I finally made it through my 8 weeks of Basic Training, and I will tell you, it was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. My first night, as soon as I got to the airport, I had someone yelling at me to hurry up. When I got on the bus that would take me to my new home for the next two months, I had someone yelling at me to hurry and get off the bus. When I took my first shower, I was surrounded by a bunch of naked chics (don’t get excited… it was not fun at all) and some crazy lady telling us to hurry and get out of the shower… and we had only been in there for a minute and a half.
The next day was my birthday and I had someone yelling at me because I couldn’t march (I soon got used to that, because I still can’t march). My recruiter told me to pack light because I’m not going to need much of my civilian stuff and everything I did need would be provided or easy for me to purchase, so I was wearing the same outfit for 3 days (that did not make me happy, but I soon learned to deal with that as well).
Our third day of Basic Training, we finally got issued our uniforms, and that was not fun at all. I had these ladies that hated life and gave me uniforms that were so big on me that all I had to do was slide them on (no unbuttoning necessary) and pull my belt super tight. Eating was not a fun experience, we seriously had only about five minutes to drink three glasses of water and eat whatever we could (I soon learned how to just swallow my food… no chewing necessary).
All of that stuff above, we were considered zero weekers, that didn’t even count as a week, even though it was a week we had gone through all of that stuff. When we were considered first weekers, we had to wear tennis shoes with our uniform, and that drove me insane because they didn’t even match (I got used to that as well because I soon learned that tennis shoes are way more comfortable than the boots we have to wear).
After about the third week, things started to get a little easy and flow a little more smoothly. We got ten minutes to eat instead of five and sometimes at dinner we would get twenty minutes to eat (when all you’re getting is five minutes, twenty minutes feels like an eternity). During our fourth week, we got to do fun stuff like the obstacle course, getting our name tags (that’s when you officially become someone other than just female or male), and getting our blues issued to us. The only thing that really sucked about fourth week was when we had to go to the gas chamber (not fun).
When we reached fifth week, we got our flight pictures and individual pictures taken and got to wear make up for the first time since we had been there (trust me, that is the most exciting thing ever when you’re a girly girl like me). We also got to go to the shooting range and shoot our M16s, that was actually a lot of fun, even though it was rainy and muddy (I pushed my limits and let myself get a little dirty, and I let a little bit of a tomboy come out… seriously a big deal if you know me).
Sixth week, we went to what we refer to as BEAST, we had to sleep in tents on cots. This was the hardest part for me, I am not a camper, and I’m not really too big on the outdoors. We also had to go through an obstacle course that involved high crawling 300 meters up a hill with a 45 degree angle, low crawling through a small area with netting you could get stuck in if you didn’t do it right, and building a temper tent (I pushed myself to my limit that time).
Seventh week was full of a bunch of classes and we got to wear our blues for the first time (that was exciting because we were finally getting respect). We also got to go to the shooting range again, but this time we were shooting M9s, and I decided I liked them so much that eventually I’m going to purchase one (yeah, they are that cool).
Eighth week was our final week, that was when our tech school locations and jobs were finalized, we got to stop wearing our satchels (these awful bags we had to carry everywhere), and we got to graduate and have these amazing ceremonies (a lot of marching and drill involved but we all did good). Our parents were allowed to come out to watch that and we were allowed to leave the base and go shopping (that was so overwhelming, I didn’t know where to begin, I was like a kid in the candy store). The following Monday, we all got to ship out to our tech schools and say goodbye to Basic Training.
In the end, I can say that was probably one of the best experiences I had. I pushed myself to my limits and accomplished things I never thought I could. I went outside my comfort zone and did what I had to do to make it through. In my opinion I became a better and stronger person because of it, and I wouldn’t take any of it back for anything.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Before
I'm going to post some "before" photos before I leave for basic training. This will be the last blog I write for at least 2 months. When I am able to start taking pictures and use the internet again, I will post some "after" pictures so you can see how much I have changed.
A Nice Little Day
Yesterday, I had my meeting with my recruiter, and there was a girl that had just gotten done with her basic training and her tech school. She told me all about how basic was for her, and she gave me suggestions on what to eat so I don't get sick and I can get done fast.
