Wednesday, we have arrived at the 9 day mark from his harried phone call home, when he said he will be contacting us in 7 - 9 days. So, we wait and have yet to receive the form letter telling us how much fun he is having at Camp Krusty. All of the outdoor activities they have planned and the smores they eat every night by the bonfire as they sing camp songs (and wait for the arrival of Jason the DI).
We understand that this is not his fault, so we have to accept it and wait for the letter another day. It would be nice to hear from him and know for sure that he is doing well but we are in for a whole lot more of the silent treatment from our recruit. We know that we are not alone in this and that it is a precursor of what is yet to come as he moves out and becomes an adult.
He should have started his Combat Conditioning training today with punches. Warren has never been an aggressive kid but I think that they will change that. He will have to change in order to survive the training and I am sure he will. In one way, I think the beginning of Phase 1 is an escape. He gets to focus his mind every day on a new task and new traiing techniques so he will not be thinking about home and "what the hell was I thinking when I signed up for this?". It should make the days go by quickly and give them all something to talk about during their free time before they are tucking lovingly into their bunks. For a 18 year old kid, all of the combat conditioning looks like fun and I believe in many gyms around the country, people actually pay for this training. Imagine the reaction of those suckers when they realize that these recruits are getting it for "free". Tomorrow is bayonet technique. That seems a little odd since the bayonet is really a weapon of near last resort but they still train on it like we are back in WWI. Bayonet training was a part of the Army training I received many years ago and that was a lot of fun. You get to take out your stress and all of your anxiety on a bunch of old tires and stuffed dummies. It was tiring but it was a good release that was needed after getting your butt kicked around for a week or two. I think this begins the days where they think "Now this is what I signed up for".
Keep writing, we're getting letters out every day but I am sure he would like to hear from others. Keep Mike Company and the recruits of Platoon 3064 in your thoughts and prayers as these young men strive to earn the title of Marine.
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