August 22, 1997 - Crucible Day Two

970823 - Thursday at 0200 we got up and were stepping off for the crucible by 0230. After a 3-mile hump we arrived at our C-huts where we dropped off some of our gear and stepped off for our first event. Before I go on, I'll explain that the Crucible is broken up into 6 events which last 4 hours each. Our first event was the Combat Re-supply Course, a Core Values class, and several warrior stations. The CRC was a combat course in which you had to high-crawl w/ ammo cans about 200 yards through barbed wire and other obstacles. It would have been much easier but for the fact that the entire course was mud and 6" of water. The warrior stations are obstacles where the team has to work together to accomplish a mission. They were fun. Our second event consisted of a 3-mile hump to the rifle range, firing on multiple targets at multiple distances and a casualty evacuation. The casualty evacuation is when you have to take one of your teammates out of the combat zone as quickly as possible. After that we humped 3-miles back to the crucible site. Our 3rd event was several different obstacles called "react stations" because they really require teamwork and quick thinking. Friday, event one was the Day Combat Course and more warrior stations. The Day Combat Course was much like the CRC but with only 1" of water and with more supplies and a casualty that had to be dragged. It was tough. I believe this event had a Core Values class too. Our 2nd event was the obstacle course with 2 dummies on stretchers, a 1-mile casualty evacuation and a Core Values class. Finally, on Friday we had pugel sticks and more React Stations. Later that night, we ran the Night Infiltration Course which was the CRC backwards. 
Today was much like yesterday, minus some sleep and food. We slept for about 3-4 hours (a little less because everyone had firewatch one of the two nights for 30 minutes) and then had another day filled with hiking, classes, obstacle courses, hiking, more obstacles, and more hiking. I think that one of these nights there was also a night hump, though I'm not certain of that.

By the end of the day Friday, I was actually surprised that my team was still functioning well together. For the most part, we had completed every mission, and we had remained calm and kept our bearing even on those tasks that we failed to complete. It was definitely exhausting, but we had been well-trained and were putting that training to use now.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

August 29, 1997 - Graduation!

970829 - Graduation!! I don't remember or care what happened 2-day. I'm going home and I never have to see this place as a recruit again! Graduation day begins with a Company formation PT run. It's easily the most motivating run in all of boot camp. Well, it is if you're not stupid enough to volunteer to be a road-guide. My whole "volunteer for everything" mentality finally came back to bite me on the last day of boot camp. Instead of spending the morning on an incredibly motivating formation run through Parris Island, chanting all of the most motivating and possibly not-allowed cadences, I spent it sprinting from intersection to intersection and then jogging in place while the company ran by. It was a not-spectular end to my not-spectacular time in boot camp. After that, my journal actually captures everything pretty well: it ended, I was glad for the end, I was too tired to reflect on anything. I'm actually in a similar mind-set now, having just sp...
Read more

August 27, 1997 - Losing My Job

970828 - Yesterday we turned in our rifles. That's about it. As we wound down toward graduation, there was less and less that needed to be done. One important detail was returning our rifles. With the return of our rifles, though, I lost the best job, and the thing that undoubtedly sustained me throughout so much of boot camp: Early Chow. With no weapons to guard, there was no longer the need to have firewatch during chow time. This meant that I actually had to eat with the rest of the platoon, like a commoner. I had to wait in line, had to sit in the main section of the chow hall (we'd always sat in small tables on the edge of the room), and had to sit with whomever I'd been near in line (i.e.: not with C___). I was not a fan. On the plus side, I only had two days to deal with it.
Read more

August 28, 1997 - Family Day

970827 - Yesterday we turned in our rifles. That's about it. Today I saw my parents and family for the first time in 3 months. We walked around some and I even rode in a car! Also C____ came with my parents so he was there. We ate at some restaurant on Parris Island. The food wasn't much better than in the mess hall but the company was. When we were touring the squad bay my father met DI Sgt. M______ and told him I thought he was my favorite DI. I wouldn't really care if M______ wasn't on duty tonight. Oh well. I only have one more night here so I don't care!!! The day before graduation is called Family Day. It's exactly what it sounds like: a chance to see your family and show them around the island. When my parents saw me marching in, my mother didn't even recognize me because I had lost so much weight. It was great to get to see them and even better that I was now one night away from leaving Parris Island for good.
Read more