8.11.09

INTENSITY-GOOD STUFF

Dear Mom,

How are you?  It's not that I choose not write very often, it's just that we are discouraged from writing....They say we are going to be making contact soon , so, we probably shouldn't bother.  I write when I can, though.  Life here is pretty full, except now it's slowing down to a crawl.  I have a lot of guard duty now.  I stand around and yell at first phase recruits, write letters and all that.  By the way, I only got one letter from you guys all second phase.  We had a giant mail call before we left.  The night before.  I just barely got a birthday card yesterday and today is August 8th.  You know when you point when you are angry?  Well, the military or Marine Corps. specifically has developed something called knife hand.  It is statistically proven to be 200 % more threatening and conveying anger.  It's a  Hat hand thumb up, all five fingers,  stacked.  I sputter non-sense like a DI does, and people are afraid.  HaHa.  If you wouldn't mind calling  Robert and Sandy and thanking  them for me, I'd appreciate it.  I should be calling home tonight and you should be hearing from me tonight.  

Up north was good.  I really shined during Field Week.  I shot well on combat shooting . Hiking, Land Nav., GOOD STUFF.  An assault course on my birthday.  It's an adrenaline rush like you can't even believe.  Everyone is running around screaming-I was leading my squad of 20 guys-giving orders, returning fire.  INTENSE.  The other night,  I had guard duty on the old barracks.  There are 4 posts-our house, the Px, storage shed, and the Quasi huts(barracks).  It would have been a relaxed night walk if I hadn't been continuously engaged and assaulted by the enemy DI's and SDI.  So, I was running around returning fire and engaging.  That was my favorite boot camp experience.  Kicking in a door and pointing a rubber rifle at my kill hat and telling him to get on the deck.  GOOD STUFF.  Also very INTENSE.  Up north, I was eaten by fire ants.  I have 12 bites on my head, 19 on my left arm, and 8 on my right arm.  That's pretty much the set-up here... 

Thank you

R Suter

FYI -GRADUATION DATE-9.04.09

For those of you interested in Jake's graduation date, it will occur Friday Sept.04.09.  There is a link on this blog, quite extensive, FAQ, rules and regulations, etc if you are inquiring.  Jake is in the 3rd phase,  9th week training, 63 days spent there.  We have made everything simple as possible for everyone to send him letters. (blog, address/packages,his fellow recruit's address etc.) We have been told that this Friday, 8.14.09 to be the last day to send him letters.

8.5.09

Contemplation...........

"Dear people back home,

This letter isn't going to be a happy one, more contemplative.  Someone said in a letter, I won't mention who, asked why I would want to join the Marine Corps.,  as it is filthy.  You know what I realized?  I know why marines are always doing stupid things.  The way we live our lives is not like the civilians.  What is your most stressful part of your day, a  long grocery line, rush hour, perhaps being late?  If you  are late, someone might get a little annoyed or might even  lose a client.  Now, I'm not belittling the way you live your life, but in my line of business, being late, by even a fraction of a second is a matter of life and death.  I'm just pointing out differences.  The norm for a marine is very different.  When we go back out to civilian world, we feel out of place.  That is why marines go get sport bikes, drink, and fight.  Most stressful events you experience, we go through everyday.  I know that you really don't understand but we get woken up with people screaming at us, constantly get verbally assaulted by DIs and IT'd, running with 105 pound packs, and even finding an M16 with live rounds next to people who don't like you.  Do you understand?  When we get a craving for something sweet, instead of candy, we suck on a cough drop.  Why, you may ask?  They are nasty!!!!!  How can I expect understanding- hours of drilling and cleaning.  It is not your fault-as a civilian you can't possibly understand what we're going through every second of our day.  Screamed at, It'd.  If any one of you is brave enough I'll IT you when I get home.  But, you have your place, and so do these recruits. If you are sick, you stay home, here, everyone is sick.  

Yesterday, we did this beastly 10 mile hike...it was not hard because the pack was only 85 pounds.  On the hike, I got to call Moto chants-Stuff like "Woh, oh.  OH, oh.  I used to wear some baggie jeans,  now all I wear is cami greens." 

 Thanks for all the Warhammer stuff-you started a Warhammer craze!  If you could send the Space Marine codex, that'd be great too.  I didn't qulalify very high at shooting.  I kinda suck.  There are 7 guys sitting around making War hammer armies.  Everyone, I miss you.  I have too go now- got chow, then , combat concealment practice.  You wouldn't believe how busy we were up North.  BTW, I'm a Scribe and Squad Leader.  Ask my recruiter,  who still hasn't written.  Send more Warhammer stuff!  I Love It!  LOL"

Rec Suter

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAKE!!!!!!

18 years ago today Jake was brought into this world. I just wanted to let everyone know and maybe get some Birthday wishes together. Comment to this entry and we will print it off and send it to Jake.

7.7.09

STOP...WARHAMMER TIME!!!

