The United States Air Force Basic Military Training Journal
of A1C Phillip M. Stewart. Graduated June 8, 2001.

There was one other person who flew with me from Jackson, MS to San Antonio, TX, with a stop over in Houston. We had $16 meal checks to eat with that evening, but I thought it might be best if we checked in with whoever we were supposed to meet. That was a mistake because we didn't get a chance to eat that night.

Arrived Lackland AFB at about 2100 hours.

Some squadrons have a squadron wide mascot, like the 324 TRS which were the Dark Knights, but the 322 TRS did not seem to have a well established mascot. Each flight along with their brother or sister flight were whatever the MTIs for those flights would agree on I guess. We were "Rough Riders" (or maybe it was supposed to be spelled Ruff Ryders?). On the other side of the squadron were the "Big Dogs". I think there was another one also.

Haircut looks OK. They actually make you pay for your three haircuts that you will have at basic training. Ten dollars off your EZ Pay Card covers all three.

The EZ Pay Card is a smart card that you are issued with $250 on it. The $250 is taken out of your first couple pay checks.

Most trainees are at church services, which are a total of two hours: one hour for church service, and one hour for church school. I had planned to go to the Protestant/Nondenominational service, but I still had some things to do in my area. I still need to refold some clothes.

We were woken up at 0445 this morning. At 0500 we were allowed a few minutes to call home. I guess Mom and Dad where on one of their monthly weekend trips. I hope I can try again tonight.

1030 hours

Just got finished with dental x-rays. Some guys got their 341s pulled for talking. I dread the moment when I get my first 341 pulled.

Marching is not too difficult. We have many, many hours of practice ahead of us.

Keeping the dorm clean is a tough job. We do dust downs with our hands twice a day. I think I have about the easiest job/duty as sweeper. I yell "First Sweep!" and go down the center aisle with a broom. Other duties include latrine, day room, laundry, hallway, stairwell, bed aligners, shoe aligners, utility, water monitor, etc.

1130 hours

Quick eye exam, but it looks like they are only looking at people who wear glasses or contacts.

Food

The food here is pretty good. For breakfast there is usually bacon, eggs, and a piece of Texas French toast with syrup. I also get an apple with every meal. We have to drink three relatively small glasses of liquids at every meal. Some gatorade-like drinks in green, orange, and red. I really like the red. So you get two of those and one water. Sometimes there are pancakes for breakfast.

Lunch and Dinner are hit and miss in terms of foods that I will eat. Last evening I tried some pork, and it was of course very similar to bacon. I've been tearing into chicken whenever they serve it. I pull the skin off with a fork. I tried some rice twice, but didn't like it. I tried some corn, but didn't like it at all. I tried some mashed potatoes, which were OK. The potato logs I ate yesterday were like big french fries, so I devoured them. It seems there are usually curly fries at lunch, but the last couple of times I didn't see them and only noticed them on people's plates after sitting down. I get any breads that are available, like rolls. We get maybe three minutes to eat. We can't really talk in the dining facility. I'm quite hungry whenever a meal time rolls around.

They tell you to tell your parents not to send you any thing like food in the mail... but it is actually very cool if you get a box of food in the mail. Usually you will be told to pick about five people and that you have five minutes to eat it all. So I would have loved it if my Mom has sent me a box of cookies.

Etc.

I still haven't had an opportunity to try to call home again. But I usually just think about the here and now. I do want to get my address to my parents so they can start sending me mail. But then that mail just might make me homesick.

Right now I'm worried about:

1. Making stupid mistakes.
2. Having enough time to get my shit in order either to pass inspection or just making my bed in the morning.
3. Being able to do 30 push-ups in what? 1.5 or 2 weeks? I'd hate to be recycled for that. The recruiter said I had the full six weeks! What BS! I think it might have been less than two weeks from when I decided to go into the Air Force to when they shipped me off. I had hoped to have another month to get in shape.

I think I look OK with this haircut that we got on Saturday. (I had long hair the last 8 years.) I can't believe they make you pay for your haircuts.

Three civilians do the haircuts.

We have not been given time to write letters yet. Maybe after mail from outside starts rolling in.

Physical Conditioning (PC) is hard. I just didn't have enough time to prepare before I was shipped off. I'm not sure how many times a week we will be doing PC, but we have done it the last three days in a row. One thing I'm pissed about is that they did not stretch us before our initial two mile run evaluation. I'm still in pain from it. Mainly my calves.

	Initial	Need
Two mile run	19:40	<18:00
Push-ups	8	30
Sit-ups	32	45

Our Military Training Instructor (MTI or just TI) is SSgt Young, and he is good at what he does. Supposedly he gets more crazed as time progresses. We have a sister flight (406) whose MTI is SSgt Rashid. He seems really cool. The last couple days we have been mixing the flights up when marching to dinner or elsewhere. The A bays forms a flight and the B bays form another. The dorms consist of two bays, latrine, day room, flight office, the small utility room, and the storage room where our civilian bags are stored. Yesterday I moved from the bottom, last (#45) bed in the back of B bay to the very first bed (60). The former occupant was discharged for some reason, medical I think.

PC wasn't so bad this morning. My endurance is slowly improving.

