Like Clockwork

Tuesday I guess is now Nathan mail day. I have another one for you. As always, my thoughts are italicized.

Dear Amanda,

It's Monday. I just started my third week of training. We've got four classes on Self Aid Buddy Care (basically first aid for the battlefield) this week. Earlier today we also had interviews with our career guidance counselors. They basically went through our files to verify that we were qualified to do our jobs. Come to find out I actually failed my hearing test at MEPS (processing in Salt Lake before he left), so today it was basically pass it or pick a new job. WHAT?!?! The reason he was delayed several months after joining the Air Force was to wait for an opening in Linguistics. And that was in jeopardy without us knowing? ARGH!!! Luckily I passed it.

During the interview I was also able to list my "dream languages." I went back on what I told you I'd do (Arabic first) and picked 1. Mandarin Chinese 2. Arabic 3. Korean 4. Russian I wonder what changed his mind? It doesn't matter, but I am curious. I'll ask in the next letter. That's not set in tone, but it's fairly likely considering my scores.

We get our dress blues tomorrow. Actually we did today because between that sentence and this one it became Tuesday. New trainees arrive tonight. And we got our name tapes sewn on our ABU's (some article of clothing, although I'm not sure which ones) today. We're moving up in the world.

I can definitely relate to being jobless. It's crappy. Actually, I'm enjoying it, but that's okay. But hopefully something works out. Speaking of jobs, I should have received my first paycheck yesterday. It was probably tiny because of the advance I got and all of the clothing/supplies, but I'm being paid.

So I figured out roughly how much we run for our run PT days (every other day). We run at a group pace for about 15 minutes, individual pace for 10 minutes, and 30 seconds alternating spring and walk for 5 minutes. I usually cover almost 4 miles during this time. I need to get a bit faster still, but at least I can actually run for the full 25 minutes without stopping now.

Believe it or not one of the MTI's that helps out with our flight (MSgt Dunn) has kinda kept us up to date with the NBA playoffs. I included updates in all the letters. Lakes won 4-1. To be honest though, I'm having a hard time caring. There is just so much else going on here.

Yes I'm fairly certain that TSgt Radosevich has some kind of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Diorder). Whenever we march to the other side of the base for processing, he usually sings the most morbid marching jody ever:

Ranger Ranger in the sky
Send me to Iraq to die
Tell my family I love them so
But I won't be comin' home
Ranger Ranger in the sky
I am not afraid to die.

It's way, way morbid. Anyway, we have more SABC (that battlefield first aide stuff) tomorrow. Lights are going out soon so I'll write more later. I love you.

Wednesday night. I accidentally got pretty dehydrated today, so that wasn't fun. Been there, done that. Learned more SABC, more band rehearsal, more PT, more getting chewed out. The usual. I did get 2 letters. One from family and one from you. Apparently everyone is curious about the band thing. Well, yes, I'm in Flight B509, the "B" being for band. The night we got here we were all asked about our musical experience. I told him I played trombone for a while so I was promptly drafted into the band flight.

From what I understand they put together a band flight once every 2 weeks for the whole base. Band flights have essentially the same training schedule as everyone else. Only difference is that twice per week we go rehearse on base instruments for 2 hours. Now, since I haven't played in years and because I'm playing baritone (they don't have trombones) I'm not very good at all. How can they not have trombones? I thought those were pretty basic brass. But it's kind of a nice change of pace. And yes, this means that beginning around my 5th week of training (next week) I'll be performing at the weekly graduations. Not sure about my own. Hopefully not. I'd rather just enjoy it. I think it would be cool if he was playing! Anyway, that's the story with that.

Time to wrap this one up and ship it. It took me three days to write this much (or a total of 1/2 hour). Yeah, we don't really believe in free time here. Hopefully everyone can get their act together so we can make phone calls soon. After missing his call once last week--he needed info for graduation--I keep my phone visible at all times. I had it on me last week but I was watching TV on an exercise machine with ear buds so I didn't hear it ring.

Give everyone my best. I love you!

--Nathan

He wrote me a separate anniversary message (it's on Wednesday), but I think I'll keep that one special just for me!