The Grinder

                   C077/K051 February 21 –  April  25, 1990

Yes, the grinder. I don't want to say we spent too many hours there, but we sure as hell did spend a good many. Good memories, possibly. Bad memories, yeah, that's a given.

PT, Marching, and getting cycled(or whatever you called company-wide punishment)

So, not totally sure which day we were first introduced to the grinder, but over our time in Orlando we did become very acquainted with it.

Our company was housed in the very last building next to the North Grinder, Division 4. We were on the first floor of the north wing, so we were close. In reality, it didn't matter how close you were, you were going to spend time on those beautiful asphalt areas. More than likely, you spent time on both the North and South grinder too.

Let's start with PT. Every morning out into the fresh crisp spring air of Orlando, we would venture out dressed in our Navy PT gear. During high school, I was a jock, cross country, basketball, track. After high school, I went to a 2-year technical college and pretty much stopped all serious exercising. I did play basketball from time to time but was far from in shape. So, PT did start out a little rough at first, but it soon became easier.

I enlisted in January and started boot camp less than a month later. We were allowed to bring a pair of shoes to use for PT. They had to be non-flashy. I bought a pair of white Nike ¾ top cross-trainers. Other guys had some crazy red shoes and had to ditch them for the Navy issue shoes. BTW, I was still in horrible condition when I got there. Never could do push-ups all that well, but that did improve.

So, back to the mornings. Outside in company formation. The CC doing PT would call out each exercise and the amount of each you were required to do according to which week of training you were on. Not sure when we decided to do it, but company-wide we kept doing the max for everything. That is the whole team-building thing that goes on without you even knowing it. And I found out recently that the cycle was based on your week of training. In conjunction with that, the CCs had rules on how much they could cycle us based on that same concept. 

My conditioning was coming back. I did have problems with my knees, always have. They hurt a good deal for most of boot camp, but I kept that to myself. During my first month on my ship, I could hardly walk at night. I lived on 800mg Mortin for a while. Even with the nice shoes, I had my knees hurt a good deal. I was in luck to start PT. When I injured my eye the doctor gave me some Tylenol 3 with codeine. So, I took one each day before PT. That helped with my knees. Then after I had my wisdom teeth out, I had more of those to cover the remainder of the training. So, I know one of my CC's is in the group, I was high during PT. 

After the calisthenics came, the company run. As my conditioning came back, it was harder for me to run in company formation. I have a rather long stride naturally, and it was just hard to follow such a chopping pace. But, adapt, you must. A side story I heard from a young lady. She was a guideon bearer and was the shortest in her company. She told me during the company run her male CC would yell at her, "Are you going to be turtles or bunnies today?" She would shout back "Bunnie's sir." 

Who remembers doing push-ups on the asphalt? That killed the hands. Another company choice, we opted for no towels under our hands.

Each week you added more laps to your run as well.

Marching was the other significant use. Practice for inspections and for PIR. One fine Navy day, we were out on the South Grinder doing practice with bugle toots and rifles. By this time, we carried the water bottles since it was getting hot. We practiced for what felt like 4 or 5 hours. It was probably only 2. As we were marching back, we noticed there were no companies out, Black Flag.

All of us had nice grinder reminders from that day that hung around. One redhead guy looked like a lobster. The compartment never felt so wonderful as it did them. We were all so thirsty we were drinking out of the faucets in the head.

And heaven forbid we mess up while on the grinder practicing. DROP!!! Again the impact of hands on asphalt. Push-ups BEGIN! There was always that one recruit who asked to recover after the first dozen. "OH HELL NO! KEEP GOING!!" It was really probably F NO. The times I messed up I kept going until I was told to recover. Why bother I figured, the CC never let anyone recover who asked. 

All of it being done was teaching us, and we did not realize it. I got a hit on our Rifle Marching inspection. Back in the compartment,
"Adams, how far do you hold your rifle from your chest?" (It was loud too)
"4 inches, sir!"
"WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THAT THEN? UNSAT! DROP!!!"

Our CC's could yell. I have no idea how they didn't lose their voices by week 2.
Oddly the grinder was a privilege too. We could go out and play basketball if we wanted or run. It was nice to get to do that. Nobody to yell at you for missing a layup. The guy taking the SEAL test was out there every spare minute doing extra PT.

At the end of boot camp, I had worn my shoes out. My Nikes had served their purpose and met an unceremonious end in a garbage can. I think everybody threw out their PT shoes.

Back home on leave after boot camp, I was doing HARP duty at the recruiter. They let me leave early one particular day. While I was walking around the local mall in Rockford Il, a guy noticed my grinder reminder. We spoke for a while. He went to Orlando a few years previously.

Good Times!