letter number three

May 24th 2009

"Hey, It's Sunday, yesterday was training day 5.

We got to use our M16's and placed the bayonet on the barrel

and go through MCMAP training (marine corps martial arts program)

it was actually really cool, I have already made many friends,

My rack mate is (Rct #1......) and I'm on the top bunk, we wake up

around four every morning, believe it or not we

actually get eight hours of sleep, but not when I have rifle-watch,

which is basically fire-watch for Parris Island. I miss you very much,

It's going to be two weeks this Tuesday.

Oh, and the recruits next to me is (Rct#2.........) and (Rct#3........).

Rct (#2.........) is from Nebraska and Rct(#3........) is from Brookland.

Rct (#1......) is from Utah.

Please tell everyone to write me.

Love your MISS AMERICA

:)

write you again on Sunday

P.S. Tomorrow is a Holiday"

(the reason I did not put the recruits name is because I was told sometimes the Drill Instructions search the internet, and I didn't want to put those girls names without there knowledge.)

written by:darlene r.

WEEK TWO OF TRAINING

This schedule is of course subject to change based on weather, holidays and the needs of the company.

Training Day 6 (Monday) MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program)

Classes on First Aid - pugil sticks training (to simulate hand to hand combat with rifles, except they use padded sticks and boxing head gear)

Classes on Problem Solving and Equal Opportunity

Late in the afternoon, they will split up:

Lead Series Direct Deposit Class

Follow Series: a Corps Values class

Training Day 7 (Tuesday)

Lead Series: PT - 1/4mi run and functional exercises, then repeated four more times

Follow Series: PT 2.0 mi individual run & circuit course MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program) Drill practicing Late in the afternoon, they will split up:

Lead Series: Corps Values class

Follow Series: Direct Deposit Class

Training Day 8 (Wednesday) Classes on: Marine Corps History Marine Corps,

Terrorism Awareness, Leadership

Training Day 9 (Thursday)

PT is a flip flop of Tuesday

Lead Series: PT 2.0 mi individual run & circuit course

class on First Aid

MCMAP Corps Values Class Follow Series: PT - 1/4mi run and functional exercises, then repeated four more times

Classes on First Aid

drill practicing

Corps Values Classes

***Some recruits in both series will return to dental (cavities filled and cleanings most likely) Training Day 10 (Friday)

First Aid practical Application (they have to perform a practical application of the procedures they have learned in class)

Dental Recall for some recruits (cavities filled and cleanings most likely)

Haircuts visit to the recruit exchange to pick up anything they might need classes on Hazing and Fraternization

Training Day 11 (Saturday) Today will begin with a short 3.0 mile hump aka hike (packs on their backs, rifles on their shoulders, and helmets on their heads)

Lead Series will then: practice drill a while

Follow Series will then:

have a MCMAP class then they will all get to have a few more classes (First Aid and on the UCMJ)

UCMJ-Uniform Code of Military Justice

waiting for my next letter, keeping my fingers crossed

written by:darlene r.

ooh rah! Letter number 2

One of those days at work, you know headache and all. I got four envelopes in the mail this morning. But seeing the dates on Erica's envelopes it is taking three days to get here.

Got home from work and noticed the mail box ajar, so sure enough a letter from Miss Erica so I did my little happy dance on the way up the drive, my neighbors must think I'm nuts.

This is what she had to say: Monday May 18th, 2009

"Dear Mom,

I'm in sickcall for something stupid, when our Drill Instructors told us to scrub the deck,

we are suppose to run and get these gigantic fans and plug them in to dry them.

Well, when a recruit and myself placed one down, it snapped in place and sliced my finger,

so its nothing that important so they are just bandaging it up the correct way.

Parris Island weather is nothing like Lake Elsinore. It could be raining one second

clear two seconds later then not even ten minutes later it would be a thunder storm,

there is even air-raid sirens for thunder storms.

I have two Drill Instructors, a Senior Drill Instructor and a part time one.

(names here of instructors...lol)

My Senior DI is pretty cool, our Senior is suppose to be like our "mother-figure",

but like everyone she can get pissed off, we have 20 minutes each night for square away time and four hours on Sunday.

I went to church yesterday, it's nothing like Saint Martha's, but it was also interesting

because November Company as well as the guys sang a song worded to "he's got the whole world in His hand" to "he's got a scrub brush in his hand" It was a big pick me up.

There is a lot of things to remember, but I believe I can handle it.

(back side of paper) P.S. Phase 1 is 5 weeks

We have about five minutes to take a shower get on line in front of our footlockers and put

everything away locked away before hygiene inspection, all the while the DI's counting.

I've met a few people from other states, I've gotten close to one from Nebraska and another from New York.

Poor Anglebrant (a girl Erica met at MEP's who flew out with Erica) was put on light duty because of bronchitis, she just got off today.

Today is forming day two. (tells me her weight.. ;))

Tuesday morning will be the start of our 70 day training.

If I'm not mistaken training day 18 is the gas chamber and training day 19 is end of phase one.

One of our study guides is the book that grandpa Bill gave me.

I haven't broken yet and I don't plan to. I'm here to improve myself as a person.

I love you very much and please give everyone a hug.

There is only a few times in a week that a recruit is able to write letters and it's on Sunday

the Catholic Mass is at 10 so it's at the end of square away.

During church the second song that they sung was "on eagles wings"

and that was the first time I broke down (a song very important in our family.)