Writing think in the latrine after lights out so I don't forget anything. Lots of firsts today: first time to get chocolate milk in the dining facility, first marching practice on the drill pad. Apparently you could get chocolate milk anytime, you just have to do it right. The MTIs at the "Snake Pit" watch like hawks for mistakes. Maybe I'll try for some cereal in the morning. On patio break my flight was able to buy snack foods and soda for the first time. I bought and ate two Frito Lay Toasted Peanut Butter and Crackers, a pack of Twinkies, and a can of Dr. Pepper. They were good, but I'm paying for it now. I might have come to the latrine to write this, but I just used the latrine for its intended purpose. That stuff rushed right through me. Reminds me of the last episode of Survivor II on CBS that I saw where Colby won the reward challenge and got to eat a lot of good food after eating just rice for so long. Same thin happened to him. Also while on patio break everyone called their loved ones. I called Mom and Dad and my brother Douglas. Douglas said he sent my mailing address to a bunch of people. Maybe bigjim will put my address on his web page. Oh, I just remembered I have one of this business cards. I'll mail his PO Box. Dad said he is sending a postcard a day. A couple days ago I sent off my first couple of postcards: one to Mom and Dad, and one to Aunt Martha. On the drill pad we learned open and close ranks today. Oh, I asked Mom and Dad to record Survivor for me. Unfortunately I have already missed the last two episodes.

Standing up straight is unnatural and hurts.

Guys stink and girls smell good is the generally accepted law of the MTIs, and I would certainly agree.

I'm still worried about being able to do the 30 push-ups but I think I am getting stronger.

2250 hours

I have to get up for Dorm Guard duty in an hour and a half. I think I'll go to church (Protestant service) in the morning.

First Duty Flight day. I'm pulling Patio Guard duty, which is fine with me. Tomorrow we are all doing duties also. My group is heading to Medina, which will probably be some Warrior Week duty. Most others are going to be doing KP all day and have to wake up at 0215. Normal Reveille is at 0445.

I was bored in class this day and wrote these Haiku:

1747 hours

Second time to pull patio guard duty and duty flight day. Much better than answering phones. This time I am on the west patio. Still very nice out, but the sun rises a little higher in the sky each day. Dad said it was 90 in Jackson a few days ago.

I finally went to sick call this morning. It was a waste of time. No real doctors on the weekends. The most they can do is give you a cold pack, which is what I got. Trainee Dennis, who sleeps the bed next to me in the dorm has the same symptoms I do. He went to the hospital last night. He was back a few hours later with medicine and a bunch of waivers. He was able to stay in bed all day.

I started feeling really bad mid-afternoon. Trainee Zeno told be to get in bed, so I did and got a bit of rest. I am feeling much better now. Maybe the stuff I took from the cold pack did the trick. My throat is still sore.

I guess the last episode of Survivor was on Thursday. Will be a while before I find out the winner. Mom and Dad recorded it for me.

1930 hours

A Master Sergeant spot checked some of our pockets and our portfolios. I got a 341 pulled for no reporting statement and having the words Bill and Serial on my money list.

Tomorrow we are all doing KP.

Classroom all day yesterday. Got a 341 pulled for unshined boots by TSgt Smith. (I just wasn't any good at shining boots.)

I'm standing in line at the mini-mall waiting to get my name sewn on a BDU top. It was at the cleaners on Monday when we did/got our second issue clothing.

Got our second haircut today. They only cut the sides and back. Looks OK.

2200 hours

This morning we had our two mile road run. The required time for males is under 18 minutes. My time was 16:04. My initial evaluation was 19:40. It is very much mental. Only two trainees out of our flight of 58 did not make it: Wells, and a recyclee whose name I can't recall at the moment. The initial evaluation was 8 laps around a track, but today we ran on a road in a big loop. I hear it is actually a bit less than two miles. Also, the timer is not started until the last person crossed the starting line.

We got a patio break this evening, Mother's Day being tomorrow. Mom and Dad left for Alaska today so of course I could not get in touch with them. Of my two prepaid phone cards, one gave me "invalid pin" and the other one had 2 minutes left. I learned you can't call cell phones collect. I finally called bigjim using 1-800-CALL-ATT and my credit card. (big mistake, AT&T rips you off big time, another to be added to my Evil Corporations list.) He told me Tina won Survivor II and Colby came in second. Jim was actually in town (San Antonio). His sister graduated BMT on Friday. Too bad I couldn't get in touch with him earlier. I could have met him at the mini-mall.

I've been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches at lunch and dinner. Found out a few days ago that they have single serving peanut butter at the condiment stand.

SSgt Rashid marched us a few hours this morning in prep for honor flight march on Tuesday. Apparently SSgt Rashid will be leaving our sister flight on Wednesday. Too bad, I like him. He has a good attitude. Thank goodness we didn't lose SSgt Young. They wanted him to go to Warrior Week.

Everyone had KP on Thursday. Mostly the same group did it hear at the 322. We were once again shit hot. The retired TSgt who over saw us last time and this time until noon recommended that we be given base liberty on the 341.

Had our first Maintenance of Standards (MOS) inspection yesterday. I passed with 5 demerits. In fact, my whole element passed. I think SSgt Young did all of ours, whereas TSgt Smith did most of the other elements.

I slept through most of the classes yesterday. Not solidly, but I couldn't keep from dozing off so many times.

Apparently a new test has come into use. It is still multiple choice, but I hear it is more common sense, less tricky. I have 5 to 6 days to get my push-ups up to 30. Eval on Tuesday was 12. Apparently I have been using the wrong muscles: only my triceps instead of my chest. I am working hard at it, I don't want to leave this flight. Going back two weeks would also suck. I'm not too worried about my sit-ups. I just need 5 more for 45.