She told me how during the first couple of weeks, everyone is still in shock and super stressed, but after that, it's not so bad. She told me that basic is meant to try to break you, that they only treat you like they do to see if you can handle it and pay attention to detail... if you can't, then why are you joining the air force?
Basically, it's about how bad you want something. This is something I really want, it's going to do a lot for me and get me far in life. Ever time things get hard, I'm going to have to remind myself how bad I want it and let myself remember that I can handle it.
After my meeting, I had lunch with my friend Savannah at this fish restaurant called McGrath's. They had some of the best food I've had in awhile. Not only that, the owner gave us this survey to take and we got free desert.. best part of the lunch lol. Next, we went shopping.. and everybody should know by now how much I love to shop.
I came home afterwards and checked all of my mail. My friend Katie J had uploaded a bunch of pictures of me while I was away in California and I saw the results and loved them. So I spent the next couple hours putting them on my profiles and then showing my mom.
Later on that night, my parents took me out to eat just because they want to spend some extra time with me before I leave. We had a nice dinner, just the three of us. It was only 9:00pm when we got home, but I was so tired.
Even though I felt like an old person, I decided to go to bed, because I'm going to need all of the sleep I can get this weekend because when I go to basic, I won't be sleeping very much.
She told me how during the first couple of weeks, everyone is still in shock and super stressed, but after that, it's not so bad. She told me that basic is meant to try to break you, that they only treat you like they do to see if you can handle it and pay attention to detail... if you can't, then why are you joining the air force?
Basically, it's about how bad you want something. This is something I really want, it's going to do a lot for me and get me far in life. Ever time things get hard, I'm going to have to remind myself how bad I want it and let myself remember that I can handle it.
After my meeting, I had lunch with my friend Savannah at this fish restaurant called McGrath's. They had some of the best food I've had in awhile. Not only that, the owner gave us this survey to take and we got free desert.. best part of the lunch lol. Next, we went shopping.. and everybody should know by now how much I love to shop.
I came home afterwards and checked all of my mail. My friend Katie J had uploaded a bunch of pictures of me while I was away in California and I saw the results and loved them. So I spent the next couple hours putting them on my profiles and then showing my mom.
Later on that night, my parents took me out to eat just because they want to spend some extra time with me before I leave. We had a nice dinner, just the three of us. It was only 9:00pm when we got home, but I was so tired.
Even though I felt like an old person, I decided to go to bed, because I'm going to need all of the sleep I can get this weekend because when I go to basic, I won't be sleeping very much.
Leaving L.A.
My time in Cali came and went... too fast. I had such a good time, I spent a lot of time with my friends and we did a lot of shopping, and there wasn't a night that we didn't go out. There was nothing to stress about the whole time I was there. There wasn't a single moment that I wished I was home, in fact it was the opposite, every single moment I was wishing I didn't have to go home.
Thursday, my friend Brandi, drove me to the airport. We were there an hour before my flight was supposed to take off and they wouldn't let me check in. The lady at the counter told me that they flight was overbooked and I couldn't get on. Then when I asked if there were any other flights out that night (because I needed to get back that night since I had a meeting with my recruiter the next morning), the lady told me there was only one other one, and that one was overbooked as well. My friend was outside waiting by the curb to make sure that I could get on my plane, I went out and told her the situation. She told me to wait by her car and she went in to go try to talk to someone about getting a refund or somehow getting on another plane. Long story short, they told her there was nothing they could do. They weren't able to give her a refund, they couldn't get me on the next plane, and any flights the next day would cost extra. My friend was super pissed off... so pissed off in fact that she was even considering driving me back to Utah rather than buy another ticket from them.
Luckily, her husband was on the phone working out a deal and he got me a cheap ticket on another airline, unfortunately it was one of those open seating flights full of a bunch of screaming kids.. but I guess it was better than nothing.
When it came time to board the plane, I was one of the last to board because my ticket was last minute, so when I got on the plane, my only choice was sitting next to a boy that was probably in 5th grade or sitting by some lady and her baby. I opted for the 5th grader thinking that he was old enough to not bother me.
Once the plane got into the air, the boy took his shoes and socks off and his dad started rubbing one of his feet, then the boy put his other foot on me and asked me to rub it. I was like NO WAY!
