How is Jon doing?

Well I figured it was about time for me to write down what he's been doing. This is mainly for my own journaling purposes. I want to remember what he had to go through. So this will consist of the things he's told me in his letters, minus the mushy and personal stuff :) Mainly just the basic day to day stuff.
 I haven't been able to talk to him in over 5 weeks now, but I've gotten 11 letters so far (which are definitely the BEST part of my week!)

He left Tuesday July 5th and immediately went to reception, which is where all the processing of the soldiers is done. He was there until Sat. He then moved to the other side of the base to where the actual basic training would take place. He called me on Sun to give me his address, let me know he made it there ok and that he probably won't be able to call me very much anymore (up until this point he was able to call me almost everyday) He started basic training on Monday the 11th.

The first day was a lot of classroom stuff, pretty uneventful. They were issued their M-16's and are required to take it with them every where they go. They even have to sleep with it right beside their beds. The following day they conquered what is called the Victory Tower. (Rappelling down an 80 ft tower using only a rope for a harness, among other things) He was really excited for this. His drill sergeant is working them pretty hard, which is to be expected of course. He says he thinks he may have been placed with the hardest drill sergeant, which is both a good and a bad thing.

He says that everyday has 90-100% humidity with a heat index of 110-115 degrees. Holy crap its hot! But very green and very pretty. (just thought I'd mention that) 


He was able to go to church for the first time on the his 2nd Sunday there. This is one of his favorite things to do. They don't get much free time, but going to any religious service is allowed. One Sunday after church they had to "pull tiny weeds out of tiny crack in a giant parking lot...GAY!!!".

He made "A Group". During basic training they split everyone into 3 groups A, B or C (this is separate from their company or platoon). This is for running purposes. The fastest runners are placed in group A. 1 week into BTC he was able to run 2 miles in 15 mins. By the 23rd he was able to do it in 13.35 mins!

On the 19th they went through the gas chamber. They make them experience the gas so they know what it feels like. Obviously no one likes this part of BTC. He said it was completely miserable! The minute he walked in, all his exposed skin started burning/stinging. They make them take their masks off and breathe in. which "burned from the inside out". His nose instantly started running and eyes watering so hard he couldn't see.
They had to do land navigation, which during the day he said isn't too hard. But at night is miserable. Everything is so flat that he had a hard time figuring out where he was.

7/20: He said they hiked 1 1/2 miles to a course where they hopped over little walls, walked across logs, rolled under logs, climbed up a cargo net, climbed down a cargo net, played on some monkey bars, and rolled/crawled through the dirt so low their faces had to rub the ground. They next day they were going on a camping trip, which he was SOO excited for!

They started the electronic simulation fo shooting which let to the actual shooting range with live ammo. They had to do grouping and zeroing (which I believe has to do with the sights on the guns and making them shoot straight). He qualified on the first try. He had to get 8 out of 10 shots in a 3 cm circle minimum. For the next 2 1/2 weeks(as of 7/27), shooting is the main thing they are working on. Including pulling the trigger smoothly, shooting at pop up targets, etc. Plus they are doing combatives (I'm not quite sure what those are yet). Jon is loving it this part. Getting to shoot his gun all day (or at least a lot every day), he is loving it. Lately (Aug 4th), they have been at the range until 10-11 and then up again at 4:30 to go straight back. Getting ready for ARM (Advanced rifle marksmanship)

Daily routine as of 7/30 consists of:
waking up at 4-430, form up outside by 5, do PT for an hour and a half, go to breakfast, get changed, do training with their rifles, do a class, go to lunch, more training, and classes, go to dinner then more classes  until they go to bed at 9:30-10:00. Their days are pretty full.
Jon qualified sharp shooter, 32/40. Yay! I'm so proud of him. He thinks he could have done better, but if they got expert, which is like 36-38/40, then they got phone privileges every Sunday. So he thinks he psyched himself out stressing about it. But thats ok. He still did amazing!

They had to do a confidence obstacle course. I'm not quite sure what this entails, other than it had a zip line, but he said he was kind of excited about it :)

Aug 8th they got their bullet proof vests along with a M-4. They have to wear their IBA's (Internal body armor) FLC's ( a vest thing that hold magazines and grenades) and their assault packs (which is a backpack that they carry their wet weather gear, knee and elbow pads, poncho etc) and their helmets. "We are loaded down like mules :) "

This is all I know for now. Like I said, I got all this info from the letters he's sent me, I've just left out the mushy and personal stuff :) All in all, he says he's doing really good. He enjoys some days and others he is pretty miserable. But thats to be expected with BTC.

I'm so proud of my SIT - Soldier In Training! He's practically going through hell over there and we're just back home living life like normal. It almost doesn't seem fair that there's nothing we can do to help him other than sending him letters. He LOVES letters! Most times after I finish reading his letters I feel so helpless. I can't help him with his nasty blisters or sore muscles. I can't even talk to him to tell him we love and miss him. I can't imagine living back in the days when snail mail was the only form of communication. I HATE snail mail! Its so slow, especially on the base. They get so much mail they have to sort through each day that it takes 2+ weeks to get things to him sometimes. :( But, it's all down here from here. We passed the half way mark and I fly out to see him in 24 days! I can not wait!!!!!!