Getting To Basic (cont.)

A few of us just ate lunch, Italian pizza & cheese bread. We'll be
meeting up at 1:00 & leaving at 1:30. My backpack was coming apart at
the seams at the top where the straps connect. A lady at the gift
shop had a sewing kit under the counter & let me have a needle & some
thread & I was able to make repairs to last the rest of this trip.
That was such a blessing!
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We're gtting started at 12:45 now. I'm going to study some things we
need to know now...

Getting To Basic

Our flight was delayed almost 2 hours last night so we got put up in a
hotel instead of getting on a bus to Ft. Leonard Wood. We had to be
back to the USO at the airport by 11:00 but we won't be briefed on
when we leave for Basic intil 3 or 4:00. So far so good. We're all
nervous but ready to get the show on the road!

Training Dates Update #3

The dates aren't off, my understanding of them was. The extra 4 days
goes with Basic, not OCS. Makes more sense now.

Training Dates Correction

I'm sitting at the airport in Shreveport, waiting to fly to Dallas,
then St. Louis. Then we'll bus to Ft. Leonard Wood. We should arrive
around midnight. Better get lots of sleep on the trip, don't know how
much I'll get there!
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I made a mistake on the # of days for training:
Basic is 9 weeks, 4 days
OCS is 12 weeks
So the dates I posted are a little off.
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Roomed with a really cool girl last night, 25 yrs old, & am travelling
to Basic with a 27 yr old Christian guy. The guy who briefed us on
everything today at MEPS said he was gonna miss me & I seemed like a
good person. That was pretty cool. (I've been there so much they've
know me now).
Things are going really well so far. God is so good!

Army Training Dates

Basic Training:  

Leave home 4/13/09, ship out 4/14, process through 4/19.  Basic Training starts 4/20.  

9 weeks.

--

Officer Candidate School:

Report 6/28/09, start 6/29. 

12 weeks 4 days.

I have not been given end dates, but found something online that gave the following info (has not been verified):

Basic: 4/20 - 6/26

OCS: 6/29 - 9/17

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FYI, the contract I signed is for 3 years, 4/14/2009 - 4/13/2012.  I'll post graduation dates when I find out.  Fun fun!!!  =D

Preparing to Leave

Well it's the night before I leave for boot camp and I'm oddly at peace.  Dana, a friend of my sister's, stopped by and prayed for me tonight.  That blessed me so much!  I got to spend the day with family for Easter; what a wonderful way to spend my last day at home, it was wonderful.

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I have everything together except for some clothes that are drying.  I still need to determine what paperwork to bring.  In the end I'll probably opt to only take what's necessary and leave the rest in a box to sort through when I come back home.

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Tomorrow afternoon the Army will drive me to Shreveport, LA; I'll stay the night at a hotel and wake up early the next morning to go to MEPS.  At some point they'll take me to the airport where I'll fly to Dallas, then to St. Louis (?), then take a 2-3 hours bus ride to Ft. Leonard Wood, MO.

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I have a list of about 30 people I want to write.  It sounds excessive, but when I go over it, each and every person is special to me.  I don't know how much writing time I'll have so we'll see how this goes.  I plan to prepare address envelopes and give them to my sister before leaving, so she can make labels and put my return address on them when we have it.  That will be less for me to tote on the plane.  But the clock is ticking and I'm getting sleepy; I will try to get it done.  Either way, I will see if I can get the address posted on here.

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I guess this is goodbye for now...  I am actually super excited about going!  Nervous? YES, of course! But I know that God's hand is upon me always and He's directing my steps.  There are so many people praying for me that I just know I will be lifted up even in the most dire of circumstances.  I am such a blessed woman and I step out in faith into the great unknown that is this journey, giving it my best effort, turning everything over to the Lord, and trusting the results to Him.  Thank you for your support and encouragement, it means the world to me!  

Posting via email

I plan to bring my phone to Basic. It has internet access so I may be able to sneak in a short post (by email) every now and again when we're allowed to make phone calls, if time allows. We'll see! :)

2nd PFT Test

Here are the results of my 2nd Physical Fitness Test
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Sit-ups (2 minutes): 76 count = 100 pts
Push-ups (2 minutes): 39 count = 92 pts
2-mile run: 16:07 mins = 98 pts
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Official PFT Score: 290 points (180 min required, 210 needed, 240 preferred, 300 max possible)
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I sure don't feel this in-shape, but hey, the numbers look good =P