Been reading Wicca for the Solitary Practitioner. Interesting stuff. I also read a pamphlet entitled Understanding Islam. Earlier in the day I read some Handbook for Today's Catholic or some such title. Why they would think that Mary would remain a virgin in the years after Jesus' birth is beyond me.

1110 hours

Just got back from honor flight marching practice. MSgt Rivers said if we do as good tomorrow as we just did we would get an Excellent. Learned Rashid is not leaving on Wednesday. Good.

I'm really concerned that I won't be able to get 30 push-ups by Thursday/Friday. I'm sure I can get the 45 sit-ups out of the way tonight.

I don't care for Pryor, our Latrine Queen. He is a bit too anal about the latrine.

1230 hours

Back from lunch. Tray, knife, fork, plate, curly fries, three slices of white bread, one red Sportade, two glasses of water, sit,test quality of curly fries, get up, get four single serving peanut butters, and one grape jelly, one glass of orange juice, sit, make sandwich, etc.

1522 hours

On second 10 min break from class. One more class to go today.

1700 hours

Chow time. There are at least a couple flights ahead of us though. East side is closed.

0900 hours

Studying on the drill pad. Our honor flight march is at 1100. Doing some studying.

Mynx's letter last night was a good read. Finally found out some Internet news. I have written back saying that she can give my address to fRy and the others in #theresistance. They are going to send me some wacky crap. (They never wrote me, the lazy bastards.) I also got some more one dollar bills from Dad. We should have a crapload of mail built up when we return from Warrior Week.

1200 hours

We did good on Honor Flight drill. I did make one bad mistake, near the end, but I don't think the blue ropes noticed, as they were talking. Standing waiting to go in the dining facility.

The one and only test on Friday morning. 70 to pass. You have to pass it to complete BMT. I think it will be easy.

I really want to get on a computar. News on the Web, IRC, etc. I'll head to the library when we get base liberty.

1217 hours

Food, still waiting. My feet hurt. When are we going to wear the blues for the first time? I think we get the flight picture taken soon. Man, I have to get those 30 push-ups. And I still haven't been called back for job stuff. I `m going to be pissed if I don't get a computer related job. Need to get some graduation info to Shannon if he wants to come to it. I think he may have given me his phone number in his letter.

1525 hours

Evening briefing. Today's class was shorter than normal. Received dog tags. No mail for me today. Flight pictures at 1000 tomorrow. TSgt Smith is on leave for a while.

1800 hours

About to get a 15 min patio break. SSgt Young left a few minutes ago and left the radio on. Sanitarium by Metallica is playing. He said if we wanted we could continue... [to listen to it]

0915 hours

Blue ropes came in and gave us five demerits, which is OK. Two for stairwell. One for unflushed toilet. One for dust on window sill. One for a light out in A bay. The lights had just been checked. So that was BS said SSgt Young.

1500 hours

I really wish everyone would wash their hands after using the latrine. Almost no one does. The latrine people will actually yell at you if you do try to use a sink.

1515 hours

SSgt Rashid is passing out mail in the classroom. We just finished with the last couple of chapters. I got a postcard from Douglas (the third). He says Ben Brown has left Collective Technologies to backpack across Europe and then go back to school in the Fall.

1630 hours

Standing outside waiting for chow. I think this is the first time it has been a bit hot outside.

1730 hours

Hell yeah, Firewoman by The Cult just came on the radio. Tonight is clothes folding night.

0755 hours

Sitting at Dunn Dental. They just wanted to make sure my Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) was not bad. Two other guys with me. Waiting on Smith, Anthony.

PUSH-UPS If I can't get 30 by tomorrow it will be PYS (pack your shit).

0900 hours

Sitting in the dayroom. Blue ropes are checking the dorm.

1050 hours

Back from patio. I went by myself to activate the pin number on my Waterhouse ATM/credit card. They did the military bearing thing while I was gone.

1413 hours

Out of briefing by MSgt Rivers. Just a general overview of the next two weeks: Warrior Week, graduation, town pass. Don't try to get any booty at Warrior Week.

0750 hours

I'm sitting on the bench in the CQ/Tunnel area. I was only able to get 19 (20) push-ups this morning. I'm not sure if I'll be recycled one or two weeks. I was assuming two. SSgt Young put on the report that I was an excellent trainee. Young and Rashid are the most kick-ass MTIs in my opinion. I hate to leave my flight.

Last night I was very ill. I really should have gone to the hospital, but I didn't want to do anything that might endanger my chances of passing my push-ups.

0825 hours

I was seen by MSgt Rivers. He is sending me back one week. I wasn't able to eat much of anything this morning.

1438 hours

Sitting in my new dorm. I feel very ill, like last night. I need to go get my canteen and make my phone call. Bad aching head, sore throat, weak, pain in joints, high fever. Need to write letters.

1130 hours

So yesterday I was recycled back one week because of PC! My new flight (411) could be better. Every time I go to the latrine there are several toilet seats down and half of the sinks are wet, but maybe that is just because it is the weekend. (nope) My new dorm doesn't have working air conditioning, and the floors are all permanently scuffed.

I was very badly ill yesterday evening. I had to be carried down the stairs. 103 temperature. Lots of pills and bed rest today. Apparently I hyper-ventilated. My feet and hands tingled intensely. My hands became very stiff.

I was able to finally write Shannon a postcard. He might come to my graduation.

