• Day 3: Already Awake — Trash Can

    January 5, 2026

    I realized I was awake. I had woken up naturally without the traumatic violence of a metal trash can colliding with a concrete floor. As I was…

  • Day #2 of Bootcamp Starts With A Metallic Crash

    December 10, 2025

    Once we completed the tests – after a couple hours I am guessing, we were marched to another large, long, one-story wooden building. We lined up single file. One by one we were issued our rifle – an M-14.



  • My First Day of Bootcamp Comes to an End

    November 26, 2025

    Following our first session of close order drill, Gunnery Sergeant Barker marched the platoon to the mess hall for evening chow.

  • Survival of the Fittest

    November 11, 2025

    Gunnery Sergeant Barker marched us back to our platoon area, correcting us as we attempted to carry out his orders.

  • You’re done! Get out of my chowhall NOW!

    October 27, 2025

    As we performed a sad rendition of marching, hunched over with our seabag, the first light of dawn began to come up. We “marched” into what turned out to be a vast array of Quonset huts.

  • Get in my truck NOW!

    October 13, 2025

    We marched toward an unknown destination. We were ravenously hungry. We were exhausted. And, with the first signs of dawn, it appeared we were just starting our day.