OUCH!!!!!

Yesterday we completed an obstacle course consisting of 16 stations. I have a bruises up and down my arms and a HUGE one on my inner thigh --- seriously the size of a volleyball. It hurts to walk right now. And, we have to run everywhere we go unless we are marching in formation. One of our classrooms is in a building next to our barracks. They have no facilities for females so when we get our 10 minute break, we are hauling a$$ back to the barracks to use the restrooms (on the 3rd floor). I'm convinced that I'm going to have buns of steel by the time we graduate. I hope that my run time decreases for that 2 mile so that I can finally max out my APFT.

After watching everyone move around today, it seems like we are all in pain. Our entire bodies are sore.To make matters worse, we had a 4 Mile Battalion Run for PT this morning. I was soooooo afraid that I was unable to make it because of my leg. No worries though, I completed it. It was about a 10 minute pace, too easy.

APFT Results are in!

Drum roll please.............. Ok, I didn't max my APFT but I did score a 296. The 2 mile run was a little long so I fell short 20 seconds. I was so mad. My class standing is #4 out of 112. Two people had 300's and one other had a 297. So close to a 300 that I could taste it!

mass confusion

As in any Army leadership school, the first few days are really rocky. No one knows what's going on or what to do. After attending two Army leadership schools, I just laugh at some of the things people do here. Stress over little things. Our job is easy... be on time in the right uniform with the right information, clean everything, be a team player, lead when it's time to lead and follow when it's time to follow.

No goats

We had a 3 mile release run yesterday morning for PT. On the track, there was a sign for no dogs but the top screw fell out and it was hanging upside down. One of the guys swore up and down that it was a goat. It gave us all a comic relief for the afternoon.

Combat Roach Kills = 5

So, over the weekend only a few of us are staying in Bravo company. Melissa and I are the only females. We had 5 roaches in our latrine last night. It had to be the funniest sight to see me running after the roaches and beating them with a broom and Melissa spraying them down with simple green to finish them off screaming the entire time.

Two of the prior service guys are staying in the room directly across the hall from the female latrine. They were rolling on the floor laughing at us.

Everything starts Sunday

We report to the company by 1500 Sunday. Get briefed by the Commander and inprocessed for Monday. Tuesday morning APFT, then PLT assignments, leadership assignments, room assignments. The remainder of the week we complete a confidence course and water training. Let the games begin!

I'm assigned to Bravo Company. We are told that it's the most relaxed OCS company. HOWEVER, a new 1SG is assigned so who knows what's going to happen now.

Assigned to Bravo Company OCS

I arrived and had to fill out paperwork for branch selection, duty station preference and request for schools. I chose MP, (I forget my duty station choice) and requested Airborne school. It's right across the street from OCS so I figure.... why not? I'm here already.

So far most of the people assigned to the unit are college options straight from Basic training. They have no real Army experience besides what Basic. We have three prior service females and we are trying to stick together but we are already told that we will be split so that we can guide the less experienced students. Oh dear.....

Already dimed out too. A former co-worker is at the HHC. He saw me and pointed me out to the 1SG. My new nickname is.... HARD CORE!!! oh god, now I have to live up to the name. I was trying to fly low under the radar but with no luck. All the people filling into the company are hearing about yours truly. PT stud.... since some of the guys witnessed my PT skills at 30th AG.

Bye Bye 30th AG

I'm finally finished inprocessing in the Army. I was sitting at 30th AG Reception for nearly a week. It was funny to see all the new recruits get yelled at by the Drills. The sad part.... they haven't seen their real Drills yet..... muahhahahahaha......

There are three prior services females in the group. In the land of Infantry, we are an odd commodity. We watched nearly 750 soldiers get inprocessed during our time there. We would walk by hundreds of soldiers and we would be asked why we were there. Of course we couldn't talk to them so we would shout out "dont talk to us" since prior service can't associate with new recruits lol. In the DFAC line we would be joking around and so we made up stories that I was there for Ranger training and had to get special approval to get into the school. Those privates believe anything that they hear. It made the week go by quicker.

It was really boring there. We mostly sat around. It took 5 days to inprocess being that we were considered second rate citizens next to the incoming recruits.

Making Final Preparations

So the apartment is cleaned out, I turn in the key tomorrow. I have nothing left except for the few bags of personal belongings that will be stored in my SUV during school. I have just a few more odds and ends items that need to be taken care of and then tomorrow afternoon, I'm off to Columbia. I have to pick up a few more thing on my packing list, other than that, I'm good to go.

Here's the plan, on Thursday, Jun 12, I report to Ft. Jackson MEPS at 0530 (yuck, I know). I get weighed (taped if needed), swear in, my orders, and then I drive down to Ft. Benning. I plan to report to Benning by 1800 (late enough to not have to process, early enough to get chow... lol). For the next couple days I will be inprocessing, just like a brand new joe. New uniforms, medical/dental checks, paperwork, and so forth. I'm guessing that I'll be at reception for a total of 4 days until I report to 11th IN HHC.

From what I'm told about HHC, there are several PT failures, Land Nav failures, honor violations, and security clearance glitches recycled candidates hanging out there until they figure out what to do with them. I should have some time to get my personal items together after duty hours. Once my class is formed, I'm probably going to be on lock down for a few weeks.

That's all for now, expect to hear more from me while I'm hanging out at reception. Lucky for me, I'll be one of the few females (if not the only one) inprocessing. Hmmm, smelly privates... can't wait.

No more Excel hell

Friday was my final day at Faurecia Automotive Seating. I said goodbye to my co-workers, who wished me the best of luck. I shocked the entire office on Tuesday when I officially put in my resignation letter. I gave them a total of 4 (really 3) days notice. Only one co-worker knew exactly what was going on since February. I've been on a super-diet for the last four months, eating 5x a day, losing nearly 25lbs. No one understood the drive of my motivation to lose weight and workout. I just said that swimsuit season was around the corner and I wanted to be ready (partial truth.....lol). Once people heard the news, I had explained that the true reasoning behind the super diet and exercise was to get ready for the Army once again.Ah ha moments for them, all underneath their noses and they didn't have a clue!On a side note, last week my boss taken a new position and a new person was announced as the replacement (the old plant manager) the day before I went to MEPS. Once I returned to work on Tues, I immediately announced my resignation. Everyone immediately thought that I was leaving because of the change over. I was even called into the HR managers office, where I told her the same story. I didn't leave b/c of the change over. Timed perfectly...... During my employment at the company, I recovered nearly $5,000,000.00 of pricing discrepancies. Not so bad for the Yankee Army girl.