Entering Blue Phase

June 19, 2010

Got another good phone call today, here are some of the highlights... This was another action packed week in BCT as Josh entered the blue phase...they did more physical training (PT) and did some assessments, he is only four pushups short of meeting his graduation requirements...his whole platoon is progressing well in this area...

They got to fire grenade launchers and rocket launchers last week, no live ammo though, but when they got the demo, the DS used live rounds on a tank...he said that was very cool...

They get to train on hand grenades on Monday...looking forward to that too...

He's about a week away from the 4 day field exercise where they sleep in tents away from the fort...

Not a whole lot of book learning at this phase, they had more classroom time during the red phase when they drilled them on core values, ethics and other Army rules...he does have some major classroom time coming up in AIT when they learn military law...

He's doing OK with the heat, they stay good and hydrated with a "camel bag" that they wear on their backs filled with water. He says he sweats allot...soldiers are responsible for cleaning their own uniforms, they have six washer/dryers in the barracks, so during the one hour of personal time per day, they have to fit laundry time in for 55 guys...

He also has Fire Guard duty for one hour about every-other day. This is a duty that rotates among the platoon members, their goal is to watch for guys that may go AWOL, suicide watch and general platoon safety.

He is currently a squad leader in his platoon, he has 13 guys in his squad, he is responsible for giving the morning report and making sure everybody keeps in formation as they march through the fort...this is a rotating duty so I mention it here pretty much to brag...:)

There is also a possibility he may be graduating a week early. The Army has changed BCT from 10 weeks to 9, so in this transition, it could shave a week off for his platoon, that would put graduation at about September 9th...

Until the next update...