I moved to Italy: I see you shiver with antici..................................pation

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

I see you shiver with antici..................................pation

Sometimes in life, there are these thrilling moments: The day we brought Axle (my horse) home. Opening my college acceptance letter. The day I left home. The commonality amongst them is change and the fulfillment of a long-term goal (one of my favorite things!).

We pick orders in less than two weeks and frankly, the anticipation is killing me! The excitement in the air is palpable. We see the class ahead of us, who have already picked, high fiving, hear their congratulatory exclamations, and smell the celebratory libations on their breath. The thrilling part? WE’RE NEXT!!!

Picking orders is a culmination of lots of hard work, a momentous change and no small amount of faith that the Universe has a plan for us. We may not get what we want, but many of us feel that wherever we wind up- that is where we are supposed to be. Call it a coping mechanism. Call it acquiescing to God’s will. Whatever it is, the sentiment remains that we all did our personal best here and now it’s time to move on.

I’m still holding out for Naples, but it’s a long shot. A rundown of orders available to the first class is as follows: Mainland Japan, Okinawa, Guam, San Diego, Florida, and South Carolina. Slim pickin’s. Throw in the fact that those who picked Japan (Okinawa included) are being placed on hold here INDEFINITELY! With that factored in, I almost want to pick San Diego over Japan because if you keep up with my facebook, you know I can’t stand it here.

Facebook profile quote:
“This wallpaper is killing me. One of us has to go.”

-Last Words of Oscar Wilde

Replace “wallpaper” with “command” and you have my life here.

So perhaps San Diego? Who knows. It's a fun ride just waiting to find out where life will take me.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain

"A ship in harbor is safe-- but that is not what ships are built for." - John A. Shedd

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Acronyms and slang you'll need to know:

PT: Physical Training = mandatory excersise. Usually in the early morning. Like really, really early in the morning!

METC: Naval Medical Education Training Center= The Navys newest, most advanced, multi-billion dollar Tri-Service Medical Education campus. College for Navy Corpsmen.

"What had happed was...": Did you just get in trouble with the Navy? Speeding ticket? Late to watch? Just plain didn't go in to work today? Craft an AMAZING excuse with class 170's patented line.

Examples include: "Well Chief, what had happed was the sign with the speed limit was obstructed by a... soldier" (when in doubt, always blame the Army)

And who could forget: "Well Captain, sir, what had happed was we were told to do one thing by you, but orders from METC superseded and therefore negated your command. Also the Army said we looked like dorks. And that's not true sir! You know THEY are the ones who look like dorks."

Sick Call: Hospital/Clinic hours dedicated to seeing active duty Navy and Marines with no appointment. Run by Corpsman.

Mando: Mandatory = "Mando PT" "Mando Study Session" or "Mando Fun"

Mando Fun= Direct orders to gather at a certain time, in uniform and participate in a command function. Usuall on one's own time.

Scuttlebutt: A rumor. Or a drinking fountain.

Shipmate: A fellow member of the Navy. Can be used in a sincere manner "let me get the door for you shipmate!" or as code for as$ho!e, "hey thanks for cutting in front of me shipmate!"

Balls: Midnight = "I have watch balls to 3am"

Watch: Duty

Rover: A kind of Watch. You get a partner and walk around the ship, making sure no one steals it.

BAS: Basic Subsistance Allowance = "We don't need to give you time to eat breakfast, we give you BAS. Get some breakfast bars and bring them with you".

Peanut Butters: Navy Service Uniform= black pants with a brown shirt. We all hate them!

Cammies/ NW's: Navy Working Uniform. Blue on Blue digital camoflauge. We love them. Feels like wearing your pj's all day!

Cover: Your hat.

Orders: Where you will be working for the next 2-3 years.

NAVHOSPCORPSCHOOL: Navy Hospital Corps School

OPSEC: Operational Security - "Well sailor, we can't stop you from keeping a blog, but try to remember OPSEC and not post anything the enemy can use... like the high depression rate at this command"

BIG NAVY: The Navy is a corporation. Corporate Headquarters is in DC. Each individual Command is its own little world, operating independently and smoothly... until BIG NAVY decides to throw its weight around. BIG NAVY is "They". "They decided to change the Watchbill". "They" wan mandatory drug testing. "They" are ruining this Command by instituting insane policies that have nothing to do with the mission here. "They" will get you (see Don't Ask, Don't Tell post).