0820 hours

Standing in formation under the overhead. Blue ropes are doing some type of inspection. I doubt the results will be good. MSgt Perez, my new Section Supervisor was just pulling (end of sentence, probably 341s.)

We are going to march/drill next. Joy. I am so tired of marching.

This morning I had a 0600 medical appointment. Went fine. (to make sure I was recovering) Temperature was 99.7. I should be fine if I continue to take my pills. (Tessalon, Guaifen PSE-LA, Motrin, Tylenol)

I was rushed out of breakfast by a TI, and I really need to eat. I wonder how much I weight now.

1440 hours

I'm pulling Dorm Guard duty while everyone is at class since I have already been to class. I guess I'll be doing this for the next few days which will give me time to write.

My new flight had Blue Rope wall locker and overhead inspections today. -2 on overhead, amazing. -35 on wall lockers. (Ha!) There goes honor flight.

I was put on latrine crew by TSgt Easton last night. I noticed TSgt Easton and I share the same first name.

A couple nights ago I saw something I had never expected to see! I had gotten up out of bed to use the latrine, and when I came to the hallway, both dorm guards were sitting on the floor, and one of them was asleep! Snoring even. That sort of thing would never happen in my old flight.

This morning at drill practice I lobbed a couple pebbles at a jack rabbit (there are jack rabbits all over Lackland), and the shortest of the element leaders (Baldwin) said he would write me up. A warning would have been nice. It isn't like I was trying to actually injure the little buggers. Another trainee said he was being an ass, and I would have to agree.

I've been wearing this set of BDUs since Tuesday. You are only supposed to wear them two days max. They really don't get too dirty unless you do something like KP. I'll pick up my clean summer weight from the laundry and drop these off this evening. I wear my "wool" socks two or three days. (The more often you wear things, the more often you have to fold and put them away in your clothing drawer. Folding things perfectly is time consuming. It is better to just use a couple of each item and leave the rest sitting perfectly in your drawer.)

1530 hours

Apparently this is the last building that needs to be renovated. The building to the east is currently being renovated. It is said that these buildings are 30 or 40 years old.

1550 hours

A stupid little gnat bugged me once too often and I shut the dorm guard book on him.

Since I want to be able to provide this journal in multiple formats on the Web, I think It might be wise to chick out the Docbook format/standard. O'Reilly has a book on it. (hmm, which formats was I thinking of? PDF? I'm typing this up in AbiWord, and I'll put it on the Web as XHTML.)

1600 hours

Shining boots is annoying, but I think I finally have gotten the hang of it. I just use a damp cotton ball and the black polish.

This flight always seems to go to chow late.

I wasn't able to get a hold of my parents last evening on our hour long patio break.

1309 hours

On Dorm Guard duty. Most of the flight is in class. Three persons are in the dayroom on dorm rest. One for blisters.

I did 24 push-ups this morning. Quite amazing, but I need to be able to do 30 by Friday morning. 8-12-19-24

1326 hours

Lunch was pretty good. PB+J sandwich. I went up to the dessert thingy next to the Snake Pit for the first time and got some chocolate cake. And the banana I picked was pretty good, only a couple black spots. Orange Sportade with two glasses of water.

1346 hours

It was 58°F this morning. I hope it stays cool a couple more weeks. A bright planet was visible in the sky. Venus or Jupiter?

Learned yesterday we are going to be carrying the US and state/territorial flags at graduation with our brother flight, so that a column of elements is 8 across. It will be hard on the arms.

0807 hours

At final clothing issue. I brought two BDU tops for the people in my flight who did not get their names sewn on when they were here last. I actually went back into the room where all the Mexican ladies were working at sewing machines. Signing in, I saw that a member of my flight had been the person to sign in just before me. Strange. I wonder what my flight is doing right now, maybe open ranks or drill.

0900 hours

Drill. I'm back at the dorm. I'm about to head down to the drill pad.

1100 hours

The flight is studying in the day room. I just remembered that I forgot to sign out (or in) when I went to final clothing issue this morning. Marching around on the drill pad is absolutely no fun. It is almost painful for someone as physically uncoordinated as myself. March from the waist down, swing those arms, shoulders back, chest out, lean back, keep your dress cover and interval distance (DCID).

1250 hours

On Dorm Guard duty. Most of the flight is in class. A few are in the dayroom on dorm rest.

Push-ups. 30 by Friday or my goose is cooked.

Do not go into the Air Force/sign up/ship out unless:

1. You have a guaranteed job.
2. You can pass or are close to passing the Physical Conditioning requirements.

1030 hours

We are back from Honor Flight drill evaluation. We received -5, which isn't bad. I don't think I screwed up at all. Perhaps we could still get Honor Flight. The scores are only averaged if you have a brother or sister flight of the opposite sex, like my old flight.

1120 hours

We are sitting in a classroom. MSgt Perez just game us a Core Values briefing.

Yesterday evening I was able to make some phone calls. I talked to Mom and Dad for a while, and then I called Douglas, and then Jim.

I'm still pissed at the recruiter and the guys at the MEPS. They just fucking lied. No Integrity. Mills said I would have 6 weeks to get the push-ups. Bullshit. 4 weeks. I could get them in 6, but not in 4, so I was recycled from my cool flight into this bunch of blah. Half of them just don't give a shit. They guys at the MEPS said I could take the EDPT again, which to me means at BMT because it doesn't fucking matter if I take it after they have assigned me a job. The guy at job counseling said I couldn't take the test again for six months. Fucking worthless. If I get some shit ass job... I just don't know what I'm going to do. Hopefully I will at least get Computer Operations.