That was the grossest thing ever. I hate feet and this kid is asking me to touch his, I don't think so.
As if that little incident wasn't bad enough, the kid fell asleep on me on the plane. I tried pushing him off but he kept falling back on me. I should have just woke him up and told him to stop sleeping on me, but that plane was full of very family oriented people who like kids (if you catch my drift) and would've been pissed off at me and yelled at me for yelling at this kid who was drooling all over me.
Finally, the plane landed, but this guy was one of those guys that liked to get off last, so I sat pressed up against the window for an hour and a half waiting for idiots who didn't know how to get off a frickin plane. When I got to the escalators at the airport, I just stood on the step and let it take me down. This kid (well not really) who had to be in high school or slightly older, came running down behind me and bumped into me with his bag. I was so irritated with having to be back in Utah and the way my flight had gone by this point that I pushed him and he tripped and fell. He looked up at me with a "why would you do that?" look and all I said was, "excuse you!"
My dad was there to pick me up, and we got on the shuttle that takes us to the parking lot. When it came to our stop I had to wait for this super fat guy to get his luggage and get off. While he was picking his luggage up, he farted in my face! I was so pissed, and I felt like I was going to throw up.
Ugh... you see the effect Utah has on people?
Thursday, my friend Brandi, drove me to the airport. We were there an hour before my flight was supposed to take off and they wouldn't let me check in. The lady at the counter told me that they flight was overbooked and I couldn't get on. Then when I asked if there were any other flights out that night (because I needed to get back that night since I had a meeting with my recruiter the next morning), the lady told me there was only one other one, and that one was overbooked as well. My friend was outside waiting by the curb to make sure that I could get on my plane, I went out and told her the situation. She told me to wait by her car and she went in to go try to talk to someone about getting a refund or somehow getting on another plane. Long story short, they told her there was nothing they could do. They weren't able to give her a refund, they couldn't get me on the next plane, and any flights the next day would cost extra. My friend was super pissed off... so pissed off in fact that she was even considering driving me back to Utah rather than buy another ticket from them.
Luckily, her husband was on the phone working out a deal and he got me a cheap ticket on another airline, unfortunately it was one of those open seating flights full of a bunch of screaming kids.. but I guess it was better than nothing.
When it came time to board the plane, I was one of the last to board because my ticket was last minute, so when I got on the plane, my only choice was sitting next to a boy that was probably in 5th grade or sitting by some lady and her baby. I opted for the 5th grader thinking that he was old enough to not bother me.
Once the plane got into the air, the boy took his shoes and socks off and his dad started rubbing one of his feet, then the boy put his other foot on me and asked me to rub it. I was like NO WAY!
That was the grossest thing ever. I hate feet and this kid is asking me to touch his, I don't think so.
As if that little incident wasn't bad enough, the kid fell asleep on me on the plane. I tried pushing him off but he kept falling back on me. I should have just woke him up and told him to stop sleeping on me, but that plane was full of very family oriented people who like kids (if you catch my drift) and would've been pissed off at me and yelled at me for yelling at this kid who was drooling all over me.
Finally, the plane landed, but this guy was one of those guys that liked to get off last, so I sat pressed up against the window for an hour and a half waiting for idiots who didn't know how to get off a frickin plane. When I got to the escalators at the airport, I just stood on the step and let it take me down. This kid (well not really) who had to be in high school or slightly older, came running down behind me and bumped into me with his bag. I was so irritated with having to be back in Utah and the way my flight had gone by this point that I pushed him and he tripped and fell. He looked up at me with a "why would you do that?" look and all I said was, "excuse you!"
My dad was there to pick me up, and we got on the shuttle that takes us to the parking lot. When it came to our stop I had to wait for this super fat guy to get his luggage and get off. While he was picking his luggage up, he farted in my face! I was so pissed, and I felt like I was going to throw up.
Ugh... you see the effect Utah has on people?
St. Patrick's Day
Living in Utah gave me the tendency to forget how much fun St. Patrick's Day could be. While I was visiting friends in California, we went down to Santa Barbara. There were streets closed off for parades, and there were booths with all kinds of St. Patrick's day stuff. Not only that, all of the bars were opened up at noon and people were getting started early.
