Thursday

As I have said before, Thursdays are usually my busiest days, and last Thursday was no exception. I had to get up early to allow enough time to get into my BDUs and get over to the field house before 0545. We got there and then went over to the "practice facility" (which is a big building just west of the Smith field House) and there we did IDEs (Individual Drill Evaluations). We had to mark out a 50' by 50' pad and then a flight commander has to march around a flight, doing a list of marching movements within the pad within 3 mins. Its hard. One thing that I noticed is that, this semester, there are a lot of cadets who are quick to volunteer to do things. I didn't deny them the chance, but man, they really sucked it up on the IDEs. I don't know if they were just getting flustered or nervous, but they hardly called many of the commands right, and weren't that good at voicing the commands, oh well, I know we're all here to learn. But I do think I could have done a better job than them.
I had the normal AS classes at 9 and 10 then we had to do lead lab. The rest of the DET got to go and rock climb and laser tag, while FTP got to stay and do Drills and Marching, and more IDEs. Pretty funny, but hey, we're gonna be ready for FT dang it.
that night we had AAS meetings, I have a staff position IM the, Assistant Information Manager, which makes me a, AAS Cadet 1st lieutenant. Which to me sounds better than Cadet 3rd class, which is my current rank in the AFROTC. We had a staff meeting and a bushiness meeting and it was pretty cool. Nothing to exciting, just setting up for the semester and getting ready to do food drives and service projects. That night a bunch of us went to IHOP and ate, it was a lot of fun, most of us were in service dress and it was fun to be with the other cadets. It was cool

Saturday we (the Cadet Choir) got to sing the national anthem at the BYU vs. Air Force Academy Basketball game, it went well, apparently it hasn't been performed live for quite sometime so it was special that we got to perform it live. Hopefully we'll re-ignite the tradition

well, another week is ahead. Its fun, and I love it.

Up chuck

I didn't actually throw-up, but I think this is the closest that I've gotten.

Pretty normal stuff has been going on. Yesterday we had PT, just like normal. Well, I guess it wasn't too normal cause we got worked pretty hard and I'm sore from it. I haven't gotten worked like that since I think last November. It was fun, I'm not sure if I like my DOT and TSO's yet, but they're cool and were in training and this is part of it. Today I had to lead the flight in PT, it was pretty fun, but sometimes I think they guys are going to get mad at me cause I'm making them do the PT. I'm just doing what I've been told, oh well. But needless to say, we worked out pretty good today. And it was the closest that I've ever come to throwing up in PT. Hooha.

PFO

FTP has 100% officially started. Yesterday morning was the first day, we had to wear out bdus and be at the det at 0600. It wasn't too bad, they didn't make us do any pt but they did yell at us while we were doing "in-processing". Nothing too bad.

So let me go back a few weeks to the end of last semester. I was the last group commander to be in charge at FTP. If you recall reading, I was scared last week that they were going to make me the group commodore, because I was it last. Well, last Tuesday I was worried about it, cause I didn't want to do it. But I was relieved when I learned that there was no ftp last week. Yesterday they called Cadet Wooden to be the new group commander and some others to be the flight commanders, I wasn't mentioned so I was happy. No stress for me, I thought, I could just be one guy in the group and blend in and do my part.

I got to FTP this morning on time and got everything ready, I took the place as the flight commander until Cadet Tate took over for me, I fell in to the flight and was looking forward to the hour. The TSO walked up and whispered something to Cadet Wooden the next thing I heard was "Cadet Hall, front and center!". It was a real slap in the face instantly I was forced to take upon me this role of leadership. They had made me the PFO (physical fitness officer(?)). They told me they were going to do the PFD and to make it happen, so I did, I didn't do it too well, but know the job I did was MUCH better than a lot of the cadets could do . So we did the PFD and I was flustered and a little stressed. One of the worst parts was the fact that the army was playing the loudest most annoying butt rock music and it made it even harder to yell commands or hear properly the commands of the ones being yelled at me. It was fun.

oh yeah, yesterday at "in-processing" they had us do a waist measurement, I think the number I got was 33" which I think the last one I got was about 36" or so.