1140 hours

Waiting behind a couple flights outside chow.

This morning we marched out for PC and marched right back because of lightning within five miles. So we get back under the overhang and the four of use who needed to do PC evals marched over to a flight a week or two back who were doing PC evals. I did 29 push-ups, but they let me take the test a couple hours later. I think I made about an 89 on it.

Warrior Week briefing after lunch.

1220 hours

After lunch, in dayroom. Learned the flight has an 84 average on the test.

2110 hours

50 minutes until lights out. Taps and Revile are both an hour later on weekends. So let's see what else happened today... before lunch we set up most of the dorm across the hall for a baby flight that will probably be in next week. During the evening briefing I had to leave for dorm guard duty, but before I left I learned we are going to be running for PC in the morning. Also we are getting base liberty tomorrow from 1200 to 1800. So I'll be heading straight to the library to get on the 'Net. We got a patio break this evening from 1800 to 1845. Our brother flight also, so it was crowded. Anyone who earned extra time got to use it also. So I was able to stay on the patio an extra 30 minutes. Since most people left I could use the phones without waiting. I left a short message on Mom and Dad's answering machine, no one answered at Douglas', and I spent most of my extra 30 min talking to Shannon (aka Bytor). Austin is about an hour away he said. So he should be here for my graduation with my parents.

2150 hours

I saw my old flight (405) and sister flight at 1630 when I was relieved from dorm guard to get my mail from TSgt Easton.

1100 hours

In classroom G for briefing on base liberty, which we should get right after we eat. We were just starting to pack for Warrior Week when we were told to come down here. We did some drill practice a couple hours ago. We need more. The running at PC this morning was pretty easy. Some of us formed a slow group of about 10 guys right off, so we could have a nice slow pace for Last Airman Up. Major Betz came out during PC.

Base Liberty: We are allowed to go to: library, bowling alley, reception center, Mini-Mall, H&T Museum.

1222 hours

Flight in dayroom. We should be heading to WW at 1300. People who get stripes right out of basic are being called up to sign a sheet. Ditto for a couple week's worth of 341s.

Yesterday's base liberty was pretty nice. I spent most of the six hours at the Mini-Mall. I used a computer at the communications center for 10 cents a minute for a total of $10.30. They were Pentium 2s with 64 MB of RAM running Win95 and IE4. They were also on dial-up. I ate plenty of junk food. We were told we could not eat in the squadron dining facility.

1810 hours

In our tent at WW. Twenty-nine of us in this tent. When we arrived we were briefed on some rules and SSgt K? told us about the Laws of Armed Combat (Conflict?). We then carried our heavy duffle bags to our tent and set it up. We each have a cot with a sleeping bag, and a footlocker with a lock and key. While we were getting our initial briefing about 2pm the heat index thing went up two flag levels, so we were at black flag all the rest of the afternoon.

2056 hours

Close to light out, but we are still in BDUs. Not sure if we will be doing PC in the morning. I guess not. No idea if I'll be doing an hour of tent guard tonight. Dinner was OK.

0830 hours

I'm in an Anti-Terrorism class. Well air conditioned ten but a bit cool. Breakfast was good yesterday, but today the amount of food we received was cut in half. One muffin instead of two (first time I've eaten a blueberry muffin), one milk and one bowl of cereal (Apple Jacks) instead of two each, one orange juice instead of two.

Lots of the guys are complaining. On the other hand, we ate our first MRE for lunch yesterday. MREs are actually quite good. I had "Ham Slice". The thick slice of ham wasn't real good, but the vanilla pound cake was very good along with the vegetable crackers. We don't have cups, so I just poured some of the hot cocoa in my mouth, and the tea bag was useless. Some guy had a large packet of peanut butter. Chewing gum got me a 341 pulled by Dorm Chief Johnson. I think he was wrong. I was sitting down while chewing.

1040 hours

Hungry. I think we will be eating an MRE within the hour.

Field Training Exercise (FTX). Woke us up at 0330. I had tent guard from 0000 to 0100.

1040 hours

We just finished eating MREs at the firing range. Two other flights were and are still shooting. We should be shooting soon. Those MREs sure kick ass. I traded my chicken stew, the main part of my MRE, for some peanut butter and someone else gave me another peanut butter. It was quite good on the crackers. My "Chicken Stew No 21" didn't come with any candy. Yesterday I traded the tootsie rolls that came with my MRE for some hard candy.

Lots of loud bangs. The smell of gunpowder. We should get to shoot soon. We saw a video about the Confidence Course last night before we took showers. The video showed all the obstacles and how to do them. I think there are about 12-15 of them. None of them looked too hard. One, "The Weaver" looked a little physically challenging. The Confidence Course is spread over two miles though, and you have to run the whole way apparently. We should be doing the Confidence Course on Friday morning.

1100 hours

Still sitting on brown metal picnic tables under and wooden canopy across from the firing range. Our stuffed duffle bags are out in formation in the sun. It must be about 80 degrees F, much better than in the sun. There is actually a nice breeze blowing. The can take their time shooting. The longer they take, the better the angle for the sun becomes. I put some sunscreen on. Tired of getting my neck, hands, and nose burned. I've got some pink spots on the backs of my hands. Some people have told me I have a pink/purple spot on the back of my neck.

1135 hours

Well, the wind is being annoying now by blowing dirt and dust in our eyes.

