Phone Call 2

Brawny77

Brawny77

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DS remained fairly upbeat on phone call 2.
He said his favorite things are anytime he is sitting down or not being timed.
He also said he is surrounded by people who are "simply outstanding" and that the session 1 detailers had "become human" a couple of days before the switch but there was much anticipation about how the new set would be. He told us a funny story about an incident at breakfast involving pancake syrup (details withheld to protect all involved). He described what rack races are (we asked) and told us of some game they were rewarded with because their rack race times had improved where they try to make someone "lose their bearings" (laugh). Apparently a female mid in his company is unshakable at this and some elaborate plans are being made to try and make her lose her bearings if they get to play again.
We asked what he missed most. He said Hamburgers, rootbeer, music and us. He requested more letters from females not family members preferably his own age lol.
 
Our DS said he was bored. He's injured and can't run. So all he gets to do is swim. Sounded like the bloom had come off the rose a bit, but I would describe his attitude as "workman-like" not unenthusiastic. Apparently, the moment of truth for the injury is coming up because they are doing the O-course again. He's hoping to beat his first time. Said he didn't need anything other than letters. He's never really asked for much. I always used to say you could be in a restaurant with him at lunchtime and ask if he wanted something and half the time he'd say no. We're just looking forward to seeing him and for things to normalize for him a bit, at least as much as can be expected for a Plebe.
 
Google "Military bearing." Think of the guards in front of Buckingham Palace. They have serious military bearing.

Different from "taking a bearing" in navigation, or the related "lost my bearings" (getting lost).

Maintaining military bearing is one of the first skills learned, along with marching and saluting.
 
DS had a pretty epic case of 'plebe hack', but got the attention he needed from both detailers and doctors. (He apparently earned some street cred by turning down an opportunity for a SIQ chit...) Otherwise, all seems well, all thing being equal. Enjoying his squad, company mates and even the detailers ("they're nice guys, even when they're trying to be mean.") Some stress around the new set of detailers. Requesting more Tide Pens, as he and his roommates go through one a day. ("Shout Wipes are terrible and don't work.") Learning the tricks of the trade, including the acquisition of a backup white shower curtain from the Mid Store just for alpha inspections. Sailing was great, but didn't qualify for rifle which was disappointing ("I'll only be rocking 2 badges for a while.") And is continuing to adjust to the balmy Annapolis summers: taking great pride in not having fainted during either of the formal parades...wobbled, but didn't go down. Those 2 phone calls have been the fastest 30 minutes of my life.
 
Your DS is picking up on things quickly! Sounds like he is handling it well.

Sounds like someone got an interesting squad to have that many quit! That is just bad luck. I think one quitting probably did effect the others in some way. It's one of the reasons once someone decides to quit they remove them immediately. I remember when Tango opened for the first time and all the Plebes who wanted to leave were moving out. The Detailers essentially removed is from the hall until they were gone. They didn't want us seeing it or enter our minds. Attrition rates are significantly different than when I was there, so that is a huge amount. This time next week it will be August and it's a huge mental hurdle for the Plebes to know Parents weekend is so close!
 
Ours also continues to have Plebe Hack which was present at Call #1. Saw the doc who said nothing he could do. Also pushed forward with no SIQ though a number of his buddies are sick or injured. He showed us his hands which were a collection of blisters and callouses - said pull ups were his worst. The funniest thing of the call that I will NEVER forget is when his Asian mom, being very mom-like said, "Sweetie, tell your detailers that you need to wear lotion and a hat when you go outside and see if they can make you some tea and honey for that cough at night before you go to bed; it will help." Rather than try to explain, he smiled and said, "I love you mom." Overall, "enjoying" every minute of it but very tired.
 
GNBA2020 said:
Ours also continues to have Plebe Hack which was present at Call #1. Saw the doc who said nothing he could do. Also pushed forward with no SIQ though a number of his buddies are sick or injured. He showed us his hands which were a collection of blisters and callouses - said pull ups were his worst. The funniest thing of the call that I will NEVER forget is when his Asian mom, being very mom-like said, "Sweetie, tell your detailers that you need to wear lotion and a hat when you go outside and see if they can make you some tea and honey for that cough at night before you go to bed; it will help." Rather than try to explain, he smiled and said, "I love you mom." Overall, "enjoying" every minute of it but very tired.
Click to expand...

God Bless Moms! :)
 
Detailers will graduate and leave at the end of your Plebe's first year and your Plebe will probably remember them as they sit in the stands and hear the names. They are human and remember most of them are only three or four years older than your Plebes. They have a job to do and they went through it also. Detailer is their summer assignment at the Academy and they are instructed upon what they can and can't do. It does get easier as classes move forward. They all have other things on their mind as they advance through the grades. I have heard that Third Class is the best since everyone has new Plebes that year.
 
