Goodbye Jim...
...hello Seaman Recruit Crossman, who completed boot camp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, IL! After an interesting 8 weeks, I'm done, completed, graduated, and officially a United States Sailor. "Interesting" is the best description for it. It both failed and exceeded my expectations. Much less PT than I expected and what I might even classify as overfeeding, I think overall I may have just gained weight. I think for me, it was a change in how I percieve myself, my capabilities, and who I define myself as. I never would have thought three months ago I'd be able to do the things I've learned. I performed as a flag in graduations in a special marching division. I'm now a basically trained firefighter. I can rig mooring lines to bring a ship in to port or get it underway. The dissapointing parts? Pain-in the ass busywork that never felt like it would end. Reveille sometime between 0400 and 0600, taps at 2200, everything inbetween done in the most difficult and lengthy manner possible, and having to put up with a bunch of jackass 18-year-olds throughout the whole thing.
In a week or two I'll get two weeks of leave to come home and see all my friends, drink, play video games, and most importantly: relax and enjoy the company of my great family who's been so supportive through all of this. More later!