Dear Mom,

"The last few days have been awesome and disappointing at the same time. We lost initial drill, Badly. ... It was very disappointing. Everything else has been good. Over the last 2 days, I have gained confidence to know that there is nothing impossible, here. I can succeed. After the 1st week, I was at 197 pounds. That was due to lack of physical activity but now I'm all the down to 182 lbs, if you can believe that. I hate when people write me and tell me how they are so tired from work. Do you know how long I work? 15-17 hours a day. People on the outside $8-12 an hour-I make $.80- maybe. I just finally made $150.00 dollars. I have been paying for my training up until now. My check goes towards gear and maintaining my gear. It is $10.80 for shorts, $14 a shirt,$3.00 for socks, and $2.00 for underwear. One set of clothing is mere 10% of my check. So, I can't sympathize when people complain about work. The only person who maybe understands is Chris, and he makes waaaaaay more than me. Mine is more labor intensive, but, I'm just ranting. My birthday is coming up soon. DO NOT SEND ME ANY KIND OF FOOD! EVER! Yesterday, a kid got 81 chewy bars and had to sit down and eat every single one. That's wrong. I really do want however; and am allowed, is WARHAMMER 40K models -SPACE MARINES. Ask Mikey. Some nice ones. Just 5 or 6. Those would be a great gift. I'd be allowed to have some because My SDI loves Warhammer, and he's always calling me in to talk about it. He bought a Codex-a Space Marine rulebook, so we are both learning to play as boot camp progresses. Some Warhammer figures would be nice. Also, Kyle Fabirs is leaving on Monday, July 13th. Call him and wish him good luck. Tell him when he gets here to find out when Fox Co. comes back from up north, and to go to the Mormon church. He'll be garbage 1st phase then, I'm 2nd phase right now. Ask Mikey to print out and send me the general book for Warhammer. My SDI said if I teach him how to play, I might be able to call home. If you send that stuff early, I could do it faster and it'd make my life more enjoyable. So, ASAP! Tell Mikey, Black Templars. That would make me so happy. Tell Don's wife Brenda, thank you so much. She sent me like 60 pictures-if was very nice of her. Well, I'm on duty right now. Please remember what I asked for-ASAP.

Love,

Jake

6.30.09

TELEPHONE POLE JOGGING

Dear everyone,

How are you guys? Oh, you don't know how relieved I was to get Lacey's letters finally, YES! I CAN receive pictures. I got like 8 letters yesterday. It was real nice. Today was a really, really bad day. I woke up and was real tired. This kid kept coughing and waking me up, plus I read letters til 10, than had fire watch from 10-11. I ended up getting about 4 1/2 hours total. In this place, you need at least 7 or it's hard to function. We had a 5:25 breakfast; after, we had PT. Regular day, right? WRONG! PT was spent walking around in teams with telephone poles on our backs, Bogus. We first ran around the track which is a half a mile long. That was gay. The Pole was 800-1000 lbs heavy. It took 10 of us and we had to march it, 3/4 of a mile, with exercises in between. Super gay. Then we got IT'd. I was kind of used to that. Whenever we do anything, it ends in the pit, inevitably. We were then rushed through lunch chow-then, went to drill. The drill master ended up kicking us off the parade deck. So, guess where we ended up? Just guess. Just guess. The pit? Is that your final answer? Ding, ding, ding, YOU ARE CORRECT SIR!......... This time was different. I can't even explain. You don't know the meaning of fatigue and pain. We IT'd with our M16A2 service rifles. Heinous! Just heinous! After those 2 events, I literally couldn't feel my arms. lol. I've been slacking and haven't taken my pneumonia meds, so, I'm getting a fever and chills. Mom, I know how much you hate me ending on a bad note, so, I'll tell you about yesterday-A crazy good day. I woke up five minutes before Lights. That is always a good thing. Being woken up by lights is a miserable experience at best. I got up and went to chow. We went to MCMAP-that wasn't too bad. After that, (scratch that), during that, DI SGT Brewer asked me what size my boots were. Back at the house, he asked me again, so I told him 7 wide. He tells me to put on my nice boots-we all have 2 pairs. Combat boots-tight, uncomfortable and irritating. We also have jungle boots-looser, comfortable and ventilated. He asked if anyone who had a problem with their boots. Long story short, I changed up out a pair of boots for him. His were brand new, he needed a different size-so I helped him out. Now, he really likes me. I'm sorry it's been so long but I've had very little time to write. I have a laundry patrol every night for the last 4 nights. Once again. Heinous. I've decided to include a couple of "Coleisms" in every letter. Ridiculous things my SDI says. The other night it was, "If I had a sniper bazooka, I"d blow you all up!" Yesterday, "I'm a marine, I say everything short and the way I mean it. Big words like 'expedite.' Ha. When I do enhance my sentences, it's with a kill, f***, S***." So, to finish this letter up, I'm going to tell you about Drill. It's a lot more difficult than you'd think. Walk one foot in front of the other, like on a tight rope. Lean back, pick up your knees and drive your heels into the deck. Always carry the stupid rifle everywhere. Gay. Today's Coleism was every time he gets what he wants, he looks around says "Magnificent!" It's just funny. For you people who know about guns, I'm going to go over Inspection arms real quick. Mind you, 83 guys are doing this at the exact same time. Start with rifle at order arms on the deck. Left hand on the hand guard and right hand on the small of the stack. Grab the pistol grip the reverse way and push the hold back button. Pull the charging hurdle till it locks. Push it back in, put it into the air and check the chamber for a round, then, bring it back to part arms. All in less than 10 seconds-Well, got to go. Later.

Suter

Happy Independence Day

I wanted to get this post up as early as I could this morning so that those reading it could keep in their heads the true meaning of The Fourth of July. I took the following from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States).

"In the United States, Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a Federal Holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring Independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain."

Now I've always loved my country but I think that since my son is training to defend the United States, I have become more patriotic. I thank these young men and women who have chosen to fight for and defend this great nation of ours. Many of whom have truly given the ultimate sacrifice and paid the price for our freedom with their blood. So as you go through your day today, take a minute to remember that someone fought for your right to sit by the pool, barbecue hot dogs, and sip on lemonade. Better yet, take a mere five minutes and write a letter to someone you know in any of our armed services. Let them know that you appreciate their sacrifice and thank them for the amazing job they do. Sadly, it took my only son to leave and train to make that very sacrifice before I saw this for myself. My heart goes out to all families who's mothers, fathers, sons and daughters are around this world defending our freedoms and protecting those who need it.

THANK YOU