<p>Halfway done with Beast. I'm making it. The rucks are really hard. Those of you candidates, TRAIN ON THE HILLS. DO IT!!!!! Start now!!!</p>
<p>I've had two IVs since coming here. I'm in Alpha-4. Haven't met any of the other CC people yet. I'll be back on August 13th. Good luck everyone!</p>
<p>You go, girl!</p>
<p>Thanks for checking in.</p>
<p>Hang in there Marines4Me!!!!--Bet you are enjoying the ice cream social today! Our daughter was able to palce two 20 min phone calls to us this afternoon--she sounds really good and feels she is just starting to figure it out (survival). She missed maxing out on all parts of the APFT (short 5 sit-ups) so she is pretty happy but motivated to max it out the next time they take it at the end of the month. Change of cadre this week which leads to some tension but she seems not to be unhappy about her new squad leader (H-4). Some of the hazing stories she told us are WAY too funny (except to the New Cadet getting hazed!) Half way through they were all evaluated by their squad leader and she managed a grade of A for the first 3 weeks, so, so far so good! Hang in there Beast Parents---it's downhill now!!</p>
<p>We heard some great stories today too. I was sooo happy to get that phone call since I missed the last one. A couple funny things...
While on a march a car drove by playing music. She thanked g_d for the moment of music she was able to hear. Then a few days ago she saw a computer and just started daydreaming about e-mail. She's also very proud that one of the guys in her platoon (?) company (?) was the top new cadet so far. Naturally he's prior enlisted and has spent time in Iraq.</p>
<p>I'm thrilled that marines4me was able to log on and give us an update. And shogun, your daughter sounds like she'd doing great. Although she was very fit and had trained hard, unfortunately mine is on profile right now for shin splints. The hills beat her up worst than the cadre did. So all of you rising seniors, please heed marines4me's words.</p>
<p>Our daughter also mentioned that a female new cadet had the highest total Physical Fitness score in the Regiment (of both males and females!). Hang in there Momoftwins, I am sure your daughter will recover nicely. That is awesome about the top new cadet, I am sure those folks that were in IRAQ can really provide some extra knowledge and motivation to our "newbies" that is invaluable. They understand the sacrifice first hand and can make it more real for our sons and daughters to help prepare them for when they may someday face danger in a combat situation.
And to repeat all the prior advice......candidates need to RUN, RUN, RUN, on HILLS, HILLS, HILLS!!!!</p>
<p>Thanks, shogun. It's really okay because I needed something new to stress about. She's really disappointed that she may have to miss a ruck march this week because of the shin splints. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry when she said she can't wait for the academic year to start.</p>
<p>Glad that everyone heard from their cadets today. Halfway done with the Beast!! Hoo- ah !!!
Shogun - Great new on your daughter APFT performance.
momoftwins - Take heart in your daughter's comment about looking forward to the academic year. Looking ahead is the key to getting through Beast.</p>
<p>Our son also called in and spoke for about 15 minutes before he said there were others waiting for their turns.</p>
<p>He was a little less talkative this time (more like his old self) but said things were going well. He had met his new squad leader earlier in the day and his squad all hoped she was as good as their first squad leader. </p>
<p>He commented that the outdoor activities were "pretty neat" but the weather had been rainy. Physically I thnk he's doing well with his sole declared injury so far being " a little blister on his baby toe". Got to be careful since he understates his injuries. When he was 13 he admitted to having a "stomach ache" . After a couple of days it turned out he needed an appendectomy. Also said longest march so far had been about 5 miles but that was going to change soon.</p>
<p>He hasn't maxed out on his APFT like Shogun's daughter. Said he exceeded the minimums for pushups and situps but still had room for improvement. He was proud, however, of his running time. He said he ran the 2 miles in under 12 minutes and was in the "black" running group (the way he said it, I am assuming being in the black group is a good thing).</p>
<p>He also said that about 30 cadets had dropped out so far and that a bunch more were intending to drop out after Beast. They are waiting until after Beast so that people don't think they couldn't handle Beast. He said that WP trys to dissuade cadets from quiting and makes anyone wanting to drop out go through about a week of interviews/consoling. Hope those cadets intending to drop have a change of heart during the next three weeks.</p>
<p>Take care All.</p>
<p>Aspen:</p>
<p>Black is the fastest group. Next two groups - I forget the colors - are slower but still above the standard. Fourth group is below standard and the NC's will need to improve or be separated.</p>
<p>Black-Gold-Gray-Green</p>
<p>Nice to hear from someone who has a daughter in H-4. I also have a daughter in H-4. She is planning on running track during the up coming year. Is your daughter also in Track?</p>
<p>WP Dad
Daughter is running cross country. No 3rd phone call yet as of tonight--hoping for tomorrow (sunday). Just got back from a weeks vacation in Utah and just tonight went through latest cbt pics on the usma website. I believe (at least 98% sure) that our daughter is the one pictured rappelling (the one that was on the home page a couple of days ago).</p>
