Blasts from the Past... and a Test

My good friend Linda Young has been good enough to let me know about a couple personal histories lately. First is "Mother Was a Gunner's Mate" about a WWII WAVE who enlisted, just like me. Second, today, she shared a story from 1885 about a boy joining the Navy. When I read Cutler's A Sailor's History of the US Navy last year, he talked about the boys... and although it was extremely dangerous, it was very much a sought after position with the assured food, job training and experience.

~

As for test 3 today: 100%

~

A bunch of people in class didn't study very well though, and our class average went down a bit. We faced a few hardships, since our instructor is also the Schoolhouse LPO... so he was gone a lot of the time (we have two STG2's who are getting qualified to teach, so they led most of the time). But that should have made people work harder, and in the face of that adversity; many of them did less. We even had one failure, so I went in again tonight, with six of my shipmates, to help him during extra study before he takes it again tomorrow.

Remember That Acronym?

The military is famous for its many abbreviations of things... but goodness! this week that's all we've been learning, along with their corresponding frequency ranges. :) And I was the only one to come to extra study on Monday, and for the longest time on Tuesday as well.

~

But today we took our 20-question quiz and more than half the class earned Mando... meaning they really needed to improve. The quiz is very hard though... you have to write the answer out on a blank sheet of paper. From memory! Yikes! I scored a 95% (missing one) because I put the wrong word in for the "I" in a 6-letter acronym.

~

So I did two more hours of extra study tonight, helping a couple people in the back who were struggling. Feels great! I hope I can remember it all for the test tomorrow! :)

~

PT on Monday was a killer. We did max/and match for situps, pushups (and pullups for some people), along with two sprints around the triangle. STG1 spirited past us in the sprint... it's unbelievable how fast he can go. Tuesday was "free" (like usual), so I joined some of my friends from class in a friendly game of soccer at the triangle. Although I am wary of the game (it can be hard on your knees), I had a ton of fun and played rather aggressively. I have a bruise on my right ankle to prove it. :) Today, though, we had free PT again, and I settled on doing the bike machine for 25 minutes, then with lifting a few weights.

Catch Up

So I've been a little busy lately!

Test #1: 98% (the 1 missed was missed by several people)
Test #2: 98% (the 1 missed... I read the question too fast)

Out of 20 people, there is one 100%, five 99%'s, and I am among four with a 98%. We started learning new material for week three on Thursday and Friday... lots of technical information... numbers and letters to be memorized, including some charts.

We only had free PT this week, meaning we did it on our own. Did 30 full minutes on a bike machine on Monday and sweated up a storm. Did pushups and core on Tuesday... but slacked off Wednesday because of the test, and Thursday because of the room inspections.

Technical... Stuff

So week one. First test tomorrow... feel very confident from the 20 question quiz today... which was freehand, unlike the actual test, which will be 50 multiple choice. Missed two, but I only choose poorly between what I wrote and the correct answers. No Mando tonight, and Lord willing, I will even do better tomorrow.

The information we're learning is Unclassified... and is available online HERE. This goes much more in depth (heh) into Oceanography then what we're learning in class, but at least it defines the topics.

My whole body is sore though... I was glad we didn't have PT today. Yesterday was maximum (and then match your maximum) pushups (38 x 2!) and situps. But I was slightly put out that today was GMT (general military training) where I felt slightly sexually harassed during (yet) more Sexual Harassment/Assault Awareness Training. They talk too much about examples. This, among other factors, made our day rather wasted.

I am very impressed with my instructor's desire for excellence from himself and his students. Not only do I feel very military, but I think I'm getting that way too.

First Day of Class

Yep! It actually happened! I have the best instructor (who was my working party supervisor) and who is also in charge of A-School organized PT! He killed us today for an hour with long sprints. Felt so good, but I think I will ice my heel again tonight. The long sleeve PT shirt I got yesterday did wonders! But my forehead got a little too much sun (just an hour's worth though... nothing bad).

We march to class in the morning (usually at 0700) and away at 1600-ish. There's an hour organized PT on Mondays and Wednesdays, and an hour of PT on-your-own on Tuesdays. Being our first week, we have one-hour extra study at 1700 (through Thursday), and later on, depending on our weekly test scores, zero to three hours every night.

Due to security, I can't talk about the class itself. But know that I'm very interested in it and proud to learn about it.

Quickie Job

Our painting yesterday was sufficient! All we had to do today was clean up the room and put everything back. Our supervisor was surprised that the holds office knew nothing about my classing up... so he said he'd confer with them that afternoon. We'll see how that goes... ?

So since we got of earlier for a job well done, I did another couple hours at the Point Loma Library.

Oooh, but lunch at the galley was that wonderful Mongolian shrimp & veggies on noodles again! Yum!

