Land Nav

Wow the first day of White Phase....You know I could get used to this..anyways you know the usual 0430 wakeup..this time Drill Sgts won't come and barge in the door and blow the whistle anymore instead they wake us up by the PA system. They say wakeup wakeup Privates you know what to do formation is 0450 do not be late Privates! (or whatever time) Well Drill Sgt Hoaglund and Drill Sgt Johnson would just come in and sit on top of the Fireguard desk and watch what we were doing. Well I did my bunk and got my hygiene stuff done and of course DS Hoaglund and Johnson would go around the bay to make sure our lockers were locked and if was unlocked well they'll toss everything out...and they sure did find a locker which was unsecure and this time an IBA was on the ceiling...good luck to that person to get that down...Well I got down to formation and we had to select a Platoon Guide (Platoon Guide would be the leader and relay orders from the Drill Sgts) and squad leaders(Squad Leaders are leaders of a squad which comprises of 12-15 Soldiers). So we picked one and the squad leaders. Then the platoon guide would report in to the DS of how many were accounted for. Then we did PT. Then yummy breakfast chow. Well today we're doing the Land Navigation...oh shit I forgot all the Land Nav stuff I learned from that class I'm just hoping I have a group who knows how to read the map and designate points. You guys may think it's easy it's not. Well we got on trans and we arrived at the Land Navigation site. You know the area under my hip on my right leg is feeling kinda weird and it hurts somewhat oh well maybe it's temporary. Well we would drop our rucksacks onto the drop site for rucksacks and cover it with our ponchos because the weather looks very gloomy today. Well we always cover it with a poncho anyways. Then we would go into a windscreen and get a brief from the Cadre about Land Nav. Then we would go into the woods and learn Pace count. Basically it's measurements. Then they would split us into groups. Well I ended up with some of my buddies, Gloyd, Voyles, and Holmes from 4th Platoon. Gloyd would carry compass and Volyes would have the map and do the measurements and where to go. There are points on the map you have to go to and each group which has 4 Privates have to go to those points. And when the DS's were talking about dropping us into a huge ass forest, I thought they were joking! They weren't joking...no wonder why it's called Fort Lost in the Woods. Well they would mark signs where the points on the map would be and every group has different points. So we're all spread out so no one cheats and only your group knows. But of course some groups would have the same points so I guess just in case we run out of time we get the points from the groups. Well Holmes and I would be the spotters looking out for the signs. After given our map our group set out to our first point and Gloyd would just point the compass to see what direction we were in. I hope we're heading the right way...well it took us 1/2 hour to get to our first point.Good thing I have good instincts in finding objects because if I didn't spot them we would have just gone past it! and damn I hate this walking. Also I like to add it is hot out here. I think it's like 95 degrees plus! Lucky we're just wearing our LBVs and not our IBAs. Well we would go to our 2nd point (note: We had 4 hours to complete this task, Land Nav is a graduation requirement) and would climb up and down hills and more hills. God this is killing my freakin legs. The area under my hip feels weirder now....I'm not carrying my M-16 in my hands anymore now so I sling it on my back. Then finally we found our 2nd point, then we went on to our 3rd point and climbed up more hills...argh...this is killing me! and then found it..then got our 4th and final point...I looked down my watch and we had an 1 hour and 1/2 to get back to the site. Looks like we get to rest here on the hill. Well I sat down and we would see other groups trying to find their points and they would ask us where this certain point is and etc. We would have the same points as some others and they would thank us and be on their way. Well to me it's teamwork and hopefully they do find the points! Gloyd would be writing letters and meanwhile Holmes and Voyles and me would chat and talk about home...man I miss home...and I miss the food. I could eat some Reese's Pieces! That's it when I graduate and come home I'm buying a big pack of Reese's and eating it all day!!! After an hour we would set back to our starting point and give the numbers and points to the Cadre and they would clear us that we pass Day Land Nav. Well folks we have Night Land Nav which it will dark as shit....but for now I'm looking forward to my yummy MRE!!! I took off my helmet and LBV and layed my rifle next to me and then opened the precious MRE. This time I got Enchilada yum!!! Damn it I got no candy though but hey I did get a milkshake...but I decided to save the milkshake for later purposes...Meanwhile it would get cloudy and then it rained. I rushed with my gear to the windscreen where 200 of us Privates would sit and squeeze in the bleachers. Well it rained and thundered and then hailed. Sr. Drill Sgt then came out of the tent and told us Night Land Nav might be canceled if the weather keeps on going like this. I felt hungry again though so I took out my milkshake and put some water in it and drank the yummy strawberry flavored milkshake yum!!! 1/2 hour later the rain would stop and we would stay put. Well since most of us were 17 year olds and still in High School we love to talk so guess what? More PT....oh geez...Rifle PT. Drill Sgt McKay would call a company formation and then half right face and put the Rifle over our heads. God damn it people why can't you keep your mouth shut when the DS's tell you to be quiet...then we would do some exercises with the Rifle such as squatting with the rifle in front of you and arms straight. We did this straight for an hour. Then Senior DS would stop it and lecture us about learning a lesson...oh well I hope it doesn't happen again...I'm getting tired of this talking scheme...well we would just sit around and we would learn some covering techniques from the DS's. Then Dinner Chow, had Chicken and Rice yum! After Dinner Chow we would sit in the Windscreen awaiting our next task. Then it rained AGAIN! Damn it...Sr. Drill Sgt said they're canceling Night Land Nav that bad weather is on the way and we would get back to barracks. We then we got in a Company Formation and rushed to our rucksacks and got on Trans. Again now the area under my hip is hurting real bad when I'm running...but I'm ignoring it ..I can barely run but I'm pushing it...Well got on trans and got back to the barracks. We would put our gear away and then go down again for formation for mail call, then up again to shower and I got goddamn fireguard again...oh well first shift..not bad...well cleaned the latrines and then the shift was over and I went to sleep...my legs are toasted...and the area under my right hip hurts...