Robert Update

Happy Saturday, August 18, 2007

We have gotten a couple of letters from Robert the last few days and his address so we can mail him just this passed Thursday. He does not get a lot of time to write so I told him I would send you all his address and an update on how he is doing. If you know of anyone that would like to receive an update as well let me know their email address. If you would rather not receive an update let me know that to so I can delete you from the list.

He left August 1st for Missouri for Basic Training (BT). There were too many in the group so he was one of the people to be held back till more came to form another group.
The way the groups work are as follows:
A Team is 4 people
A Squad is 8 people
A Platoon is 60 people
A Company is 250 people
A Brigade is 1500 people
Robert is what they call a 68 W (68 Whiskey), those who will be becoming Combat Medic’s. Because there are so few going into this field of service they gave him excellent bonuses. His rank is Private 2nd Class, they will move him to 3rd Class once they receive his School Transcript. FYI: He was promoted to the higher rank because he is an Eagle Scout and has more than 32 hours of college credits that he got in HS.

He said his first couple of days they did a lot of paper work got uniforms and got lots of inoculations. Wake up time is 4:30 AM, breakfast ‘Chow’ is 5:30, lights out is 9 PM. Those that were held back, spent the week sitting on a bench, (with no back), studying a manual. If they talked too loud or fooled around they were sent out to run and do push ups and sit-ups. He said it was a long boring week. He did enjoy meeting people from all over the country and is making a lot of friends. Everyone to a DLAB Test (Defensive Language Assertion Benedictory test). A test of a fake language to see how fast one can learn another language. The highest score is 115, you need a 90 to pass, Robert got 109, the next highest was an 87. They were also given a quiz on ranks, ex. General, Sear gent, ect., because he got 100% he did not have to do any push-ups. He love the fact that he has learned how to roll a shirt into the size of a ‘Twinkie’. Saturdays are rest days and they got to watch a movie last Saturday, when they got too loud they were sent outside in 97 degrees to do push-ups and strait up arm lifts (2 count as 1). One of the group messed up one morning, which caused all of them to have to push-ups, sit-ups and butterfly kicks in a dirt pit for a long time.
Up to all this he is still in the reception section waiting to get to the baric (which are down the road) to start BT.

August 10th, he finally gets to BT. He gets a crazy red headed female and a little crazy Asian man for DS (Drill Sear gents), the two of them are very much into the physical training (running ect.). During an info session someone fell asleep, they were all sent out to do 30 minutes of push-ups. They got assigned a Battle Buddies (room mates). He has 8 bunks in his room with only 6 guys so far (get 2 more next week), 5 of them are 68 W as well and will be coming down to San Antonio for school with him. He says they get along well and really help each other when one or more need some encouragement. They are actually doing extra workouts together in their room when the DS’s are not around. He told us in his last letter from Aug. 12th that official BT has started just yesterday Aug. 17th , now that everyone should have arrived.

I am going to type a section of the last letter we got, (gives a good picture the way Robert writes it), FYI: It has been in the 100’s with 95% humidity where he is:

Robert:
“A ton of people have been going on sick call for dehydration. The DS’s have been getting pissed so they filed us outside and gave us ‘military juice’ (basically Gatorade with salt to replace the salt and electro-lights you lose while sweating). Well it was nasty and I chugged it in 3 gulps (big cup too) and the DS saw. Everyone else was puking and spitting it out, so he made me get a whole other cup and chug it in front of the Company (250 people), just to show them. Then he made us get into ranks and do 100 push-ups (mind you, this is on a sandstone paved road, so my hands are raw), but anyways once we did 100, he made us chug a canteen (1 quart) of water, run back inside to refill the canteen, (no not run, sprint) and I was 3rd in! and 3rd platoon away from the door. People were throwing up everywhere. Once we were back outside, 100 more push-ups and chug another canteen, go fill it back up and go back outside. After that he just yelled at us to stay hydrated. Once we came back in, my squad and I did 100 more push-ups, 1 minute of sit-ups and 1 minute of butterfly kicks. That smoking session wasn’t stopping us. Then we chugged 1 more canteen and now here I am. I didn’t puke, but I feel like crap. I have to take a shower now and then go do laundry so I gotta wrap it up. I am so sore but it is all good.
Smoking= DS(Drill Sergeant) screaming session, so ya’ll know.”

Sounds to me like he is having a blast!

Make sure you write his address exactly like marked here and put a # 3 on the center of the back side of the envelope to ensure he gets it.
His address:
PV2, Pate, Robert
A-CO 1 – 48 In 3rd Plt.
Ft. Leonard Wood, MO 65473 Don’t forget the # 3 on the back of the envelope.

I’ll keep everyone updated each week.
Please keep Robert and all our troops in your prayers.

Love,
Loretta Pate