Thanks for Telling Me

So I found out who my class advisor (teacher) will be... for class THIS Monday. I'm starting A school a week earlier than I thought. Today when the working party supervisor showed up he mentioned that I'm in his class on Monday the 14th... and that our room is the one we are painting! 405 with a beautiful view! Yesterday I asked the Lord for this classroom; apparently he already had it in mind. :) So I've met my teacher and I like him (and he already knows I work diligently! :) I was wondering why he cared so much about getting this particular room done so fast!

So far today I've been painting. I stepped out right away to help with the color guard, but that only took a half-hour. Right now we've started the second coat, and will touch up this afternoon and tomorrow morning.

Yet Another Working Party

Today I was assigned upstairs in room 405 of the A school building. Helped prep a classroom for painting. Taping electrical outlets, laying out rolled paper on the floor, wrapping plastic around machines... and using putty to fill in holes in the wall left from screws that were removed. Although it was new and different work that I didn't mind at all, the view outside the huge windows in the back of the room was fabulous. Downtown San Diego, the bay, and Liberty Station framed by the tall pine trees next to the building. Today was a perfect day, with no clouds and a fresh breeze. It was lovely to look out over everything I've become familiar with.

After a brief read in my book after work, I headed off on a long run along the bay. I ran and walked on my way to Shelter Island (which stretches nearly to the base, although the access is across from the airport), and then ran the length of it (a mile). It was a roughly a six mile trek... so tonight I went to the NEX to get some cold packs for my knees and right heel. I know they will hurt tomorrow!

Sittin' Around

If yesterday I stood up all day, today I sat down for longer. We had our Indoc Day... even though this is my one-month mark here at Naval Base Point Loma - Fleet ASW. It seems as if I've been here forever... but happily. In one month I've checked in, had numerous working parties and a couple special duties, seen three plays and started a regular volunteer job. This place is wonderful!

That said, Indoc was from 0800 to 1500. It was a little boring, especially since they reiterate so much that we've heard about what not to do. I hear from my brother that this will never change. :) You see, I talked to him tonight about the airshow in El Centro this Saturday. And it looks like we're going to meet up! :)

Attention!

It was a super strange day today. The BPO didn't come get us until around 9ish... and then all we did was help straighten up the storage room. You see, it was raining today in the morning, so it was hard to find something to do outside.

And I had to leave a little early to get into my service uniform and get first in line for chow so I could eat and be back and ready to relieve my watch in under a half-hour. This worked just fine, but I made it right on the dot.

Five and a half hours of standing the Bldg. 51 access watch (sort of like Petty Officer of the Watch in Great Lakes) went by 5-10 minutes at a time. Had to log in every half-hour with "ALL CONDITIONS NORMAL"... so that helped it go by even better. I read around 11 short chapters of Sense and Sensibility by reading a paragraph and then closing it and granting access to someone. I must have flipped that book open and shut a thousand times. :)

I got two compliments on my proper saluting; both from Third Classes. One asked if I was a fleet returnee, or if I had just got out of boot camp, the other appreciated that I returned both salutes... for the ensign and for access. :) It was nice of them.

Back to the BPO

Assigned to the barracks petty officer again... and after a brief wait on the gazebo smoke deck for our supervisor, I was again assigned to painting pipes. But it was a very short day today. They are really nice here and let us off at 1030 for an 1100 muster and post time. And they didn't make us scrape the rust this time... we just painted over it, and that was much easier. Less time craning the neck to see what's going on up there. I used the roller-brush with the long handle the whole time, so it was easier on the arms too.

Coronado

And so... two more days of the same working party. Didn't even need to volunteer; we were assigned to it (We being STGSN Rushen and myself). LS2 Davis came and picked us up both days. He had lots of glimpses of life in the Fleet to share as we drove... very interesting, for sure.

Yesterday I was afraid of missing it, because I had my dentist appointment that morning... but thankfully it worked out so I was done before he came. A quick one-hour cleaning and that was all.

The logistics office at the command center needed emptying in order for them to put in new carpet. After the inhabitants had taken most of their things, we had to clean up everything else. Pack office supplies, both big and little, label the boxes, move it to the storage container outside... and also move things like copy machines, fax machines, the Captain's TV, wall hangings, and whatnot, and put it away in an organized fashion. I even packed up some of the Captain's personal office things... very carefully!

Both yesterday and today we were able to eat at the galley using our CAC cards (free!). So that was nice. It was about twice as big as the one here in Point Loma. All the SEAL and SWCC guys eat there, so it has to be big. The food is pretty much the same... yesterday I had pork and rice (and a salad of course) and today spaghetti w/meat sauce and a salad... and I discovered that Golden Italian dressing is delicious.

What a fun (and tiring) side job this has been! It's been nice to leave the base and go all the way over to the island for three days in a row!