First Week Back

So, the first week of this semester is over with. It went pretty good. Tuesday morning I went to PT and I was scared that FTP was going to be that morning and I was scared that they were going to make me the flight Commander and I didn't want to be the new commander when the new DOT showed up for the first time. Well, I got lucky, FTP doesn't start until next Tuesday. So that morning we just did a bunch of sit ups and pushups and ran around the track, it was great cause we weren't stressed the whole time and I was with some of my old buddies from FTP last semester and we just goofed off and had a bunch of fun. Thursday morning was about the same we played football and didn't get stressed out or yelled at. Thursday classes were okay, I got weighed and checked for height, at the start of last semester I was 183lbs I think and when I got weighed the other day I was 175lbs and that was even after the holidays where I didn't do much to exercise or do anything, actually I ate like a pig! So I was happy to weigh less than what I did before. Lead Lab was nothing special, we just got to hear opening announcements and then did inprocessing. At the in processing part we had to stand up against the wall and read our warrior knowledge handbooks and some other guys walked around and yelled at us, it was pretty cool, nothing bad, it was often funny too. That was about it.
One other thing that I have noticed in my behavior is that I say "yes, sir" and "no, ma'am" stuff all the time now, I never used to say stuff like that before. But now its becoming more of a part of my vocabulary, I guess this is good cause everyone watches you in the Air Force and if you don't say the right things, even if no one says anything about it, they still notice you demeanor.
Like I said before, in-processing starts next Tuesday for FTP, let the yelling begin.
P.S. the yelling wont stop until I'm done with field Training.

Here It Comes

Looks like another semester is upon me. It hasn't started yet, but it will. My schedule looks much the same as it has in the past. One exception though is that my classes at UVSC don't start until 9am, most all other semesters I have had classes start at 8am so I think this will be nice. Last semester I had FTP on Wednesday mornings and I had an 8am class to get too, having my class start at 9 will give me a little more time to get ready for the day. I hope (when ftp gets out at 0650 its hard to drive home, shower, eat, shave, dress and get to class on time. Of course I did it, but it was never fun being in that much of a hurry). My schedule for this semester will look like this.
Monday 0900 soc 3000 social theory 1000 3020 research methods 1100 psy 1100 human development life span I have a break for an hour 1300 sowk 3600 intro to social work. That's it for classes on Monday I should use the afternoons for homework 'n stuff at 1900 I most always go to FHE with my ward.
Tuesday I have ftp at 0600, I have to be there by 0550, which means I have to get there by 0545 and cause I hate to rush I usually show up at 0535-0540 means I gotta leave the house by 0525 and get up 10 or 15 mins before that. But that's it for classes on Tuesday hopefully I use the day to go and do the projects I'm sure to have for the semester. If this semester is like the last one then I will have flight meeting this night about 2030 or so. It's a simple stress free meeting usually.
Wednesday FTP at the same time as Tuesday then the same class schedule that I mentioned on Monday. Have the after noon to do homework and stuff, usually I have dinner with the family about 1730 and then I try to go to Stake Institute at 1900 that's about it for the day, usually. Air force sometimes has things that night, who knows.
Thursday FTP at the same time, then my air force aerospace classes start at 0900 maj. armistitead as 200 1000 as 100 with Capt. Walker lead lab at 1100 , we do all sorts of stuff, but its usually pretty fun. Especially field days when we go do fun sports or work out like mad. That goes to 1250 then the rest of the afternoon is mine. I just thought about it, but I don't know when the Arnold Air Society meetings are, I hope they are Thursday nights . But I don't know. Last semester on Thursdays I had choir at 1830 and then AAS candidate class at 2000, I think. . Check past blogs. Anyway I suppose that Thursdays are going to be like this this semester.
Friday no FTP thank goodness but the same schedule as I had had Monday and Wednesday then its off to party once classes are done.

well, to me it seems like I'll have another busy semester, very busy considering I don't think that I'm going to get a job at all
well here's to another semester workin' my way to becoming an Officer in the United States Air Force!

a few things
In case I didn't mention these things before. I got DG(distinguished graduate) for the AAS Class, not that it means much, but I got it. I also got Academic Honors Award and the AFROTC Achievement Award. I will also be the IM(information manager(?)) in the AAS this semester too. One of my first callings or positions. In the Arnold air society rank is based on positions held, so maybe I'll be a Cadet major or something. Hey, it's better than Cadet 3rd class.