Our daughter Amanda is in Army Basic Training in South Carolina. I have been posting her letters home because the experience and her observations are too good not to share. Her letter from August 19th is in serial form because it is 14-pages. Ladies in the group, be sure to read to the bottom for some good news. Click here if you want to check out Part 1 and Part 2.
I left you with a cliffhanger last time. Shameless of me, I know.
Part 3 picks up with Saturday.
Letter Ten Dated August 19, 2012 ~ Part 3
Saturday. Oh man, Saturday. What a HUGE day. It started with a 3-mile Ability Group Run (AGR). It was our last AGR before next Saturday’s final physical fitness test, so I went all out. I have to drop 20 seconds to max and I better f**king get that. I’ve been putting my whole heart into these runs.
After that we got all our gear and went to a training site called Urban Assault Course. That was a great part of the day. There were 4 lanes but only two squads from my Platoon could go at a time. The lanes were as follows: grenade obstacle course (not live grenades), an IED and HMMV (High Mobility Military Vehicle?) course, a Medevac lane, and a clearing room. I let other people do most of the lanes because there was only 30 minutes at each lane so not everyone had a chance. All this stuff is so freaking cool to the newbies so I wanted to give them the opportunity. I did the Medevac lane though. That is because I love that stuff and many people are not comfortable with it. You have to do a radio call-in for a Medevac and it is the longest radio report we have to do. I already have that bitch memorized, so I might as well do it. Every lane was fun and we learned a lot. A Bomb Specialist taught the IED lane. We didn’t have much practice time because we kept asking him questions about his job. Super crazy. Those Iraqis and Afghanis have smart sons of bitches on their side too. They are creative in exploding you from a safe distance.
After chow, which I ate in like 30 seconds because I had detail (that is like chores in the Army), we had a 4-mile road march in full kit. Now I know I’ve said we’ve had full-gear road marches already, but those are actually what we call admin walks. I just think road march sounds cooler than admin walk. An admin walk is a short mile or mile and a half walk to the training site. A road march is an actual training event. It wasn’t our longest yet, but it was our first with all our gear so it felt really long.
Road marches are my forte, as you guys know, so I get behind the weak ones and motivate them. I sneak up and down the ranks to get people going if they start to fall out. Sometimes I get caught moving or they hear me cheering on my Platoon members and I get yelled at. I don’t understand why they keep saying we are a team, but then yell when we act like one, and then yell when we don’t act like one. Make up your mind!! Regardless, I’ll be talking to my Platoon members and getting them to step it up. It’s the right thing to do. I’ve been smoked for it already, I’m sure I will again, but that’s just me.
Not my idea of a fun activity.
So after 4 miles, we got to our destination called NIC. I don’t remember what NIC stands for. I’ll draw you a picture and try to explain it to make it sound as cool and intense as it is.
The objective of NIC is to use crawling tactics to get from a trench on one end, to the finish 150 meters away, in the dark, with live fire overhead. There were three towers on each side of the course with live machine gun fire. Plus, they had stuff to make other stuff explode. We crawled in the sand from the trench to the finish with absolutely no standing or kneeling. You can’t even put your hand in the air for help. One person stood up. Idiot. One person got caught behind an obstacle and couldn’t figure out how to crawl around it. Another was a Heat Cat. She didn’t drink enough water. You always have to be drinking water here. Like always. You will notice immediately if you didn’t drink enough.
We had 30 minutes to complete the course. In the beginning, I was flying and thinking, “How cool is this?!” It felt like the movie. I could see fire and stuff go “BOOM,” and muzzle flashes out of the corner of my eye. But by the time I was halfway, I was smoked. The cadre watched us through Night Vision Goggles, so they knew who was f**king up. “Don’t stop!” Oh, man. There were three kinds of crawls: high crawl, low crawl, and on your back. Sand gets into every single spot. My knees and elbows are rubbed raw. Eventually, it was like crawling on sandpaper. Thanks to Madre, I have stuff to take care of my “owies.” It was intense.
When we were finished, a crazy-ass thunderstorm rolled in. It was some of the best lightning we’ve had. We had to sit in a lightning protection area and it poured down on us. It felt great and miserable at the same time. The rain cooled us down, but also made the sand covering us wet and it scratched even more.
We got back to Bay around midnight. Imagine the kind of shit I had to put up with when I made the fireguard roster. Everyone feels so sorry for themself. I got cussed at and people slammed lockers. I kept thinking . . . we’re not the first to do this and we have it significantly easier than the people deployed. Just shut up, man up, and act like the mother f**king soldier you are trying to be.
When you are on fireguard, it is your job to clean the bay. It is shitty, but necessary. Plus, it helps you stay awake at that hour and makes the time go faster. We were all so sandy that sand was everywhere. You could have built a kick-ass sandcastle if you wanted. No exaggeration. In the morning, hardly anything had changed. I was livid. I always get up a few minutes early to double-check everything so we don’t get in trouble. I told them they would all have fireguard again if it weren’t clean by church. I would never actually do that to them because I know people need to sleep. So, after a lot of bitching and some more arguments and attitudes, the Bay was clean. I am awesome.
