HUNTER'S TRAINING UPDATE

Sorry I didn't get a chance to post Hunter's schedule for the week last weekend, or the beginning of this week. I have been traveling.

Hunter has been in a Marine Corps history class and doing initial drills this week. Yesterday and today he is in swim qualifications. Please remember to pray for Hunter daily. He has specifically asked for us to continue to pray for him as he completes basic training. The following are the training activities for the remainder of this week and next week:

Friday, September 21, 2007 - Marine Corps Martial Arts Program Test

Saturday, September 22, 2007 - Pugil Sticks III

Sunday, September 23, 2007 - Church Services, Test Review and Corps Values

Monday & Tuesday, September 24 & 25, 2007 - Swim Qualification Completion

Wednesday, September 26, 2007 - Clothing Issue

Thursday, September 27, 2007 - Individual Photos

Friday, September 28, 2007 - PT (Physical Fitness Test)

Saturday, September 29, 2007 - 6 Mile Conditioning March (With Full Pack & Gear), Marine Corps History IV & V

Letter from Hunter

We got our first letter from Hunter today. If you would like to read it, click here to download the file.

Hunter's Training 9/10 Thru 9/16

To the right you see the M16A2 rifle. Hunter reports sleeping with his within 5 feet of him every night. All marines are marksmen first, then whatever their special job is 2nd. Upon completing boot camp Hunter will be an expert in the use of this weapon.

For those of you praying for Hunter, here are the activities as scheduled on the Parris Island website for the coming week:

Monday, September 10, 2007 - Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, Uniform Code of Military Justice

Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - Pugil Sticks II, Gas Chamber (Hunter will be put in a gas chamber with a gas mask on, teargas will be released and he will be forced to take off the mask and then evacuate the chamber)

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 - Counters to Strikes and Chokes

Thursday, September 13, 2007 - Corps Values, Confidence Course

Friday, September 14, 2007 - Marine Corps History III, Leadership

Saturday, September 15, 2007 - 3 Mile Conditioning March, Marine Corps History IV and V (two months until family day)

Sunday, September 16, 2007 - Church Service, I believe they get a free afternoon this day (two months from graduation and a 10-day leave)

Remember that along with these things he is under constant physical and psychological conditioning.

RECEIVED LETTER FROM HUNTER

We received a letter from Hunter today. He seemed to be in good spirits, and can see the light at the end of the 3-week tearing down they do to new recruits before the build up process begins. He asked me to post on the gilkensonbolgspot that "Things are going good".

They have been allowing him to sleep from 9 pm to 4 am every day. I guess 7 hours isn't bad, but he said he is going "full speed" from 4 am to 9 pm. He mentioned blisters on his ankles and having to wear the same camouflage for days. He also mentioned trying to follow orders as best he can, but still being "quarter decked by his DI until his arms fall off". I didn't know what quarter decking was, so I looked it up on the net. What I found is below:

Drill instructors are not supposed to use profanity, nor are they allowed to physically touch a recruit (other than for safety reasons, such as on the weapon's range). So, how to they maintain discipline? In the other services, it may be push-ups, or possibly some running. In the Marine Corps, you get "quarter-decked."

Your three drill instructors work as an effective team. The senior D.I. gives most of the commands and orders. The "second hat," or "Heavy A," singles out those who seem to be having problems understanding simple shouted English and administers note-worthy tongue-lashings. To keep things interesting, the "Third Hat," administers the physical discipline, known officially as IPT (Incentive Physical Training), unofficially known as "quarter-decking."

IPT consists of prescribed exercises (a maximum of five minutes outside in "the pit," no maximum inside). Exercises one can expect if one is "quarter-decked" are: bends & thrusts, leg lifts, side lunges, mountain climbing, running in place, side straddle hops, and push-ups, done as fast as the D.I. can "encourage" you to. D.I.'s use a combination of individual and group IPTs to keep the platoon "on their toes."

I will update with his daily activities for next week over the weekend.

Bob

Hunter's Training 9/3 thru 9/9

The following are the daily activities Hunter's training class will be involved with throughout the coming week. Please continue to lift Hunter up before the Lord in the coming week. Pray that the Lord will sustain his strength both mentally and physically.

Monday, September 3, 2007 - Pugil Sticks I, and First Aid II

Tuesday, September 4, 2007 - Upper Body Strikes, and Marine Corps Uniforms

Wednesday, September 5, 2007 - Marine Corps History II, and Terrorism Awareness

Thursday, September 6, 2007 - First Aid III, and Throws & Falls

Friday, September 7, 2007 - Inoculations (pray that Hunter will not have any reactions)

Saturday, September 8, 2007 - First Aid IV, V, VI

Sunday, September 9, 2007 - First Aid Practical Application