Sharpie, our good pal, has entered Basic Training. After he finishes his education, he’ll serve his time with the Army for six years. Since Basic Training lasts a good 16 weeks, he and I agreed that I (my wife and I, that is) would type up his general letters and post them here. We’ll try to redact any personal sensitive stuff, but for the most part the letters he’ll be sending to me are for general disbursement. Note that I’ve create a new category for this communications: Boot Camp Sharpie. Without further ado, here’s his first letter.

24 March 2007

Well look at me! Writing on genuine, bona fide, United States Army stationary! How about that? I’m writing this letter while still in reception. That means I will be able to write you but you won’t be able to write me (because I won’t get my mailing address until I actually get to basic). Reception is a very curious state of existence. Basically it’s where you hang around getting paper work processed, equipment issued, and medical work taken care of. It’s not really basic training and non e of the time spent here actually counts towards time at basic training. Which is very frustrating considering I don’t actually ship to basic until next Friday.

There are some poor chaps here who have been stuck in reception for weeks. One guy, who helped one of the sergeants with processing when we first got here, has been in reception for 35 days!! That’s more then a month of doing nothing that gets him any closer to going home. Sometimes the delays are because of medical problems. But most of the time it’s because they are waiting for slots to open up in AIT (Advanced Individual Training) schools. I don’t know why they just don’t send these poor guys through basic then let them wait around for AIT slots. I guess that would make too much sense.

I could spend pages and pages giving a travelogue of everything that’s happened to me but to save me the writing and you time reading and to preserve the mystique surrounding basic training… I think I’ll write about what generally happened in the previous few days and then relate a few interesting anecdotes.

So I’ve already generally explained what reception is all about (hurry up and wait and drink a bottle of frustration) so I’ll give a few interesting stories. First, just to give you an idea of how much complete control the army ha over your behavior I give you this… in the latrine (bathroom) urinals there are rubber strainers at the bottom to keep people form flushing stuff they shouldn’t (you know, just like the kind you see in public restrooms) only these strainers are bright yellow and have the following printed on them, “If your urine is this color, drink more water.� No joke – they can get you anywhere.

I met this Private Holland from Alabama who has an interesting story. On 9-11 eight of his family members (cousins, sisters, etc) died in the first plane to hit the trade center. It really brings that whole event into a more realistic context when you can put a face to one of those grieving family members you know are out there. This Private Holland certainly had a good reason to join the army.

When in the army you need to be a very loud person. It’s called “sounding off.â€? It trains you to be confident and disciplined but it’s also very important when in the middle of a firefight to be able to hear orders and other communication over the sound of gunfire. Well, there are some people in the world that literally can not be loud. No joke, some guys just cannot breathe from the gut and belt out something nice and clear. We have an accountability formation every evening and we’re supposed to sound off with our last name when our series and line number is read off. This one private, every time, without fail, cannot yell his last name – He just talks it kind of forcefully. What’s even more embarrassing for him is the fact that he has a very proper accent (American accent but still very correctly pronounced) and kind of a sing-songy voice. Man it sounds so funny when he cannot yell any louder even when the Sgt. Is cussing him out and giving several tries to get it right. When he doesn’t he’s sent to the back of the formation and gets extra duty late in the day. Poor guy – I just don’t understand it

Well, I think that’s all for now. Until next time! Signing off from Ft. Knox.

PFC Nathan Christensen
Line and Series Redacted

Personal Comment Redacted