Guess Who's Back...
Back Again, Haynes is back, USN...
Anyway, what's happening all my friends and loved ones out there? Its been a few months since I've messed with this thing, but here I am. Lets see...where to begin? I made it through two months of bootcamp as some of you know. We learned quite a few things. I was right about them teaching us to fold clothes with like a surgeon's precision. Oooorah Skivvy stacks! I spent a few days in Seamanship and learned how to moor a ship to the pier and how to get underway. I was even a Line Captain and got to yell at a few guys who were in charge of taking the line off of the bollards, bitts, and chocks. It was a lot of fun. The week after that we were trained on how to handle a 9mm pistol and a 12 gauge shotgun. I went to a firing range for the first time in my life and held real weapons in my hands. Firing that shotgun was great. I had to fire it twice from the hip which made me feel like I was in a Resident Evil game or something. We learned about Firefighting, gasmasks, and breathing equipment. I fought a real life actual fire with a team of about 15 people. BTW, just so you know those gasmasks work great. In case you're wondering why the military calls the gas chamber the confidence chamber, its because when we leave we have extreme confidence in our equipment and how well it works. I know exactly what tear gas feels like and I don't recommend it. But damn was it fun! The last thing major training we did was Battlestations...which is a series of events we do that simulate real life emergency situations while underway. Unfortunately I can't talk about it on here because I signed a contract stating I would keep Battlestations a secret for the benefit of recruits who haven't experienced it yet. But it was the best thing I did in bootcamp. They got us at 1900 the Sunday night we started and we went to sleep Monday at 2000. That's 7 and 8 o clock for you civilian types. Heh. It was not easy being up for 36 hours and having to do all that physical activity. We ran everywhere we went! And on occassion I had to carry a seabag on my back while double-timing. Fun times! Graduation was great too. My division performed as some of you know and I was part of the State Flags unit. We did a great job and thankfully I bought a DVD of the performance, so those of you who haven't seen it will get your chance.
Now I'm in ATT school learning about basic electronics and soon I'll be in A school learning how to apply that to the million dollar aircraft the Navy uses. I feel I have done a great thing with my life here. I am guaranteed a paycheck for the next four years and I have some of the best technical training in the world. Soon also, because of my decision to join the Navy, I will be married to the girl of my dreams. I can't wait...
So that's pretty much it for now. I'm doing well and I intend to keep it that way. BTW, I thought some of you who read this should be entilted to a bit of info. Apparently the Navy has been called upon by the President and Congress to supplement the Army in Iraq because of the dwindling number of troops. Basically they need Navy personnel to leave their ships and fight on the ground because they don't have enough troops. 10,000 Sailors are to be sent this Fall as far as I've heard about it. I don't want to alarm anyone, but its possible they could select me to go. I have mixed feelings about it...that worries me, but at the same time it excites me. I feel like I have a chance to help my brother fight for our country. He's still there afterall...
Anyway, it probably won't happen, but you never know. I'm not scared to go fight for you guys...Pray for me.
Later.
I love you Tiffany. You are my Angel.
Anyway, what's happening all my friends and loved ones out there? Its been a few months since I've messed with this thing, but here I am. Lets see...where to begin? I made it through two months of bootcamp as some of you know. We learned quite a few things. I was right about them teaching us to fold clothes with like a surgeon's precision. Oooorah Skivvy stacks! I spent a few days in Seamanship and learned how to moor a ship to the pier and how to get underway. I was even a Line Captain and got to yell at a few guys who were in charge of taking the line off of the bollards, bitts, and chocks. It was a lot of fun. The week after that we were trained on how to handle a 9mm pistol and a 12 gauge shotgun. I went to a firing range for the first time in my life and held real weapons in my hands. Firing that shotgun was great. I had to fire it twice from the hip which made me feel like I was in a Resident Evil game or something. We learned about Firefighting, gasmasks, and breathing equipment. I fought a real life actual fire with a team of about 15 people. BTW, just so you know those gasmasks work great. In case you're wondering why the military calls the gas chamber the confidence chamber, its because when we leave we have extreme confidence in our equipment and how well it works. I know exactly what tear gas feels like and I don't recommend it. But damn was it fun! The last thing major training we did was Battlestations...which is a series of events we do that simulate real life emergency situations while underway. Unfortunately I can't talk about it on here because I signed a contract stating I would keep Battlestations a secret for the benefit of recruits who haven't experienced it yet. But it was the best thing I did in bootcamp. They got us at 1900 the Sunday night we started and we went to sleep Monday at 2000. That's 7 and 8 o clock for you civilian types. Heh. It was not easy being up for 36 hours and having to do all that physical activity. We ran everywhere we went! And on occassion I had to carry a seabag on my back while double-timing. Fun times! Graduation was great too. My division performed as some of you know and I was part of the State Flags unit. We did a great job and thankfully I bought a DVD of the performance, so those of you who haven't seen it will get your chance.
Now I'm in ATT school learning about basic electronics and soon I'll be in A school learning how to apply that to the million dollar aircraft the Navy uses. I feel I have done a great thing with my life here. I am guaranteed a paycheck for the next four years and I have some of the best technical training in the world. Soon also, because of my decision to join the Navy, I will be married to the girl of my dreams. I can't wait...
So that's pretty much it for now. I'm doing well and I intend to keep it that way. BTW, I thought some of you who read this should be entilted to a bit of info. Apparently the Navy has been called upon by the President and Congress to supplement the Army in Iraq because of the dwindling number of troops. Basically they need Navy personnel to leave their ships and fight on the ground because they don't have enough troops. 10,000 Sailors are to be sent this Fall as far as I've heard about it. I don't want to alarm anyone, but its possible they could select me to go. I have mixed feelings about it...that worries me, but at the same time it excites me. I feel like I have a chance to help my brother fight for our country. He's still there afterall...
Anyway, it probably won't happen, but you never know. I'm not scared to go fight for you guys...Pray for me.
Later.
I love you Tiffany. You are my Angel.