C077/K051 Feb 21 – Apr 25
1990
How many of us have
“bribed” our kids or grandkids? I thought so, a good many of us.
Our Cc’s did the same thing to us. Well, not really bribed, but rewarded us when we did something positive.
Our Cc’s did the same thing to us. Well, not really bribed, but rewarded us when we did something positive.
The day we arrived in
Orlando, we learned a few things. It did not matter to anyone that we might
have enlisted as an E2 or E3. If we were a Fireman, Airman, Seaman, or
Construction man. We were all Seaman Recruits. We were not sailors, we were
NUBs, FNGs, and NQPs.
We had nothing, zero,
zip, nada. We were allowed to sleep, take a shower, shave, eat, march, use the
head, and learn. Nothing else, nothing more. Each one of us was allowed to make
a quick phone call, but only because the Navy wanted our moms to not freak out
that we were gone to some black hole.
After that call, we were
then in a black hole. I recall we could not write home immediately, but I do
know that was one of the first rewards we did get.
Our first trip to the
Communication Center, or Exchange, we bought several irons and a radio. We got
to use the radio on 1-5 day, but it was not used for music again for a few more
weeks.
I know this sounds like I
am overdramatic, doesn’t it? But, think back. And, from some of the other
stories I have read from the beginning of the base, we had far more privileges
than the original companies did. Hell, we got to march in tennis shoes for a
few days. We got to PT in PT gear and tennis shoes.
So, everything in the compartment is off-limits as well. Our first night, they take anything, not on the approved list. Then the next day, we box up our civilian clothes and mail them home. They even cut off our hair!
I had been away from home for 5 years, but I still used to call when I wanted. Plus, at the time, I was engaged and had a new daughter, so I did miss home. Some guys were fresh out the door for the first time ever. We had some married guys and also other fathers. So they really missed home. The limited contact had to be killer on them more than they realized.
We had one guy, a laundry PO, who was sneaking into an empty compartment and calling home at night. He got caught. But, he was rewarded with a Mo Tour and 2 weeks to the reach, march. I think he might have gone back to P-days at that time. He was set back again. I spoke to him in AT Land after he finally made it through boot camp. So, he was homesick, calls home, gets set back, gets set back again, then has AT after that. He was there and extra month, easy.
Our first real big reward was after our first test, a phone call, and geedunk from the machines at the C-Center. I have since found out that some companies were never allowed to use the machines there for ANYTHING! I had one young lady tell me about the time she had a bad blister, and her CC took her to medical. She was upset because she thought she was going to have her flag taken away, she was the guideon. Her CC had her stop for a roto bear and Butterfinger bar.
So, everything in the compartment is off-limits as well. Our first night, they take anything, not on the approved list. Then the next day, we box up our civilian clothes and mail them home. They even cut off our hair!
I had been away from home for 5 years, but I still used to call when I wanted. Plus, at the time, I was engaged and had a new daughter, so I did miss home. Some guys were fresh out the door for the first time ever. We had some married guys and also other fathers. So they really missed home. The limited contact had to be killer on them more than they realized.
We had one guy, a laundry PO, who was sneaking into an empty compartment and calling home at night. He got caught. But, he was rewarded with a Mo Tour and 2 weeks to the reach, march. I think he might have gone back to P-days at that time. He was set back again. I spoke to him in AT Land after he finally made it through boot camp. So, he was homesick, calls home, gets set back, gets set back again, then has AT after that. He was there and extra month, easy.
Our first real big reward was after our first test, a phone call, and geedunk from the machines at the C-Center. I have since found out that some companies were never allowed to use the machines there for ANYTHING! I had one young lady tell me about the time she had a bad blister, and her CC took her to medical. She was upset because she thought she was going to have her flag taken away, she was the guideon. Her CC had her stop for a roto bear and Butterfinger bar.
Slowly we were allowed
more rewards/privileges.
Getting to listen to
music was a great one. I have learned recently that one of our CC’s is a big
music guy. So, our first music we got to listen to was probably some classic
rock. Which was fine with me.
As I had mentioned before, we were slowly given more privileges. Most of these were given after work week. That was when your training was getting near to being over. The biggest reward up to the time was controlled liberty. The test run to make sure we did not act like Fleet sailors after 6 months at sea. I’ll talk about that one in its own story.
As I had mentioned before, we were slowly given more privileges. Most of these were given after work week. That was when your training was getting near to being over. The biggest reward up to the time was controlled liberty. The test run to make sure we did not act like Fleet sailors after 6 months at sea. I’ll talk about that one in its own story.
Oddly the Monday after we
had our controlled liberty, we had a couple recruits drop into our company. It
seemed they had gotten really drunk on their test run. So, they were rewarded
with two weeks to the rear, march!
We returned to the compartment one hot day. everyone did the cycle through the head and we were kind of relaxing for a moment when we hear the door gets kicked open and the CC's yelling on the line. We all get up there.
"Get your diddy bags and back on the line."
We all thought somebody did something.
"Drop your bags!"
"Push up position! Down!"
"Take a nap, see you in an hour."
They flip off the lights and leave.
We returned to the compartment one hot day. everyone did the cycle through the head and we were kind of relaxing for a moment when we hear the door gets kicked open and the CC's yelling on the line. We all get up there.
"Get your diddy bags and back on the line."
We all thought somebody did something.
"Drop your bags!"
"Push up position! Down!"
"Take a nap, see you in an hour."
They flip off the lights and leave.
We did have a scheduled
pizza party with our sister company but, the Central Florida weather switched
it to us eating pizza in our compartment by ourselves. This was on our last
week there, maybe even the last night.
We did miss one big reward for the second locker inspection. I think it was the 3-5 inspection, please let me know if that is not right. We had a get a certain score to get a trip to McDonald’s for Big Macs. We were told we would march right over there and feast. BUT we did miss that one. It was close, but no cigar. It was telling the guys in the locker room about your date on Saturday night with the cheerleader. But we missed it.
OK, when I spoke of big rewards before I lied. The absolutely biggest and most cherished was looking out the window of that plane and seeing RTC under its wing. I felt both happy and sad at that moment on April 25th, 1990. Hell, I feel sad writing about it. But, I, we, had just done it, we were all now sailors. Really green sailors, but we were moving ahead.
We did miss one big reward for the second locker inspection. I think it was the 3-5 inspection, please let me know if that is not right. We had a get a certain score to get a trip to McDonald’s for Big Macs. We were told we would march right over there and feast. BUT we did miss that one. It was close, but no cigar. It was telling the guys in the locker room about your date on Saturday night with the cheerleader. But we missed it.
OK, when I spoke of big rewards before I lied. The absolutely biggest and most cherished was looking out the window of that plane and seeing RTC under its wing. I felt both happy and sad at that moment on April 25th, 1990. Hell, I feel sad writing about it. But, I, we, had just done it, we were all now sailors. Really green sailors, but we were moving ahead.
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