Hello from USMA!! First New Cadet Contact

FewAndProud16

10-Year Member
5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2007
Messages
14
Okay, so this is really weird for me, but hey to all from USMA CBT 2007! Probably (at least it should be) the first and only electronic contact any New Cadet will make with the outside world!

Basically, I'm laid up here in the hospital (KACH) with a screwed-up foot; separated two joints and tore a bunch of ligaments on the run-dodge-jump course in the Warrrior's Challenge 9 July. I'm getting surgery tomorrow morning, then recovery time here before they send me home on medical leave until next summer. Man, this sucks!

I was moved to transient barracks this Monday, then this morning packed up all my stuff in my flight bag and some barracks bags (since I'm coming back next summer I have to take EVERYthing home!). They moved me into the hospital, which is actually very nice and comfortable (if anyone ever has to come here, you're in for very good service, no matter how slow it can be!).

My roommate here at KACH is a Buckner injury; he's got his computer here so I've got some Internet access for at least today! Oh, and TV! What a blessing!

Actually, I'd rather be back in the barracks with a good foot, marching through issue points, pushing my way through PT smoke sessions, and sitting through endless briefings in Robinson Auditorium, though. Hospitals aren't fun; transient barracks are awful.

Trans barracks are mainly for people who are resigning; at last count there were about 18 in the barracks when I left, and from what I hear there are at least 26 resignations awaiting approval. I think I was the only one there who was being sent home on medical leave. The attitude there is terrible; there is very little motivation to do anything at all. The cadre running it allow those who are not currently out-processing to spend much of the day sleeping, with some cleaning detail and the occasional trip to the gym, bookstore or C-store.

Meals are in Washington Hall in a secluded corner; they don't want the quitters to "interact" with the others in any way, so as to possibly influence others to quit. I was glad to get out of there quickly.

But enough about the trans barracks. They were torture, end of story. If I can, I will answer any questions anyone has; I can't guarantee I'll get back online after tonight, but from what I hear, the hospital may have a few computers for patient use somewhere that I can use after my surgery. I hear a lot through the New Cadet grapevine (and yes, there actually is a little bit of time for spreading news and gossip through the regiment!). Questions, anyone?
 
FewandProud16, I am so sorry about your injury!!! I hope you are not in too much pain...but you sound upbeat. I wish you all the best in surgery tomorrow. I am sending healing thoughts your way.
 
Gee - I am really sorry this happened to you. Hopefully, the surgery is successful. I wish you a speedy recovery.
Keep in touch and let us know how things go for you.
 
Thanks. I probably won't get back here tomorrow; I'll probably be too out of it from the anesthesia to have any coherence or clear presence of mind, so ya'll just post questions and I'll have something to do while I recover from surgery!
 
Okay, I'll start:

Did you go through at least one SAMI?

Did you ever have to do pushups because of a letter being addressed "funny"?
 
SAMI, no. We asked each Saturday if there would be SAMI, and each time we were told no. Just regular AMI, and some days the cadre were too busy to do more than just peek into the rooms (at least in my platoon) to see how they looked. My roommates and I did overhear our Platoon Leader say that our room was the best-looking he had seen yet in the company, which made us feel like a million bucks. We were all dropped for pushups shortly thereafter for walking out of our rooms with messed-up uniforms!

As far as letters went, my squad leader never checked our mail to see what it looked like. In fact, the only checking I ever saw anyone do was when some cadre would go through the mail while others were standing against the walls in the post office, and would ask them who the people they were getting letters from were. Then they would make them walk the halls, yelling that they had gotten a letter from their girlfriend, mother, brother, etc. and that they loved them very much.

Honestly, I find that the cadre more often than not run behind schedule on a lot of days, and so they have to cut out a lot of the hazing that they would otherwise love doing. (Hazing as in mild, nonphysical fun-for-the-cadre-embarrasssing-for-the-new-cadet)

There are a lot of things that the cadre tell us to do, that simply can't be done and that they don't expect to get done, or that they don't expect to be done the way they said to. For instance, they enjoy heaping writing assignments on one new cadet and telling him to have it all done by dinner. It'll never happen; there's never enough free time during the day. Usually for being late with an assignment, they'll just drop us for a few pushups, and since the cadre are now required to join us for PT, we often get away without too much punishment.:D
 
Do you have your post-surgical plans figured out yet? Going to enroll in school this fall?
What hospital are you in? An Army hospital? I don't know what KACH is. Did/Are your folks coming?
 
F&P, hope you're doing better by today. Know that all of us are rooting for you. Has to be some hard knock feelings you're dealing with but heads up & get yourself better. Let us hear from you when you're able. Awfully proud of you for going through all this. :thumb:
 
No, I'm not going to school this year; instead I'm looking into volunteering at my high school as a substitute teacher or a tutor to keep my math skills honed.

I'm in Keller Army Community Hospital on post at West Point. And no, I doubt my parents are coming up here. They can't really afford to right now, and there's no need for them to come up. They're not worried about how I'm doing (they call incessantly); they're fine with me coming home for a year and feel confident that I'm being taken care of very well here (I can hardly get them off the phone). But seriously, they're taking all this very well and are very supportive of my recovery and return.
 
F&P - So, how's the ankle doing? How did surgery go? Did you start Physical therapy yet? How much longer will you be in the hospital?

Best wishes for a speedy recovery! Welcome back!
 
F&P,

Glad you're doing better and sure hope you get more computer access.

While in the hospital did you have any contact with your cadet chain of command? Or perhaps any new cadets from your squad?
 
The food is great (at least in the mess hall; hospital food is okay but I'm very tired of it!)

My foot (not ankle) is doing better; the pain fluctuates from day to day, but it's getting better slowly. No therapy for three months, when the screws come out. I'll be in here another week and a half or so.

I have had lot's of contact with my chain of command; surprisingly the higher ups like the regimental commander and CBT Camp NCO like to come visit regularly! I think they're trying to make sure I'm coming back!!

New Cadets have little enough time as it is without coming and seeing me. Seriously, though, they would have no time unless they happened to come to the hospital for themselves.

Hopefully I'll be able to snag a pass from my doctor to go to church services tomorrow!
 
I just can't get over how positive you sound and upbeat! It is awesome that you have such a great attitude.

So, after you leave the hospital, you get to go home - right?
I assume your medical care and physical therapy for your foot will continue to be provided by the Army? How long is the recovery period expected to be?
 
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