3/C tends to be a mixed bag. Some love it, Freedom and some responsibility. Other's hate it, because it's not a ton of responsibility. A lot of 3/C see restriction because they are pushing the boundaries or bored. Detailers always remember their Plebes and Plebes always remember their Detailers. I am friends with both my Detailers to this day. Some Detailers who just finished first set could already be out on a ship. A second set detailer could of finished mini-BUDS earlier this summer. Detail is a long, but rewarding experience. I didn't want to do it and was 'drafted.' I did it to the best of my ability. You always have to be on point, get very little sleep and yell a lot. But it pushes you in learning how to motivate individuals and a group, attention to detail and how to present yourself in high stress environments when all eyes are on you.
 
Mostly good call #2. Not happy, but seems to have settled into a mode of determined resignation. Some good things have happened, which encouraged him. There's one thing in particular that, if it goes well, will without question convince him he is in the right spot.
 
Unhappy calls are normal. Apparently I called home as a swab at CGA. I don't remember that at all (must have blocked it from my memory or buried it deep deep down).... My parents told me when I last visited them...
 
LineInTheSand said:
Unhappy calls are normal. Apparently I called home as a swab at CGA. I don't remember that at all (must have blocked it from my memory or buried it deep deep down).... My parents told me when I last visited them...
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My mother remembered one phone call from OCS where I was speechless with unshed tears and laryngitis. I never could recall that one, though I think I know when it occurred. I do remember being a week SIQ after being in the Narragansett Bay cold sea water in the damage control trainer. Ah yes, USS BUTTERCUP.

http://www.ocs.navy.mil/wet_trainer.html

At the time, though OCS was fully integrated with women, BUTTERCUP was optional for women. I volunteered, as talks had just started of sending women to sea on tenders, and I was gung-ho. Boats and water were my thing, having grown up on a South Georgia coastal barrier island. I had not factored in winter temps. Yowee.

Interesting, I see the current link has fresh water being used. I could swear the Navy chiefs who supervised (a more pleasant term than the reality) us laboring OC's told us it was sea water. Maybe it was at the time, or they just convinced us it was and we tasted our own sweat rolling down our faces. It was cold. No doubt about that.
 
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coachkarl said:
Mostly good call #2. Not happy, but seems to have settled into a mode of determined resignation. Some good things have happened, which encouraged him. There's one thing in particular that, if it goes well, will without question convince him he is in the right spot.
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Glad to hear your call was "mostly good". They are pretty spent right now, so mostly good is...well, mostly good. There will probably be more ups and downs coming, so brace yourself. PPW will probably be a mix of the relief and sense of accomplishment of having made it through Plebe summer and the thought/fear of what is coming with the reform of the brigade and start of the academic year. Hang in there!
 
Great call for us! My Daughter is pretty tribal. She dosen't mind suffering if she likes the people she is suffering with, and she really like fellow Plebes; especally her squad mates. Rough thing for us was her mail not making it to us. We had an OK call on the 10th, much better than her 'I will stick it out a year, but I wanna rethink this' Letter of the 7th.

After the 7/10 call she went radio silent until untill the 7/24 call. On the 7/24 it was, "I'm happy!" "doing well" "wouldn't want to be anywhere else". Then on 7/25 we get letters she wrote on 7/11 and 7/17 that said "things are looking up" "I'm even growing to like my detailers in a non-Stockholmb kinda way". "One of them even slipped up and called me by name the other day." "I am 2nd worst and holding bearing." "I smile and laugh too much, I make eye contact too much".....so...."I'm on Quadruple Sirs, which makes it even harder not to laugh sometimes". What a load off for her mom and I. That said I coulda done with out all those trips to the mail box between 7/15-7/23 when I figured there should be a letter form her. BTW: the guy who Holds Bearing Best in her company was able to sing K Perry's 'Firework' with out breaking.

One question: My DD is held out of running due to a joint issue. Likely due to running around/chopping around constantly for 4 weeks with some extra upper body weight. USNA Dr.s ordered an Xray, she was to have a consult today/yesterday. If the MD's order more testing or they identified something serious will her mom and I receive notice of that via a 20th century communication method? , (DD is not 18 yet and we are ID'd to receive medical info on her). If the answer is yes, I am just fine with no-news is good-news----- but I'd rather not wait-n-wonder that serious news might come by mail in 10days.
 
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Narragansett Bay is cold even in August. The Bridge looks good all lit up at night although missed it's lights after 9/11. Loved all OCS in whites walking down Thames Street on liberty. Great town and a small Annapolis.
 
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NavyHoops said:
Sounds like someone got an interesting squad to have that many quit! That is just bad luck. I think one quitting probably did effect the others in some way. It's one of the reasons once someone decides to quit they remove them immediately.
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NavyHoops--was there a post in this thread that referenced plebes quitting? I didn't see it--
 
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