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I wrote this a few years back about my experiences at bootcamp. I’ll have more stories to tell about bootcamp later.

Honor

The thing that I loved and hated about the military was that when someone in your division messes up, the whole division gets reprimanded. They try to teach us to look out for each other: our shipmates. All for one; One for all. Because when you’re out to sea or at war, your very life is dependent in the hands of the people next to you, and vice versa.

There was this recruit in my division that was caught running by a Master Chief Petty Officer. When asked as to why he was running, the recruit turned around and bluntly replied, “I wasn’t running.” So began his night in hell. When we returned to the barracks, he was forced to run in place in front of his bunk, holding his arms up parallel to the floor, shouting the RTC Maxim: “I will not lie, cheat, or steal.” When he was too exhausted to continue, his bunkmate was forced to take his place. This continued all night long from taps to reveille.

Birth Control

If you wear glasses or contact lens, they will issue you the most hideous glasses you ever saw. The glasses have thick brown frames. They’re nicknamed Birth Controls for good reason. As soon as I got to separation, I quickly disposed of them.

Water, Water, Water

At bootcamp, it was recommended that we drank 6 canteens of water each day. If you have a G6PD deficiency, like me, the recommended amount was 8 canteens. With all that water, the lines to the head during chow can be very long. At reveille, a recruit directly across the aisle from me was unable to get the RDC‘s attention to ask for permission to goto the head. He ended up urinating in his shorts.

Snow & Ice

The worst time to be at Great Lakes would be during the months of December and January. If you’re like me with no experience with snow or cold climates, I would strongly recommend not going during those months. You don’t need the extra stress and the nagging paranoid fear of freezing to death.

During very cold days, every inch of your body will be covered in layers of clothing and yet you will still feel the cold. You literally wear every piece of clothing that they issue you. The wind will felt like steak knives cutting at my face.

I dreaded marching in the snow and slippery ice. A small patch of ice can make rows of recruits fall like dominoes. Be careful around manholes, they’re usually covered with ice.

What were they thinking when they closed the RDC facilities at San Diego and Floridia and made Great Lakes the sole RDC facility?

Separation

If you happen to be in a situation where the Navy has to remove you from your division, you will be placed in separation. It was located at a barracks building at the end of base called the Nautilus. Ironically, it was also the first barracks building you entered when you arrived at bootcamp. You will be placed in one of three divisions depending on your circumstance: A: medical (asthma, bone fractures, etc.), B: mental (anxiety, adjustment disorder, etc.), C: disciplinary (drug procession, etc.). They’re nicknamed: Wimps & Gimps, Nuts & Bolts, and Drugs & Thugs, respectively.

Your time in separation can vary from as little as two weeks to as much as two months. It’s usually two weeks. Separation is like your old division but without the training. You will still wake at 3:30 AM, march in formation, and make your beds the Navy way. Separation was two of the most boring weeks of my life. I was so bored that I wished I was back with my old division.