We sweat so much, and change clothes so little, that our clothes often have white salt outlines. Mine usually don't get that many, but during Warroir Week, we change clothes less often. It seems like most people will wear a set of MREs for a week or more. Wearing the NBC gear will about soak your BDUs in sweat.

Hopefully we won't have to do the NBC drill again on Friday, since we do the Confidence Course on Friday. We also become Airmen on Friday at the Warrior Week graduation ceremony.

1430 hours

Fuck. I only got 32 hits in the black out of 40 shots. 35 are needed to get the Expert Marksmanship ribbon. Only 15 are needed to qualify.

2155 hours

My old flight graduated today. My current flight graduated from Warrior Week this afternoon around 2pm, when they sun was really beating down hard. Overall, WW was OK. The MREs kicked ass, and the Confidence Course was pretty cool, but other than those things it was annoying. The heat was pretty bad. People's BDUs were often soaked with sweat. When the sweat dries it leaves white patterns of what I guess is salt. People were the most soaked with sweat right after finishing NBC drills. BDUs + Overgarment + gas mask + hot sun = a shit load of sweat. I only wore two sets of BDUs during WW, my two summer weights. I did well on the CC this morning; I never touched any water. Luckily, when I got to the last obstacle, they monkey bars over some water, there was no one in front of me, so I could get across speedily. The low crawl was probably the was probably the most difficult one for me because my elbows and knees were so scraped up and in pain from the high crawl we did at FTX on Wednesday. The Field Training Exercise was like a mini-WW within WW. We always had a helmet, rucksack, and fake guns with us. We did war games that night. About six MTIs vs. 200 of us. They used laser pointers to represent firing their guns, and we used our flashlights. I was in the reserve force in the medical tent. During the last war game, I got my throat cut by a MTI, or actually I think it was the chaplain. I saw him slip into the tent with medics returning from picking up a dead or injured trainee. I should have called out "using minimal force," but I said "Halt" instead, and then he cut my throat real quick. He then proceeded to kill everyone else in the tent. We got about 3 hour sleep that night. In the morning we were shown how to set up tents, but didn't have to set them up because it started to rain just a little. Before it started to rain we did the 1.5 mile march with all our gear, and at the end of the march we did the run and cover course again, minus the low crawl through the water and mud.

1820 hours

No PC today, excellent. We ate breakfast and then did parade practice, then had a class on our blues: how to wear them, do a night display, etc. We are getting a patio break at 1900. Today has mostly been a fold-a-thon. All our dirty clothes from WW were washed and returned. I have an appointment for a sensitive skills interview at 0730 on Monday! That means I probably got my second job choice: Computer Operations. I would much prefer Computer Programming. But I hear they are going to combine the two jobs soon and give much of the programming work to civilian contractors. I'm not sure if I like that idea or not.

I did two hours of dorm guard across the hall for a zero week flight this afternoon. The MTI seemed cool. There were only freaking 40 trainees in the whole flight. At lunch we saw a couple female baby flights. Man were they munchkins. All were quite short.

Yesterday at the Culminating Ceremony of WW we all became Airmen. So now I have to remember to replace "Trainee" with "Airman" in all my reporting statements.

Apparently the only time we will be wearing BDUs in the next week is when we pull OJT dorm guard duty.

I saw the Pay Sheet for the first time ever. $444.99 was direct deposited into my account on June 1. We get paid on the 1st and 15th. I plan to ask for BAS after tech school. I wonder how much BAS usually is. (Yeah, right. You can't get full BAS while living in the dorm.)

During WW we didn't do PC. I'm not sure how many push-ups I could do right now. I'm sore all over; we all are. I guess it was the Confidence Course that did it.

2230 hours

Starting two hour dorm guard shift. Bartol slid me a piece of gum. I lent him a brown t-shirt yesterday. I could get in big trouble if caught chewing it. This flight is too lax about many things. The element leaders aren't saying shit to use for sitting in the hallway on dorm guard. Bartol and I are both writing, and Bartol is wearing white socks and has his boots off. Shit, I come back from helping Sidney fold his duffle bag, and Bartol is laid out asleep in the middle of the floor.

So what happened today? Most of use awoke laughing a few minutes before Reveille this morning. What happened was Mulvihil was on dorm guard and the box asked for accountability, specifically, how many trainees we had up there, and Mulvihil responded "Sir, we don't have trainees, we have Airmen."

Around 0900 a lot of use went to the Mini-Mall to buy mandatory items. I needed the tie tack, 4pc black shirt garters (they connect to your socks and your shirt to keep your shirt tight), second BMT ribbon (one for shirt, one for service coat), and Enforcers (put inside your shirt behind your ribbons).

Blues

We wore our blues for the first time today. It felt good. We were all pimped out and looking sharp. Dark blue trousers, light blue long sleeve shirt, dark blue tie, chrome belt buckle, shiny black Oxford "low quarters" shoes, name tag, silver AF tie tack, dark blue flight cap.

While at the Mini-Mall I saw quite a few of my old flight. Last night, when I went over to get my civilian luggage I talked to several people for a bit. They showed me that my name was on their flight t-shirt, and my picture was in their yearbook type thing. I hope I will be able to get my $30 packet of pictures that I had taken with them, because I did not have my picture taken with this flight. Individually that is, I was in the flight picture of both flights.

I was given a copy of a poem entitled "Our TI" by A1C Jonathan E. Shaul at this time.