Anyways please give a hug to Scout and Hailey and of course Bryan.

Love your AmErica p.s. I probably will only write on Sundays,

I understand how Jacob had no time."

I was so thrilled for the long letter, she was able to write that while getting bandaged up,

there was even blood on the envelope ..lol The words in parenthesis are my words not hers.

59 girls in Erica's Platoon. Lot of girls to bond with.. yikes.

written by:darlene r.

ITS HERE

IT CAME! IT CAME! I was waiting again by the mail box, well almost.
I heard the mail mans truck and waited, trying to be patient.
Walked out to the mail box and slowly walked up my driveway flipping through the mail, and I saw them!! I started skipping and hopping up the drive telling Bryan as I walked in the door, "Its here!" The form letter and a real letter! woo-hoo

As you can imagine I was very excited and nervous!

As I have been reading on-line from other parents,
describing their kids first letters home. How they were so upset and

that they made a mistake, they were homesick and wanted to come home,

They hated it. That they missed them etc. ect. .
- So when I read Erica's almost first line, I started laughing and crying,

she says "The first week wasn't as bad as I thought'
I yelled 'that's my girl' and high fived Bryan!!

So here's what she had to say minus the miss-spellings, of course :)

"Dear MOM,
I have very little time, The first week wasn't as bad as I thought,
but the Drill Instructors are tough. The first day I was yelled at because
of my slowness, but luckily I caught on.
I love you and I'll see you in 69 days.
Passed with 12.15 YAY " (she has to run 1.5 miles in less than 15 min.

she says she's slow,

hence she was pleased with her time.)

" Love, ERICA ANN"

"P.S. I have to say Parris Island is much hotter.
I miss you very much and I'm thinking of you
and Bryan everyday.. ^..^ "
_
Got her form letter from the Marine Corps and a form letter from her Drill Instructors,
stating what she can not have no food or candy what so ever.

Any way get those letters to me soon , they tell me we need to write as much as possible.
Photos can be on your letter, they just can not have nothing naughty.
Please send your letters to me:

dar66@msn.com

And I will get them out asap.

Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

written by:darlene r.

Training time

Erica and her buddy Scout


Hello again,

Fortunately I have been talking to moms that have daughters with Erica and others that their daughters have gone through, this little update is from "Tammy"

Hi Families...Here's a schedule of Training Week 1 for you all to check out.

Much easier than trying to follow the matrix.

This schedule is subject to change in case of holidays, weather and the needs of the company.

TD-1 is always on a Tuesday!
TD stands for Training Day
TD1 Tuesday
Today-
- Drill practice on the parade deck for the first time - class on MCMAP (Marine Corps Martial Arts Program)
(history of it and some basics)
- class on interior guard (basic security procedures)

- class on weapons handling (poppin' sticks)

TD2 Wednesday
Today:
- Start with a 1.5 mi formation run
- learn some MCMAP moves

- class on Marine Corps Values (Honor, Courage, Commitment)
- class on Customs & Courtesies (how to board a ship, how to report to a senior officer, how to address someone of higher rank, etc)

TD3 Thursday
Today's agenda is a little confusing (the first of many) so bear with me please:
Lead Series
- PT: circuit course (run around a track with different stations with different activities) & wind sprints
- Basic Bayonet fighting techniques

- Class on First Aid
- Class on Uniforms

Follow Series
- Basic Bayonet fighting techniques
- Second haircut since been on PI (yes again)
- Class on foot injuries
- Class on First Aid
- Class on Uniforms

TD4 Friday
Todays agenda:
Lead Series
- Class on USMC History
- Haircuts (they really do need one it has been 10 days for most of them since their last one.

- a class on Values
- a Corps Value Class

Follow Series
- PT: 1/2 mile run & combat training exercises (rope climbs, squats, etc.) then all over again for a second time
- class on USMC History
- class on values
- Corps Value Class
- practice drill
TD5 Saturday
Today:
Lead Series:
- PT: 1/2 mile run & combat training exercises (rope climbs, squats, etc.) then all over again for a second time
Follow Series:
- PT: circuit course (run around a track with different stations with different activities) & wind sprints Then for the rest of the day, they will be on the same schedule

- drill practice (pop those sticks guys)

- Classes on requesting mast (complaining about something to someone higher in the chain of command)
- A couple of classes given by the Chaplain
- some Corps Values classes

and thats just the basic run down, thank you so much Tammy for the info and support.

posted by: darlene r.

still waiting

Erica's Art

yellow feet Erica had to stand on

Still waiting for word, they tell me that I should hear something by Thursday. All I can do is wait and hope. I have started writing so can you. But please keep it upbeat and positive. Erica just needs to hear how proud we our of her and that we miss her.
Please write, the more she gets the better it is for her. Write about normal life and such but like I said positive no negative please.
Send her letters to me at dar66@msn.com

written by: darlene r.

NO NEWS

You know what they say no news is good news. I pray that is case, I received no phone call from boot camp although a mom I met at MEP's she said she got the call but it was hard to hear her daughter and that she was crying so she started crying, on second thought maybe it was best if I didn't get a call. So they say by next thursday I should receive at least a form letter with address and platoon number and such. I only know that she is papa company 4th training battalion. I started a little journal that I am writing to Erica everyday with everyday stuff but also so when I start writing letters I absolutely want to stay away from the negative. Prayer everyday, and I thank you all yours as well.

written by:darlene r.


art by miss erica 4/09