wow, had to have my wife explain that one to me in detail since she had to go through that when she went to basic also. She too, was almost peer recycled. In her BCT company she had until the beginning of the next phase to correct the deficiencies or face recycle again.
I’m glad I didn’t have to face this when I was in basic, I would have never graduated!
She also managed to overheat in a snowstorm.
They were on an overnight field exercise and had to come back early because of a powerful snowstorm. Florida girl that she is, unused to Missouri winters, she put on every piece of cold weather gear they were issued and passed out on the march back and had to go to the ER. :smack:
If she’s asking for advice, it means she’s recognizing a problem. I wish I hadn’t been quite so stubborn and asked for help going to university the first few times…
Learning to dress appropriately for weather conditions is definitely a learned skill as your daughter found out. Her outcome is slightly better than frostbite. Tell her layers are key so you can strip off as required and drink lots of water. It’s surprising how dehydrated you can get working outside in cold temps.
In the bright side, that could get you charged as a self-inflicted injury, so good thing that didn’t happen. 
We got two letters from Ivygirl today. For some reason she’s not getting our letters and keeps asking us to write (we’re writing weekly.) I do know the post has a full complement of recruits now, six companies, although one is set to graduate this week, so the mailroom may have their hands full.
She is still working through her shin splints but acknowledges she has to suck it up. They’re in “white phase” now, which gives them a bit more freedom, but they’re in charge of their own PT. She’s gotten a group together to ruck march with her to either make her legs stronger or learn to deal with the pain. She has the opportunity to make up the 8K march she overheated on and is getting ready for the 16K march.
She does have a young lady in her company from Puerto Rico who for whatever reason has not gotten any letters from home (they’re in Week 7.) If you’d like to drop a note to her battle buddy PM me and I’ll give you her name and address.
Her spirits seem high, she seems determined, and she’s counting the days to graduation.
Ivygirl passed her individual weapons requirement! This from the battalion Facebook update:
*Good evening Dragoon friends and family, it is Wednesday and we are already mid-way through another exciting week of training here. So far the weatherman has been correct and temperatures are rising steadily. It got into the 40’s today and we fully expect it to be in the 60’s by Friday. This is definitely not normal here in Missouri for this time of year, but nobody is complaining.
And now for the update:
Alpha Company (Week 7): Alpha Rock had their individual weapons qualification today. This was a tough event and it is a hard graduation requirement. I am happy to report that the company qualified 100% of its personnel and fifty-one of them even scored “Expert!” Of those fifty-one, they had four trainees get a perfect score—forty hits out of forty rounds. They did a magnificent job!*
Congratulations to Ivygirl and her whole company!
Update:
This week Ivygirl trained in urban warfare. They have a city mock-up on post and they learned how to battle in a town. Yesterday they did an obstacle course. I swear, some of this sounds like a real life video game.
Oh, and whoever said she’d get sick, she’s sick. There’s a bug going around and apparently an outbreak of pinkeye.
However, that’s better than what Ivylad got during his basic training in the Navy…they had an outbreak of crabs. :eek:
One female is getting out because she came back pregnant, and one male didn’t come back from holiday block leave. They know where he is and are just waiting for the arrest warrant to come through. :smack:
Said anther way, video games are getting more and more like the real thing. Except for the noise and blood and getting hurt part.
Any luck on her getting all the mail you’ve sent?
Yes, she said she’s gotten everything we’ve sent her. She says although basic isn’t a lot of fun, she’s enjoying the things she’s learning and the bonding with her platoon. She was going out on her own for ruck march practice (they’re at the phase where they are responsible for their own PT) and a DS asked her why. She explained she was still suffering from shin splints. He gave her some magic formula and now she says they don’t hurt at all.
Our trip out there for graduation is all set.
Yaay!! Congrats. Your little girl is a lot more grown-up than she was 2 months ago. She’s still a kid in so many ways, but less of one.
I’ve followed the thread since the beginning, but don’t want to re-read the whole thing just now to check … has there been any planning for what job she wants after graduation? Or what job they’ll stick her with?
She’s going to Fort Sam Houston to train as a medic.
This whole thread has been so cool, thanks for keeping us all updated ivylass
… would that guy count as a Dishonorable Discharge on Account of Stupidity?
How very much in keeping with naval tradition…
In mine we had one who vanished in the night right from Basic. A week later he turned himself in at a base in Arizona.
Another one had local deputies and their colleagues from another state show up at the Post Provost to pick him up.
We also had fun when during a barracks clean-up we found an M-16 under a mattress in one of the unoccupied bunks. The face on our DS was something to behold. It was traced to Pvt. Howard who had a heap of 'splainin to do…
His story was? And the consequences were?
IIRC / IME the follow-up from a inventory problem with weapons in peacetime was pretty unpleasant for anyone even tangentially involved.
What are the charges for someone who goes AWOL in basic? Dishonorable discharge, surely, but will he serve jail time?
How about the female?
Unlikely. You have to try really hard to get a DD… I mean, like you murdered somebody. During initial entry training the most likely outcome is what they call an “Entry Level Separation.” It means you weren’t even in long enough for them to characterize your service, but anyone who sees it will know it means, “Too stupid to pass basic training.” (Basically)
That will be like night and day from basic. The biggest issues there are the same you would get anywhere that a bunch of 18 year old boys and girls gather. Problems I never had to deal with since I have always been in all male jobs and units.
It’s possible but unlikely. Most discharges during basic training are General Discharges. To get a Dishonorable you have to be convicted in a Court Martial. They could go that route but will probably offer a deal and not have to bother with him.
A Dishonorable Discharge can only be given upon conviction as part of a sentence for major crimes. The Bad Conduct Discharge (BCD, Big Chicken Dinner) is given for lesser crimes but also must come from a Court Martial. The Entry Level Separation is one option. It’s basically a do over that says you were barely in. They could also give a General Discharge under less than honorable conditions.
The female will just get the entry level separation. I’m sure it happens every cycle with a Christmas Exodus.