We had a one hour patio break yesterday, but the patio was so crowded I only got to talk to my parents for five minutes. Also the snack vending machines were completely empty. The drink machine seemed to be full though. I had a Dr. Pepper. While waiting in line to use the phones, a trainee from another flight let me have a few Pringles from the can he had gotten, which I was very grateful for.

Today was otherwise mostly folding clothes. I learned that we can meet visitors on Thursday evening at the reception center. I need to convey this new info to my parents. I'm not sure what time they will be getting into San Antonio on Thursday.

We will probably be hit for Honor Flight open ranks either Monday or Tuesday. We practiced a bit for it today. If it happens in the morning I will be at my Sensitive Skills interview appointment.

0915 hours

I'm waiting with a group of third-weekers at the Processing building (5725) to be interviewed for my security clearance. We have filled out fingerprint cards, as well as a questionnaire and an appointment slip for tomorrow at 0700. No PC for me once again. Lots of pictures of the Air Force Honor Guard on the walls of this room. They also have the Honor Guard Creed, Body Bearer Creed, Colors Element Creed, and the Firing Party Creed.

On my way here I was held up for a bit and was almost late because about eight flights of ROTC were passing by and everyone had to stop and let them pass. I also had to salute the officer, usually a captain, that was with each flight.

1045 hours

A nice A1C just woke my tired ass up. He was real nice about it. I could have gotten my ass recycled if a MSgt had seen me.

They are replacing some computers with Dell M781's so all the third-weekers are heading home after being interviewed.

1130 hours

Oh, I so want to get out of BMT and get to tech school. I want to make a PB and marshmallow sandwich with Pringles and a big glass of orange juice.

1240 hours

I'm back from eating lunch at the 324th Training Squadron. It was pretty rushed, and they did not have any peanut butter or sour cream and onion potato chips. So my lunch consisted of some curly fries, three slices of white bread, a banana, and my three glasses of fluids. I got ripped as I was leaving the overhang by a female MTI, most unnessasary. I was a little confused about that direction to exit the squadron area. I was walking out the side instead of the end where I came in. I would have figured it out ten seconds later.

1300 hours

I ran into Johnson, our dorm chief before I left for lunch and he said we did not get honor flight because of something our brother flight did (in open ranks I would assume).

1410 hours

The flight got haircuts before lunch today. Still no sign of Amn Kidd. I guess I will go try to get a haircut.

1415 hours

Ah, here she is. She stopped by some doctor apparently. She isn't feeling well.

1535 hours

I'm back at the squadron in our dayroom. The flight is picking up pictures, etc. We are getting base liberty tonight! But first, I now know that my job will be... Communications - Computer Systems Operations. If you read the job description your would probably laugh. It specifically mentions learning MS-DOS commands.

I have to go back tomorrow and provide a lot of info, type it all in on their new Dell computers, which for some reason had zip drives and some other drive that was half the width of a zip disk and I think may have been a tape drive. (They were bays for Fortezza PCMCIA cards.) They also had sound cards for some reason. Waste of money.

1410 hours

At building 5725 all day again. Ate lunch at SQ 324 again. It was a bit better this time. I grabbed a couple bananas and went up and got some chocolate cake. So those along with some slices of white bread was my meal. If I had had more time I would have gotten some Apple Jacks.

The reason I am still up here is that I need one more piece of info, the address of a person who knew me at Mississippi State, before I can submit my crap to the security officer so I can be evaluated for a Top Secret security clearance. My flight was over across the hall getting their tech school briefings (what to expect at Keesler or Sheppard). I guess they picked up their orders a bit before that.

So hopefully Kat will email me back within the next couple hours. I wonder when I can go check on my flight pictures. When I was over at the Communications Center in the Mini-Mall emailing Kat I talked to Jim and Shannon via AIM. Jim's website is looking nice. He updated it with news about me while I was there. I certainly am relieved that I got one of my top two job picks. And being close to have during my 12 weeks of tech school will be nice.

0900 hours

Back at 5725. I'm about to head across the street to the Mini-Mall to check my email at the Communications Center. Hopefully Kat will have responded to my email. If not I will try tracking down Thomas Kadlec or Raffe Felts.

We are eating at the 321 again today. Breakfast was pretty good. Excellent French Texas toast with syrup, Apple Jacks, bananas, and bacon. We didn't do PC this morning.

We did not get base liberty last night. There will be a STAN team evaluation of the dorm at 1000 and we spent last night and this morning getting ready for it.

0930 hours

Communications Center opens at 1100 Monday through Thursday. More waiting. But at least I have time to write. There is some tantalizing food on a table 15 feet in front of me. OJ, bananas, bagels, and chocolate cake. Also cups, napkins, and plates (probably not edible). Ah, it is Amn Kidd's 21st birthday. Do I get cake for singing Happy Birthday with them? I guess not.

Talking to a third-weeker here. She is under her minimum weight of 93 lbs. We were weighed this morning. I am at my minimum weight for my height: 131 lbs.

1025 hours

I guess I'll make a phone call.

1930 hours

Oooooh. Not feeling good. To much rich food consumed at the Mini-Mall on base lib. I hit me about 3/4 of the way back to the dorm. So the porcelain throne and I just finished spending some quality time together. Food eaten: one pint of Dutch Chocolate ice cream, five packages of Frito Lay toasted peanut butter and crackers, one bottle of OJ, one 16oz Dr. Pepper, three powdered doughnuts, half a bag of Lay's Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips. That shit rushed through my system faster than anything else I've seen. I ate all of it mainly because I needed to gain weight.