<p>WP Dad--nix the id on the pic above---the wife has passed jusgement that that is NOT our daughter ("wrong nose" I am told! :) )</p>
<p>Oh well, at least four letters were waiting for us when we got home today. :) :)</p>
<p>Shogun,</p>
<p>We missed you around here. Hope the vacation was great. Looks like you went someplace with no Internet connection. </p>
<p>I also thought that was my daughter rapelling down the mountain as it was definitely her squad in that group of pictures. And she is in D Company. However, I received confirmation yesterday when she called that it was definitely her roommate. And that confirmation came after I e-mailed the picture to lots of people. :o I think a lot of us wanted to claim her.</p>
<p>In the call we heard that rapelling was cool and she got tear gassed twice. I was apalled and worried that she did something really wrong to get this honor. However she said that it was cool and when they asked if anyone wanted to go again as there was more time, she and a few others volunteered. "It was really fun." Loves 2nd detail. Also they were packing up their rooms to get ready for the march to Lake Freddie.</p>
<p>Last night I started watching "Surviving West Point" again. I really wanted to see the Beast episodes. With 5/6 of Beast behind the new cadets, I had a whole different perspective on what I viewed. And I understood the buzz words.</p>
<p>Momoftwins</p>
<p>Got the third call from our daughter in H-4 this afternoon (west coast time). She sounded good but was more reserved as she indicated her squad leader was standing next to her for the call. She mentioned that all the NC's will go through the gas chambers one more time -- something new this year--(I guess to make sure YOUR daughter got as much fun as posssible:) ) . She liked shooting the M-16 (qualified "sharpshooter"--I think she's fired a rifle once in her life--so she was fortunate), grenade throw was a thrill and she LOVED the rapelling. I guess they did one 75 foot cliff and two 25 footers. She is getting "scrambled" to F-3 for the academic year as she appears to have made the X/C squad. Says her squad leader is pretty tough, but she is getting lots more to eat than she did the first 3 weeks! She took the APFT again yesterday but was still a few sit-ups away from maxing it out. Almost Boodle time!!</p>
<p>Shogun: Let me add my "welcome back". Glad you got your daughter's phone call and that she's making great progress going through the second half of CBT. Congratulations on the sharpshooter qualification. If my memory serves me right that means she had to score 30+ hits out of 40. Nice shooting!
Also sure you and your wife were relieved to hear she's getting more to eat.</p>
<p>Momoftwins:Sounds like your daughter is adjusting well to CBT. Anyone who thinks being tear gassed is a good time belongs in the Army. Hope she continues to have "fun" the rest of CBT.</p>
<p>When I spoke with our son, he concurred that the second half of CBT had more "fun stuff" to do and less time spent standing around. He also said one of the most challenging aspects of CBT was getting laundry coordinated. He said he and a lot of other NC's had lost items to the laundry monster - he lost a pair of dress slacks. He said NC's have to file some forms to get reimbursed for the lost laundry but that the squad leader says you "always get screwed on the reimbursement amount". </p>
<p>Figured if laundry was his biggest problem at CBT, it was probably going ok.</p>
<p>Yep, Aspen, the laundry has been a big pain for our daughter as well. She has lost half of her white dress shirts so far! She heard the same abt "reimbursement"---there basically isn't any, and the paperwork doesn't appear to be worth the effort. Oh well, we can chalk it up as "tuition". Thanks for the "welcome back"---we HAD to get out of So Cal and all this heat and humidity (heat is normal, the humidity is NOT). Temps at Bryce Canyon, Utah were a dry mid 70's. It was beautiful as always up there at 9,000 feet. Even stopped at Las Vegas to lose a whole 5 bucks!</p>
<p>shogun,</p>
<p>Congratulations to your daughter for making the cross country team. That's a really big deal and I'm sure you and your wife are so proud. Heck, I'm proud of her!</p>
<p>I haven't heard a thing about laundry. Not sure if that's good or bad. I guess I'll find out soon. 13 days till A-Day. Can't wait.</p>
<p>We received the third phone call around 19:30 Central Time. She said everything was going good but she was looking forward to Labor Day weekend for some time at home.</p>
<p>We received the third phone call around 19:30 Central Time (7/29/05). She said everything was going good but she was looking forward to Labor Day weekend for some time at home.</p>
<p>Weapons Immersion</p>
<p>Daughter"s letter today talked about a new policy implemented this year called "Weapon's Immersion." In a nutshell, the new cadets and cadre must have their M-16's with them 24/7 (not just when in the field). In her words, "bring it with you to the latrine, in the barracks, to PT,we even have to sleep with it in our bunks!" "It can never be more than an arms length away and must be taken to the showers as well, where the new cadet must find someone to hold it for them while actually showering"---they're in the army now! :)
She really enjoyed the night firing exercises with the night vision glasses (said she felt like james Bond). She is battling with the decision to leave Lake Frederick early this week with the rest of the corps squad members because she doesn't want to miss the march back---</p>