04/26/09

Hello,
I don't have much time to write, so this will be short. I am well and in good health (relatively). We got flu shots during receiving so almost everyone is sick in some way, however no one has had to go to medical. I personally have a sore throat and mucus-filled throat along with a headache, mainly attributed to a mixture of screaming and the flu.

A few notes:

• There is absolutely no way I could properly describe boot camp. All videos and reports I've reviewed over 3 years were off by a decent margin. For example, every time someone is yelled at by a DI (drill instructor), it is accompanied by a reasonable amount of spittle in the face. Just imagine a small spray bottle.
• Personally, I am doing better than I had anticipated I would. Getting yelled at at all times kicks my adrenaline up a notch and causes me to transform into a more posthuman self.
• I have made half the mistakes of about everyone else, as well as have also attained the scribe billet. I once had ambitions to attain guide (leader of the platoon) but I've realized that only makes boot camp 5 times harder. Not only do they get yelled 5 times harder by our DIs, but they also take flak from other recruits when they try to set them straight. Plus, we have a great guide. It's a very lonely position and loneliness is the hardest thing at boot camp right now.

Please post this as soon as possible. This recruit feels completely alone here and could use some reinforcement from the ones he loves.