apparently you have to run around with a full seabag on. Yeah, we’ll see how that goes. My bunkmate now has pneumonia and bronchitis, but I’m feeling healthy and happy knowing my trials here are almost over. With the hardest part yet to come! Bring it!
Love, Jackson
Mom and Dad,
Apparently last night I was talking in my sleep. To the Officer on Deck! They come in to our compartment at various times of the night to intimidate the watch and check the deck log. Apparently he came in and asked the watch how many Sick in Quarters we had (SIQ). Since my bunk is near the watch, I must have heard it in my sleep and apparently responded “one or two”. I had no recollection of this, but when I woke up everyone thought it was pretty funny. Yeah, boot camp haunts our dreams.
We are doing better though, thus I’m really enjoying my time. Today we had Basic Damage Control and our last “long” run. Long for them is 25 minutes, which I scoff at (secretly). Wow, I just got 6 letters! I’m seriously thrilled that my friends keep in touch with me. Even if it’s just a card, it helps to make me feel connected.
Later this week we have a ton more DC and basic firefighting training, but I don’t think we work on live fires until next Monday. Oh, and I’m looking forward to the “confidence” chamber later this week! They stick us in a room and gas us with military/riot grade tear gas. In the words of James T. Kirk, “sounds like fun”!
Only 1 week until battle stations! I’m pumped to be on that last lap of boot camp. We’re finally becoming a confident division, so hopefully we can finish strong. Saturday is the Captain’s Cup, an athletic competition between the battle group divisions, and the last flag we can earn. I’m signed up for the seabag relay, where apparently you have to run around with a full seabag on. Yeah, we’ll see how that goes. My bunkmate now has pneumonia and bronchitis, but I’m feeling healthy and happy knowing my trials here are almost over. With the hardest part yet to come! Bring it!
Love, Jackson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
