Drill sergeants mellowing out. Off total
control if we have good barracks
tonight. Getting a cold--will sleep
under covers tonight and make bed in
morning. Have to wake up at 3:30 [a.m.].
I'm lousy at making beds. Back
still hurts. Feet a little better but
still blistered. BRM--did pretty
good. 4 of 10 (poor), 18 of 20, 5 of 10.
Ran 2 miles after dinner.
Decent day. Guard twice
breakfast and lunch.
One of the problems of leaving my bed made all the time was that if I needed to make it, I had little practice at getting it right. I actually felt sick enough to want to be under my covers but would have to wake up early just to make the bed again and still have time to get to morning formation.
Having a cold in basic training (and a flu virus in advanced individual training, I'll add) reminded me that the Army doesn't really debate that "feed a cold, starve a fever--or is it the other way around" thing. The Army clearly believes in "exercise the heck out you and extra sleep isn't happening"--whether it is a cold or a fever. If there is a debate, they ponder whether it is "drop a cold (as in "drop and give me 40 [push ups]!), run a fever (2 miles)," or the other way around.
The impact of seeming to start basic training all over with new drill sergeants seemed to be wearing off. But the physical ailments continued, yet were tolerable.
Shooting (basic rifle marksmanship) seemed fine to me. And running was routine, it seems.
I'd forgotten that we had to guard our gear when we went into the mess hall. We'd dump our gear outside and someone had to watch it all. I honestly can't remember how that was handled. Was someone tagged to go in early to eat and come out to relieve whoever started the guard duty? I honestly can't recall that detail. I assume that I would have mentioned not being able to eat two meals since I pulled guard duty twice that day.