At about 3:00pm, my friends and I decided to eat at this little cafe. While we were eating, this lady who was probably in her 50's and totally wasted walked by, tripped on the curb, did a backwards somersault into the street, tried to get up, fell back down and brushed away some guy trying to help her up... talk about dinner entertainment lol.
After we were done eating, we went back to our hotel to get ready to go out for the night.
Another thing I forgot was so amazing is the fact that you don't have to pay cover to get into bars in California. In Utah, you have to pay cover to get into everywhere, and you have to have a membership or your money there is no good (lame... I think they dropped the membership thing now, but I'm not sure), so I stopped going. Also, in Utah, guys don't buy girls drinks, they're kinda cheap... in California, guys will line up to buy you a drink... oh how I miss it lol.
We went to about six different bars, and they were all different from the last. The first bar was super crowded and you could hardly move. We stayed there long enough to get drinks, finish and leave. The next bar was pretty much empty. We stayed there for awhile, but it was so boring I thought I was going to die. After that, we went to this London Pub bar, and that has to have been the worst. Everybody there was 40 or older... talk about lame.
There were a couple bars that had lines to get in, but they weren't that long, and we didn't really wait... they sorta just let us in. The last bar was probably the best. It wasn't too crowded, but there were hot guys everywhere. They had pool tables, so there were hot guys playing pool. They had a beer pong table, so of course there were hot guys playing. There was a jukebox in the corner surrounded by hot guys. The bouncer was hot, the bartender was hot, the guys coming in were hot, and the guys standing around outside were hot.
St. Patrick's Day was the best, and it was a great vacation before I leave for my basic training on Tuesday.
At about 3:00pm, my friends and I decided to eat at this little cafe. While we were eating, this lady who was probably in her 50's and totally wasted walked by, tripped on the curb, did a backwards somersault into the street, tried to get up, fell back down and brushed away some guy trying to help her up... talk about dinner entertainment lol.
After we were done eating, we went back to our hotel to get ready to go out for the night.
Another thing I forgot was so amazing is the fact that you don't have to pay cover to get into bars in California. In Utah, you have to pay cover to get into everywhere, and you have to have a membership or your money there is no good (lame... I think they dropped the membership thing now, but I'm not sure), so I stopped going. Also, in Utah, guys don't buy girls drinks, they're kinda cheap... in California, guys will line up to buy you a drink... oh how I miss it lol.
We went to about six different bars, and they were all different from the last. The first bar was super crowded and you could hardly move. We stayed there long enough to get drinks, finish and leave. The next bar was pretty much empty. We stayed there for awhile, but it was so boring I thought I was going to die. After that, we went to this London Pub bar, and that has to have been the worst. Everybody there was 40 or older... talk about lame.
There were a couple bars that had lines to get in, but they weren't that long, and we didn't really wait... they sorta just let us in. The last bar was probably the best. It wasn't too crowded, but there were hot guys everywhere. They had pool tables, so there were hot guys playing pool. They had a beer pong table, so of course there were hot guys playing. There was a jukebox in the corner surrounded by hot guys. The bouncer was hot, the bartender was hot, the guys coming in were hot, and the guys standing around outside were hot.
St. Patrick's Day was the best, and it was a great vacation before I leave for my basic training on Tuesday.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Tomorrow I Leave
I leave for California tomorrow, and I can't wait. Time seems to be moving by so slow, minutes feel like hours and hours feel like days.
I've procrastinated and haven't started packing yet, I better do that soon so I don't miss my flight or end up without something I need. I'll get back to you with the list a little later.
I've procrastinated and haven't started packing yet, I better do that soon so I don't miss my flight or end up without something I need. I'll get back to you with the list a little later.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Random Thought Before I go to Bed
I have about 2 weeks left before I leave for my basic training, and I am super excited, I can't wait. Since there is not much time left before I leave, I have been super busy making sure that everything is in order and everything is working out right.
Next week, I am going to visit my friend in California for a couple of days, and I really really need the vacation.
With everything that is going on right now, vacation is probably the best thing that could happen to me at the moment.
Next week, I am going to visit my friend in California for a couple of days, and I really really need the vacation.
With everything that is going on right now, vacation is probably the best thing that could happen to me at the moment.
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