Sometimes you have to south if you want to go north

I feel absolutely miserable in this picture, and I wish there was a better way to explain how I felt. I'll elaborate more on this later, but this picture was shot after the petty officer indoc fundraiser where we had a pie in the face stand. Throughout the week I have been a bit of a smart ass so I think I warranted the most pies in the face. After a time I just stopped trying to clean off. This is on top of my head cold that I'm toting around with me. Since I've began pharmacy tech school I do say that I've become a bit more candyass when it comes to being ill. Maybe I now know there is better living through chemistry. All you stoners out there might be smiling at that comment, but that is neither here nor there.

To be honest I really didn't know what to expect from petty officer indoc class. I tried to get a temperature of it from other 3rd classes I have come to know since being in the navy, and I have thought, at least from what they tell me, is it is a 3 day marathon of power points. Not a bad day, right? Here in Sasebo though, I was sorely mistaken. We have a 10 day course that they call an "Academy." Our day starts by PT-ing at 0600, and we are scheduled of things to do until 1800 everynight. Our only scheduled meal time is lunch because we are busy with class all during breakfast and dinner. Yeah I'm pretty hungry right now. Our only day off is Sunday, but I'll touch on that in a moment.

Our first day we had a mock PRT (physical readiness test) where we're tested on push-ups, sit-ups (two minutes each) and a timed 1 1/2 mile run. I haven't done one of those since I was in Virginia, but I was proud of myself when I had a personal best in both the sit-ups (105) and run (11:41). Every morning we have an inspection in our utility uniform. Luckily Mom mailed that not a moment too soon since the digital cammie uniform isn't really authorized to replace the utility uniform yet here in Japan.

So we sit in class all day. Mostly it is taught by MA's (Master at Arms aka base police) and the main goal of this academy is to prepare us how to be leaders and better petty officers. Mind you this academy is not navy wide and only in select places from what they told us. As my BFF Rich summarized best, "sometimes you have to go south if you want to go north." What he meant was I feel like I'm back inbetween boot camp and corps school. We have to march in formation EVERYWHERE and are expected to sing cadence, we are constantly reminded to mind our military bearing (something I cannot stand up and down to no end), and they seemingly take pleasure in playing mind games with us. You know, whatever we say cannot be the correct thing to say. They also like to wolfpack us where if one of us slips up they will gang up and spin our minds around and essentially make us feel like the worst sailor ever.

After classroom work is done we go into what is called the "hanger bay" where we are given "extra military instruction." That is where they beat us with PT. Remember that we are still in uniform (again, much like boot camp). After that we have to march back while singing cadence back to the barracks AFTER CLASS HAS BEEN DISMISSED. I should point out here our classroom is literally across the base, a half hour march.

Our day isn't done there. Maybe we have time to catch the galley before it closes, then we have a class meeting outside of classroom instruction to prep for the next day. In this class we have to organize a fundraiser, prepare answers for questions the instructors asked us throughout the day which we didn't know at the time, and make out a Plan Of the Day (POD) for the next day. To get 26 people on the same page when no one wants to be there in the first place is as frustrating as being there in the first place.

My attitude is really no different than when I was in a training command. Because it isn't on our evaluations how we did, and because we're going to be beaten at the end of the day anyway, I either try to do the bare minimum or be in most people's opinion, a smart ass. Example, when we were in the hanger bay we had to count off to see if everyone was accounted for, when my number came up I yelled "OCHO!" The instructors didn't take kindly to that, and that has since been my nickname here. Also, when they asked who the next secretary of the navy was going to be, and it was clear no one knew the answer, I boldly raised my hand and replied, "Chuck Norris." Yeah, we had another set of push-ups because of that stunt. I know that instrutors laugh about it behind closed doors, but they have to put on an image. I just want to complete this course and get frocked next Friday.

Today is Saturday and we had "fun PT" where we could choose a game to play. We played ultimate football (a frisbee was not available) which the instructors played too. Because we were out of the classroom I could be a little more pushy and I was just giving my instructors Hell the entire time by calling them "old" and just heckling them. They were good sports about it because they are humans too, and that is something I've come to learn since being in the navy. Later today we had the fundraiser where we had the pie in the face stand and a car wash. We raised something to the tune of $1,700 in 3 hours. That money will go towards our frocking ceremony (frocking is the pinning of our new rank) reception. Why we needed a fundraiser and spend all this time on energy on a party I'm not sure when meeting at a bar afterwards would have been just as good.

I have become close to two individuals. Darrell "Ice" Icenhauer and Jonathon "JD" Laughlin. They are in the class with me and we have a riot. The 3 of us went out the weekend before indoc and raised some Hell. My only complaint is those two are like a couple of hens. They are always bickering at each other and either on or the other or both are always butt-hurt at the other for some reason or another. Either way we all get along and the 3 of us do a pretty good job at sticking together. They aren't the mustache brigade (and Mitchell) yet, and I'm not even going to compare them to the GB boys, but I have found some running partners.

"Only" 6 more days left of indoc class. Because of it and the stresses it has brought I am now sick and morale is low, but I'm an awesome warrior so I think I'll manage. Oh, plans have changed for Christmas. I think I'm going to Bangkok, Thailand now. It sort of got to me when everyone from home was like "you'll be really lonely in Australia over Christmas." The holidays are a time of sharing with friends and family, this is true. I have a friend, a former boss from my days at the Wilderness in the Dells who is teaching Thai babies English over there now, and we have set up tenative plans to hang out for about 5 days in Thailand. Should be sweet!

I wish I could elaborate on everything that is going on in indoc class, but this entry will have to do for now. There is just so much I'm frustrated with! Grumblegrumble.