So that was last week. This week will be just as crazy.
Miss you guys!
XOXO Amanda
P.S. We got our razors this week too! I’m no longer a gorilla!
So glad I didn’t ever have to do that stuff. It would not have been pretty. I bet she’s having a blast learning Arabic, though.
I would be whimpering in a corner and sucking on my thumb if the Army got ahold of me.
Imagine . . . being excited about learning Arabic? That sounds hard! I have enough trouble with English, for Pete’s sake.
Me too, LOL! No more sand, and heat, and a beautiful place to learn! She paid her dues…
Don’t forget the biting ants and yelling Drill Sergeants!
I was pooped out at the beginning of the second paragraph, “After that we got all our gear. . .” Such energy.
I like the idea of your daughter writing a book. I like her style.
Maybe we could write the book together . . . the daughter’s perspective and the mother’s perspective. I rather like that idea!
excellent idea!!!!!
Then we shall do it. But, not sure when she will find time with what she has ahead of her!
Robin, you say ‘Wouldn’t her letters make a good book?’ ~ Oh Yes. and ‘I’m going to encourage her to do some creative writing and see if she can make her experience a must-read for future/current soldiers and their parents.’ ~ What a great idea ~ her writing is animated and engaging and would be ultra-meaningful to new soldiers.
Great blog again ~ hope all other family items are not causing too much stress. x
Her writing style is conversational and as you say, animated. When I read her letters, I feel like she is in the room talking to me.
Dad had surgery yesterday to remove a blood clot. We are hoping it marks the beginning of his full recovery. Thanks for thinking of us!
I’m so impressed that she writes all this (I think we may have another author on our hands!) She gets the point across so beautifully and I can see these letters ending up in a novel or a movie
You must be so proud of her. Her determination and philosophy on life and what she is doing absolutely amazes me!
She writes the way she speaks. I love the animation in her voice. I’d like to think that all the editing of school papers I did rubbed off, but I she gets all the credit for her “voice.”
Wouldn’t her letters make a good book? I’m going to encourage her to do some creative writing and see if she can make her experience a must-read for future/current soldiers and their parents.
I’ll be first in line to buy a copy!
She sounds like she’ll make a good leader. Helping your people do their best even if you have to take heat for it. Well done.
I loved the “Shut up, man up” line followed by supporting her fellow soldiers.
Robin, you must be so proud of your daughter! What a strong woman. Since you’re a writer, you should write a fictional account of this — just think of the possibilities!! It must be so comforting to get these accounts from her. Congrats on raising such an amazing young woman.
I thought about a fictional account of her experience because there is so much that goes on a Boot Camp. However, I don’t have first hand knowledge and I sure am NOT enlisting! Plus, the movie “G.I. Jane” covered it pretty well. You won’t be surprised that is one of Amanda’s favorite movies . . .
Oh, I loved it too.
. GI Jane. What was that saying about the bird? It was a great one.
I looked it up!
Master Chief John Urgayle: [quoting "Self-Pity" by D.H. Lawrence] I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A bird will fall frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself.
Where does she find the time to write 14 page letters with ALL her soldier duties? And seven weeks without a razor? She’s like a super hero!
She said that her bunk was next to the bathroom. They keep the bathroom light all night and she had enough light to write while everyone else was sleeping. She struggles with insomnia on occasion. You would think with all the physical activity, she would drop into bed and pass out!
You and your husband did a good job nurturing the nature.
Nice way of putting it. We mostly got out of her way.
Reading Amanda’s letter, a quote from Dale Evans immediately came to mind…
“Cowgirl is an attitude. Cowgirl is a pioneer spirit, a special American brand of courage. The cowgirl faces life head on, lives by her own lights, and makes no excuses. Cowgirls take stands. They speak up. They defend the things they hold dear. A cowgirl might be a rancher, or a barrel racer, or a bull rider, or an actress. But she’s just as likely to be a checker at the local Winn Dixie, a full-time mother, a banker, an attorney, or an astronaut.”
I think we could rightly add “soldier” to that
Oh gosh, Ella Dee. That made me cry. I’m a sap. What a lovely quote to describe Amanda to a tee. Amanda will love the quote. She is quite the country music fan and she will enjoy the “fighting spirit” of Mrs. Evans. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
This made me cry too!
It’s a quote I’ve always lovd, and it jumped out at me as I was reading Robin’s post. I thought this is the kind of woman Dale Evans had in mind!
It’s amazing
It is a great quote. I need to find a place to use it.
Seven weeks without a razor. *shivers at the thought*
I’m glad she’s enjoying what she’s doing. I still couldn’t do it. But good for Amanda if she’s found her calling!
It must have taken a while to get through the 7 weeks of growth! Ugh.
I couldn’t do it either. I am amazed there are so many people who can, and do!
