… But the Night Before Was Dark and Stormy

It was finally time for this adventure to begin. Now the day before had been filled with chaos, and that was only cut short by the idea that tomorrow we would start what we had all initially set out to do. My platoon was split almost directly down the middle, the first 30 of we to be sent down range while the remaining 40+ would have to wait a week until they would be able to start. It’s odd, now that I look back on it I envy those who got to enjoy an extra week of almost relaxation, but I was ready and I was pumped to start.

The Morning is Bright and Blue

Contrary to what I led you to believe, the next morning was not as bright and blue as we were led to believe it would be, it was dark and cold and after 2 hours of sleep, I could literally feel it creeping upon me at every step that I took, every minute I stood standing. I was asleep, yet I was wide awake. Since we had practically gotten nothing wrong the previous day, this was the day in which we would accomplish something, or at least I hoped we did. First things first, breakfast.

I Don’t Think We’re In California Anymore, Dorothy

After all that, about a year of searching and trying to find something to do with myself, with my life, with trying to understand why I existed, I was finally moving in a positive light. Everything was moving at the speed of light and I was just a passenger on the vessel that is my life, now I was finally the captain, commander and crew. I was proud of the direction my life was going, here I am about to get disciplined and have some sort of meaning to my life and I didn’t really have anything to show for it. I was 21 and I was working odd jobs, I had pretty much dropped out of college and I needed something more. I needed a push and I needed one in a big way. But this, as I was about to see, was more like a violent shove.

And Once Again, We’re Off to See the Wizard

Now the day was finally upon us, it was time to leave. I had been looking forward to this day for months and after all the useless, but not wasted, time I had spent training and exercising and learning it was time for me to finally put it to use. I knew now more than I had known the first time I had filled out the postcard requesting information, everything was about to really begin. I was excited, sad, happy, nervous, I was any and every emotion you could possibly feel at any one particular point in time, but most of all I was exacerbated and relieved that I would finally begin to begin my real journey.

At The Threshold

After the initial and introductory phase into the NG I can honestly say that I was not impressed. In fact it just seemed like dress up, but that was all about to change after this RSP. This was only my second time in RSP and I was about ready to not go anymore, but I wanted to track my progress, I had watched the DVD I was given so many time, I had practiced the Army stretching and exercise drills, and I thought I was more than proficient in what I believed was a complete knowledge of what I thought was going to happen during basic training.

What You Call Teaching, I Call Failure (Part 2)

So here I am, continuing to reminisce about the time I was in the National Guard.  Now before I forget where I left off, I’m going to jump right back into this. But wait one minute, before I get back into the grind of things I just wanted to let you know my exact reasoning for doing this, there isn’t really a lot of information about Army BCT, or at least there’s not really anything in debt about it or for that manner detailing the National Guard, all I really wish to do is show what I went through while I was enlisted in the National Guard, well the bare bones details.

What You Call Teaching, I Call Failure (Part 1)

Before you sign your name to anything you should at least have an idea of what you’re signing, a common understanding, it’s no different with the military. Better yet you should have more than just passing knowledge of anything, I feel somewhat in-between this, I knew nothing of the National Guard and thus I was drafted into a program that was supposed to enlighten me. Now this enlightenment program in the National Guard  is abbreviated as RSP, RSP meaning Recruit Sustainment Program, and it is a once a month training which you have to go to. Let us not forget that you have signed a contract and are therefore obligated to attend whatever they tell you to. Well first off when I was at MEPS I was told that I could and should, with an emphasis on those two verbs, attend this RSP because I have no/ minimal experiences dealing with Army protocol and because I needed to prepare myself for what was to come when I went to Basic Training.

And Once Again, Back to San Diego

Now after all the wining and dining that the recruiters do, the pretentious fakery of courting a person to go join your particular branch of the military. First there’s the awkward phone calls, then there’s the even more awkward meals and finally there’s the awkward questionnaires. What you have to realize is that this awkwardness is something I think recruiters feed upon. You take an awkward person and you have a strong willed recruiter and it’s a recipe for disaster. And it’s one that they seethe upon.

The New Year

I didn’t end up seeing my recruiter for about 15 days after the new year, mainly because I was putting it off and also because I had to take care of some legal situations I had inadvertently thrown myself into. But finally the world had to began to slow and I had finally made time to meet up with my recruiter.Now not to come off sounding mean or bitter or anything but upon first meeting my recruiter I initially had problems with his size, I mean here I am about to join what I think is a prestigious branch of the military reserves and I meet this guy who is about 3 times my size. Now you should know I harbor no ill-will towards anyone, no matter what their weight, ethnicity, age, etc.

Christmas Time

After pretty much not doing anything for a few months it was nearly the holiday season and once again opportunity can knocking on my front door, this time in the form of a subscription to Blender Magazine. So the day started like any other, I had went to check my mail and I had received my monthly edition to the aforementioned magazine, and as I always do I simply set the magazine on the coffee table where it sat for a few weeks and I didn’t think too much about it.