DonePlete

The huge job of in-processing the new class is, as we say here, DonePlete!
It was quite a huge job and took everything about coordination, planning, and leadership that I've learned in the last couple years in order to pull it off. I'd try to explain more of it, but after me spending time typing it and you spending time reading it, you still wouldn't really understand. It was a week of prep, and two long days of pulling it off, but I actually loved it. It was great to see things come together and be the one to make it happen. I played the part and marched around like Gen. Patton; making decisions, putting out fires, and helping to make sure the newbies knew their civilian life was over. The environment we created was really effective. I could walk up to someone and they'd be shaking, literally poring sweat, and so freaked out they couldn't repeat a two sentence quote they'd been studing for three hours - all that without even raising my voice.
If all of us hadn't gone through the same thing I would feel like a real jerk, but we've seen how good it was in the long run. In a couple days we'll relax a little bit and let them start showing a little initiative.

This brings me back to the subject of our upperclassmen graduating a week ago. First of all, they're almost all high-quality guys that I look forward to serving with in the future, and some of them I'll be going through UPT (pilot training) with. What struck me the most though was getting to watch the ceremonies as they were commissioned. It was really moving and I look forward to that time five weeks from today. It's sad that most of the people in this country have no idea that there is a constant stream of men and women who willingly give up so much of their own freedom in order to take on the burden of protecting the very freedoms that are so regularly taken for granted.

Craziness

Selected as commander for Inprocessing the new class, huge honor and huge responsibility, absolutely crazy over here trying to get things ready in time (next tuesday, but insane how much needs to happen), in charge of entire class during this period, okay gotta run, things going pretty well here...

Attrition

I can't say that it has settled down into a routine, but I have become pretty comfortable with my ability to deal with the program here. The procedures that must be followed for everything are becoming more natural. I know how to set up a tight room. However, the class continues to be whittled down as people drop out or get booted out. Monday we lost the last female in our class, and tomorrow my favorite guy is dropping out. The AF doesn't need officers right now (our class started at 64 people as opposed to 200) so they are really raising the standards and difficulty. They want at least 25% to drop, so we still have a few more to go. As far as injuries go, there are quite a few; yes, I'm one of them. I ended up separating my shoulder during JMAC (Joint Military Athletic Competition) last weekend competing against the Army and Navy OCSs. I'll be alright in a couple weeks though.
It's hard to believe I'm in week five of training already. The days are incredibly long, but the weeks fly by. These first six weeks they're trying to get you to drop out, then they begin to teach you more about being an officer. I really do feel like I'm in the groove though, and even enjoying myself at times. Time to go do yet another of the many things they create to make us busy...

SHOCK and AWE

Saturday was one of the hardest, most intense days of my life and I loved it.  We were excited about getting to sleep in till 0630 since the upperclass told us we had the morning off.  Then at 0523 our peaceful dreams were ripped apart by yelling and boots slamming into our doors.  Disoriented and confused we stumbled out in the hallway and stood at attention outside our doors as the upperclass berated us.  Then they told us to change into our blues and fall back outside.  We changed in a hurry, accompanied by much yelling, then as we were almost ready, they told us to change into our BDUs.  At this point I didn't know what the heck was going on, but I was almost enjoying myself.  After forming up we were marched downstairs and across the campus when a voice came over the loudspeaker with a Lightning Watch and we had to go inside.  They harassed us there for a while, then marched us back to the dorms.  They told us that we had left our rooms far too messy and that we had 30 minutes to get them in inspection order.  This seemed like plenty of time to me so I wasn't worried, until I saw my room.  It looked like a tornado had blown through as bedsheets were in the shower.  Shoes were hanging everywhere and my carefully folded clothes were scattered.  My roommate and I took a deep breath and went to work.  Then a real tornado warning came and we had to go hide in the closets downstairs.  Againsta all odds, and wishes of many OTs, the campus survived untouched and we ran upstairs to continue our attempt to salvage our rooms.  After the deadline, they called us out in the hall and performed a classified initiation ceremony, gave us coins and made us official members of the Gold Hawk squadron.  We also earned our pennant meaning we can march by ourselves. 

Three weeks ago, I would have not been impressed by this stuff or understood it at all.  But now, it really means a lot.  I feel like I have gotten into the routine of this life.  It's hard, but I am entering into a selective and honored brotherhood, it should be hard.  I can embrace that.