“I let other people do most of the lanes because there was only 30 minutes at each lane so not everyone had a chance.” ,,, “I get behind the weak ones and motivate them.” … “So, after a lot of bitching and some more arguments and attitudes, the Bay was clean. I am awesome.” … YES, SHE IS AWESOME! I love your daughter! She is good at what she does, and her kind heart wants everyone else to be good, too, and she helps them get there. She earned her razors!
I loved those glimpses of Amanda’s heart and soul too. She doesn’t say it to make herself look good, she says these things because that is who she is. I loved that she was willing to get “smoked” for encouraging her Platoon, because as she said, “It was the right thing to do.”
Thank goodness for razor privilege!
amazing..simply amazing.
Tell your daughter to read it so she knows what is is in for!
your daughter is a hot ticket….
She will love reading your comment. “Hot ticket!”
Oh Robin, this letter is priceless. Please thank your daughter for her service. I’m an Army mom too. so I can relate. My son isn’t exactly into words, so we got very few letters while he was in boot camp, and even fewer when he was in Kuwait. He’s an ammunitions specialist, so he loves to blow shit up. I really got a kick out of this letter. If you haven’t already, buy yourself a dictionary of military acronyms, because that’s the only language she will speak when she comes home if she’s anything like my son.
Oh gosh. Kuwait. That must have been nerve-wracking! When will he be out of the Army?
Amanda already speaks in an alphabet-soup of Army acronyms. The dictionary is a great idea.
Since you enjoyed this letter, I think you will enjoy the 13 other letters from her. Each one is harrowing. The stuff she thinks is fun is beyond me. I would be whimpering in a corner. She wants to blow shit up too, but will be going to the Monterey Language Institute and then cryptology school. I am hoping she is assigned to a lovely embassy in Austria.
My son is in the reserves, so he’s home now, blowing shit up on his own time. He works at a shooting range on the weekends, is building guns to sell, and will soon be going to school to learn how to be a bon-a-fide gunsmith. I swear his veins are filled with black powder. Sweet boy, he wouldn’t harm anything, doesn’t even hunt. Just loves to shoot the crap out of inanimate objects. Kuwait was a relatively safe place for a soldier. The most dangerous thing he ran into was boredom. Glad he’s home though. It was a long year without him. I look forward to reading your daughter’s other letters.
Amanda considered being an Army medic because that is the closest females can get to the front line and seeing action. Soooooooooo glad that went away. All three of my girls love to shoot guns. I’ve raised such delicate flowers. My youngest has gone wild pig hunting with my husband twice, and shot her first pig on the second outing. My blonde-haired, blue-eyed, sweet daughter is a blood-thirsty pig killer!
So glad you son is home. Gun powder in his veins. Funny. He has found his passion and is doing something about it. Boredom for a year must have been torture.
She is amazing. Really tough, but still a lady!
A lady that like to throw grenades. That is a hard combo to pull off.
She continues to amaze me…
That’s our girl! Now with clean-shaven legs. Ahhhhhh.
Knowing Amanda, the last line made me laugh and laugh. She speaks the truth!
Didn’t that sound like her? Her sense of humor is rye. Gee . . . I wonder where she gets it. Thanks for commenting Katie!
Great news about the razors!!!!! Hope she got lots of blades. What ever happened with all the letters we sent? Did they get there in time? how is your dad?
Good point about lots of blades. After 7 weeks of not shaving, the razors will get dull fast.
I did a post about the letters arriving here:
http://robincoyle.wordpress.com/2012/08/28/your-letters-to-amanda-et-al-arrived/
I think in her next letter she writes about the Platoon’s response. I’ve been saving it so share with you in the order of her letters to us came in, but I will tell you they were blown away! There were even tears. She commented about your bookmarks.
Thanks for asking about Dad. He is making slow progress, but some progress is better than no progress. They need to drain more fluid off his lungs and he is fighting an infection of some sort. But, my sister said his color is better today.
Can just imagine she will have been sharing round mummys supplies on all their ‘owies’ have you heard back from her on how she dealt with the mass influx of mail from your friends here on WP?
I have but I am saving it to share with you in her own words. I think it is in her next letter. I’ll be sure to post it soon. They were blown away. Some were moved to tears. How awesome is that!?
What an awesomely tough daughter you have my friend. I am proud of her and I don’t even know her…lol Thanks for sharing! Great news about the razors! Yea!
I think my female readers let out a collective sigh of relief over the razor privileges! You may not “know” her, but her letters are a good representation of who she is. She will love to read you are proud of her!
Yay! I made it to the first comment! Woohoo!
I am amazed that your girl has the energy to keep you updated in such a fine manner! Great news about the razors too!
I think writing is cathartic for her. She can process what she has been through. She stopped writing in her journal and decided to document her experience through her letters. Plus, I think writing gives her a connection to home, especially since they don’t have their phones.
That, I can truly understand and I’m really glad that she is able to process her feelings and offload some of the stress in this way. Her letters will be a very special collection for all of you to appreciate.
Thank you for keeping us updated, Robin. 
I think there is only one letter left . . . but it is a long newsy one!