2030 hours

About to head to bed. Looks like I have don't the impossible and eluded guard duty for a third day. I wouldn't mind doing it, I expected to do it tonight. Maybe he saw me doing dorm guard this afternoon when I relieved Camp for a short time and thought I had done a full shift. I did pull dorm guard across the hall for about half an hour Monday morning before my appointment.

Meet Sakartara's wife-to-be while on base lib. Nice girl.

Had Commander's Departure briefing at 1400. It was given by Capt. Mcarthy. I went back to the Mini-Mall and checked my email. No response. Back to 5725 room 254. Used mother as person who knew me at MSU. I go back to pick up my orders at 0800. I'll go to PC in the morning for the first time since before Warrior Week.

Today I missed: parade practice and the town pass briefing. Apparently there was nothing new at that briefing. It is all in the book and I have read it before. Also, I talked to someone who was at the Keesler tech school briefing. He said it was all vague info, but they said it was the most relaxed of the tech schools.

I called Brian before 1100 just to shoot the shit. I was just waiting to go use the Communications Center when it opened.

0806 hours

Back at 5725 to pick up orders. Apparently all the flights are at the parade grounds practicing. I hate to miss it. I want to do my best tomorrow morning. I'll probably be able to make the second parade practice at 1000 on the drill pad. Toner got recycled two weeks yesterday afternoon when he was doing his walk all over base to get his info updated. I had to do the same thing when I was recycled a week.

1220 hours

So I got my orders. I'm assigned to the 336 TRS at Keesler AFB MS 39534-5000. My classes start on June 28, so I'll be doing some sort of detail until then. Who knows what type of detail, maybe mowing grass or KP or whatever. My orders list my AFSC as 3C011. My pickup time Monday morning is 0001. We will be traveling by bus. Not sure how many hours we will be on the road.

I was at the 1000 parade practice, but without a pole. Some bastard took mine.

1300 hours

Going to get some strips sewn on at Alterations at the Mini-Mall.

2125 hours

I'm writing from in the latrine like last night. This afternoon I got my chevron of two stripes sewn on two short sleeve blue shirts, one long sleeve, service coat, and two BDU tops. Cost: $24.05. That leaves two BDU tops, my field jacket, and two or three more blue shirts that need them sewn on. I have small metal pin insignia for my light-weight jacket, and I guess they go on the all weather coat also.

We marched up to the reception center this evening, and those Airmen who had family or friends there got to spend time with them. We all got base liberty for a couple hours. I spent over an hour online at the Communications Center.

The vending machines on our patio are still fucking empty.

So tomorrow is the day. I think of it as little more than a formality. It will be nice to see my parents. I guess Douglas will be here Saturday morning. I just told the dorm guard, Robinson, about Mom's bad legs. I don't think she could walk the whole way to the dorm. I'll ask her.

My right shoe was just killing the back of my ankle today.

2245 hours

Graduated this morning. Some cadet marched us out to the bomb run at much to fast a cadence. Cadets have weird insignia. So we get out there and file through and get our flags. I had the flag for Iowa. I saw Mom and Dad walk by and into the stands. We marched out and assumed our position next to the band who sounded great. Once it started it went by pretty quickly. We marched by the stands once. I need to check out the video at the Mini-Mall. Once we finished and put up the flags <entry ends>

1100 hours

I was supposed to leave on a bus for Keesler at 0001, but tropical storm Alice or whatever flooded Houston and is now over Keesler. So all of the people who are going to Keesler have been brought over to the 319th. Hopefully we will be getting on the bus at 0100. If not, we will be here yet another day. They had us change into BDUs and we have been chilling in a dorm. People are pissed about having to get shit out of their packed bags. My first BDU set was half way down in my duffle bag. The 319th is where medical holds and those being discharged for various reasons go.

1600 hours

Lunch was good. We ate at the 324th next door at 1230. Afterwards we set up two dorms for incoming trainees. Towels, mesh bags, locks and keys, laundry markers, portfolios and everything that goes in it, flashlights, etc. The back of my right heel is still inflicting a bit of pain on me when I step wrong.

Surprisingly I was able to take an hour long nap before lunch.

We have been told a couple times not to talk to the trainees here at the 319th.

When we came back we fond out we have base liberty from 1630 to 1930.

1625 hours

Just found out that we are leaving for Keesler at 1230.

This last entry was written at Keesler AFB. My journal from Keesler is even longer and I think I'll integrate it with my main website. Some of it already is because I went and got my computer about half-way through tech school.

2250 hours

About to head to bed. Just took a long hot shower. First non-group shower since arriving at BMT.

We left Lackland for Keesler at around 0030 this morning. 109 Airmen on three nice, large buses. First stop was right outside San Antonio at a Texaco where we all purchased snacks. I bought and quickly consumed: peanut butter and crackers, a banana, OJ, and Sixlets (candy coated, chocolate flavored candy; so they aren't actually chocolate, they just taste like it). I remember getting these out of a gum ball machine at Skateland USA when I was a kid. Another candy I need to find is candy cigs. I used to by whole boxes of them when I was at Hinds. But I'm getting side tracked. Sleep. We stopped for breakfast at a Denny's around 0600. I went back to sleep when we started moving again. The buses had TVs with a VCR, so people started watching movies at midmorning. I slept through Charlie's Angels, but saw most of Miss Congeniality and Remember the Titans. We stopped for lunch at Piccadilly's. Back on the bus Remember the Titans was traded with another bus for The Matrix, which I slept through most of the showing of.