Hello World
Finally, a formal update of what's happened since I graduated BMT. It's a couple weeks overdue, so I apologize, but hey, I've been busy.
Actually, I suppose I'll talk about how Basic itself went first. Obviously I graduated and I graduated on time, but damn was it a long hard road to get there and in all honesty there were many moments when I thought I wasn't going to make it through. I had a super hard time the first couple of weeks, especially 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (and surprisingly not zero week. Huh). 6th week was also kind of a bitch too, but that was for a completely different reason.
The first weeks I just had a hard time adjusting. Like, a very hard time. I was away from home for the first time. I'd endured more stress in just a few days than I had in my entire lifetime. I was physically pushed beyond my limits more times than I can count. My mind got fucked thoroughly many times over. It was all just one giant cluster fuck of "Oh god please get me out of here I just want to go home."
If it wasn't for my wingmen, my awesome TI's (sans one instructor on our team and another TI from upstairs that just loved to torture us), and the support of my friends and family through letters and the few phone calls I was able to make, I wouldn't have been able to make it through. The very first phone call home that I was able to make literally stopped me from making an extremely dumb decision, and I was extremely fortunate that my TI cared enough about my well being to let me call home.
I can't thank that man enough for getting me through basic in one piece like he did. To my instructor team (at least the ones that I liked): Ssgt Olds, SrAmn Pettet, MSgt Hodges, and TSgt Sorhaindo-- thank you all for being the best team that I was fortunate enough to be a part of.
And to all of my wingmen that watched over me-- I love you guys. Thanks for not leaving me behind.
And I suppose that brings me to life after Basic. I graduated June 11th. I got to see my mother for several days (and I surprisingly didn't bawl like a baby like I thought that I would when I saw her). And then I left for tech school at friggen 2am on a Monday morning, carrying about 40lbs of duffel on my sunburnt back, plus another 50 or so pounds worth of two other bags... which Mat ended up carrying one of my bags half the time because I was practically dying.
Anyway. Finally made it to my school at about 11PM that night, so we literally had spent the entire day either on a bus, at the airport, or on a plane. It was a very long, painful, yet somehow satisfying day.
So now it's been just about a month since I've been out of basic. At times I miss it-- okay the only thing I miss are my brother's and sister's from B413 and B414 (and of course my other lovely wingmen <3), my TI's and some of the food (seriously, the army food here at DLI just isn't the same. It's not all bad, though).
Life is pretty awesome here at the DLI though. I love the people. I love the atmosphere. And so far so good on not getting stressed out all the damn time, but we'll see how that goes since I'm starting class now. I think I'll be fine as long as I keep up with my studies. Hopefully.
And oh yeah, I got a boyfriend. Surprise surprise to all you folks back home, isn't it?
My name is Jessica Lofton, age 19. I survived 8 1/2 weeks of Air Force Basic Training and am now a member of the world's greatest air force. I am studying to become a Russian linguist.
A new chapter of my life is in the making.
Actually, I suppose I'll talk about how Basic itself went first. Obviously I graduated and I graduated on time, but damn was it a long hard road to get there and in all honesty there were many moments when I thought I wasn't going to make it through. I had a super hard time the first couple of weeks, especially 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (and surprisingly not zero week. Huh). 6th week was also kind of a bitch too, but that was for a completely different reason.
The first weeks I just had a hard time adjusting. Like, a very hard time. I was away from home for the first time. I'd endured more stress in just a few days than I had in my entire lifetime. I was physically pushed beyond my limits more times than I can count. My mind got fucked thoroughly many times over. It was all just one giant cluster fuck of "Oh god please get me out of here I just want to go home."
If it wasn't for my wingmen, my awesome TI's (sans one instructor on our team and another TI from upstairs that just loved to torture us), and the support of my friends and family through letters and the few phone calls I was able to make, I wouldn't have been able to make it through. The very first phone call home that I was able to make literally stopped me from making an extremely dumb decision, and I was extremely fortunate that my TI cared enough about my well being to let me call home.
I can't thank that man enough for getting me through basic in one piece like he did. To my instructor team (at least the ones that I liked): Ssgt Olds, SrAmn Pettet, MSgt Hodges, and TSgt Sorhaindo-- thank you all for being the best team that I was fortunate enough to be a part of.
And to all of my wingmen that watched over me-- I love you guys. Thanks for not leaving me behind.
And I suppose that brings me to life after Basic. I graduated June 11th. I got to see my mother for several days (and I surprisingly didn't bawl like a baby like I thought that I would when I saw her). And then I left for tech school at friggen 2am on a Monday morning, carrying about 40lbs of duffel on my sunburnt back, plus another 50 or so pounds worth of two other bags... which Mat ended up carrying one of my bags half the time because I was practically dying.
Anyway. Finally made it to my school at about 11PM that night, so we literally had spent the entire day either on a bus, at the airport, or on a plane. It was a very long, painful, yet somehow satisfying day.
So now it's been just about a month since I've been out of basic. At times I miss it-- okay the only thing I miss are my brother's and sister's from B413 and B414 (and of course my other lovely wingmen <3), my TI's and some of the food (seriously, the army food here at DLI just isn't the same. It's not all bad, though).
Life is pretty awesome here at the DLI though. I love the people. I love the atmosphere. And so far so good on not getting stressed out all the damn time, but we'll see how that goes since I'm starting class now. I think I'll be fine as long as I keep up with my studies. Hopefully.
And oh yeah, I got a boyfriend. Surprise surprise to all you folks back home, isn't it?
My name is Jessica Lofton, age 19. I survived 8 1/2 weeks of Air Force Basic Training and am now a member of the world's greatest air force. I am studying to become a Russian linguist.
A new chapter of my life is in the making.