<p>My son got summoned to sit with group at noon meal as well. He said it was a miserable experience. He ate almost nothing, and they told him he would have the honor of eating with them for a whole week. The next day he was in a deep, deep funk as he went to noon meal. Said a silent prayer, "PLEASE don't let me with with group again." His flight commander walked up to him and said, "Basic, do you want to eat with group today?" "NO SIR!" His flight commander grinned and said, "Alright then. You can eat with me."</p>
<p>Makes me wonder how many say "Yes" and end up with the repeat "honor."</p>
<p>After his 2nd letter my wife was a little concerned because he did not get a chance to each much with having to go to the group command table for lunch & dinner. We just received his 3rd letter dated 7-11-07 and he has gained 6 pounds hopefully all muscle he said. I don't know how that is possible he is 5'11'' and 140 pretty slim. He said he was really looking forward to the PFT test and field day, he is pretty competitve. He mentioned his roommate is pretty cool from Phoenix AZ, and was recruited to play Lacrosse. He has been looking forwrd to Jakks Valley ever since he received his nomaination and mentioned again he can't wait to get out there. He has heard they only get to shoot rifles one day. He did say the Barbarians were the best squadron and their flight was the best in the Barbarians. Pretty upbeat letter, however, he did say his esteem fluctuates from good to bad but is working through it.</p>
<p>Looking forward to talking with him tommorow on DOD.</p>
<p>Our son relayed a 'squadron staff' table story in one of his letters, also. He got pulled to the squadron table for breakfast, and was raked pretty heavily about his knowledge. He didn't do well, and had one of the cadets give him a 341 form. He didn't explain what that was, but it isn't good. He was then told that he would be expected to return to the squadron table for lunch, and he better have his knowledge down. He studies as much as possible during the morning (even though they were having placement exams). At lunch he must have done much better, because he said that they told him they noticed great improvement, and he showed dedication. Hopefully it was a lesson to him to get his knowledge down.</p>
<p>Asked my son during his DDO call this morning if he had received any forms 341 yet. "Yes, this morning actually. My first one. Just about everybody in the flight got one." Something about most of them having shaved this morning and others not, . . . the ones who did (including my son) got a form 341 anyway. I had trouble following the logic. He didn't sound stressed about it. He sounded upbeat and happy.</p>
<p>My son keeps getting the form too for not shaving though he says he does every morning. He says he's gotten quite a few, both good and bad ones. He doesn't seem too concerned though. Phone call was more positive than I EVER heard from him. Yea!</p>
<p>Got to laugh; went through a few weeks of Basic before losing my first 341. Used to have to carry two in our left fatigue pocket (dating myself). Thought it was the end of the world. They would beat into your head "if you get one of these pulled it is over" really were nothing.</p>
<p>My flight realized how meaningless they were after one cadre had handed out four in the first couple minutes of his shift one day. I think I got four in BCT, and I was doing better than most of my flight, lol.</p>
<p>Form 10s during the Ac year are bad, but form 341s are just mind games. The "failure" types usually get a stack of like 60+ in a few weeks.</p>
<p>Hey guys!! Doolie Day Out is the most amazing thing ever! I just ate two huge cookies and a hamburger (NOT at attention! I think gazing is my favorite sport ever now :)) and talked to my mom so I am a very happy basic.</p>
<p>Yes, that was me you saw in the XC intramural. I'm short, have bright red hair, a maroon jersey (go Guts!) and a big smile on my face. :) Basic is challenging and I take a lot of crap, but I love it here. In fact, I got a form 341 for smiling too much. My cadre keep telling me that it's unnatural for a basic to be so happy. I have so many beast stories, but I'm probably going to have to wait till Acceptance Day to tell ya'll. I still have to call my sister in the hour of glorious freedom that I have left.</p>
<p>I met mitchell1311 on I-Day, as well as Falcons '11. Falcons came up to me and asked me if I was redhead, and I thought he asked me if I was a redhead, which made me laugh. All I could say was, "Well, you're an observant one. America's best and brightest right there." Then I felt ridiculous when I finally caught on. I see CDK and potterfan in chapel all the time (best time to socialize and see people outside your squad). And I saw hornet today! I was very happy to see him even though I got crap from the mail he sent to Basic Princess (one of the many nicknames I have from I-Day) and then the night before inprocessing when I stayed with the same family he did last year and got a scare about my "reputation preceeding me." I didn't see him on the ramp up to the chapel because I can only see from about the middle of the chest down from under my service dress cap. Yes, I broke military bearing, which happens to be my specialty. I was going to go run up and give him a hug and I didn't even think about it. Oops! Sorry, sir. :)</p>
<p>Yesterday was field day and I really wanted to play push ball but my cadre weren't going to let me because I'm too small. I ended up going for it anyways. It's brutal! One guy from Flying Tigers thought it was funny to pick me up and throw me as far away from the ball as possible in every single match. Then I got sat on for an entire round. So that was fun. My cadre had a bet going that I was the only one who was going to get hurt, but I survived. I'm pretty burl, what can I say? :)</p>
<p>We march out to Jack's tomorrow and I'm kind of nervous, but excited at the same time. That much closer to Acceptance Day! I'll let ya'll know more about beast when I have more time. We're all surviving just fine. For parents, when you look at the pictures of all of us online, don't get worried if we look unhappy. My mom was wondering why I wasn't smiling in any of the pictures (well, actually there is one smiling picture of me after I evaded a haircut on inprocessing) and I had to explain that we're not allowed to. Just keep sending letters to your basics, even if you don't hear back from them for a while (mail here goes out really slow) because that's what helps keep us motivated. I love the mail room! Well, as long as there are no singing cards or photos or hot pink envelopes or contraband candy (and even then it's still fun). See ya'll on the other side!</p>