As the plane gracefully descended from the sky, the anxiety in my stomach violently increased. As soon as flight AA1709 touched down at O’Hare intl., the professionals from the US Navy didn’t waste a second to have us move with speed & intensity and to fall into an orderly and fashion line. From the commercial airport up until my graduation, I was in US Navy boot camp. Nothing in my life would ever be the same.
We rode on obnoxiously cold coach buses in complete silence, all the way from the airport to Recruit Training Command (RTC). For the next twelve weeks that would be my home. Overwatching our frightful silence, stood a Petty Officer Third Class, in her Navel service uniform with her rank insignias and ribbons all perfectly aligned, as if a factory machine aligned it for her. She had a malicious grin on her face like she was in on some inside joke, which only made me more nervous. As soon as the bus stopped she finally broke the piercing silence and said in a surprisingly calm voice, “This will be the last time someone will talk to you as a normal human being for the next two months… have fun!” Before anyone could have comprehended what she had just said, she was off the bus and was replaced with what seemed to be an eight-foot giant. It was as if she transformed from Dr. Jackal and Mr. Hyde. He wore the same uniform she had on, but with more ribbons and two extra chevrons on his rank insignia. “When you get off my bus, you will constantly move with speed and intensity and will scream aye Petty Officer, do you understand that!” he abruptly yelled. Most of the people were almost culture shocked and was confused on what to do. Then he yelled again with a more violent and aggressive voice, “Do you understand that!!” This time everyone understood and screamed back in an equally loud voice, “AYE PETTY OFFICER!” From then on all of my expectations were thrown out the window on the bus.
The next week would be called the processing week. During that time we would get out shots and go through vigorous medical exams. For me, P-week felt more like the breakdown week. It was as if we were perfectly fine cars, but that needed to be torn apart and put back together in the image of the Navy. During that week the things I had to re-learn, I never thought was possible. There are a few things that I will always do differently now, because of my time in boot camp. I eat differently, fold my clothes differently (even sometimes label my clothes too), and I even write differently too. My handwriting drastically changed after boot camp. I had to re-learn everything the right way, the Navy way.
Aside from all the physical differences that boot camp influenced, there was a lot of internal changes too. After P-week that’s when they begin to build you up and install new found confidence in you. From many different types of training including firefighting, line handling, and even some that are top secret, I began to see things in a different light. I felt not only confident, but mature, and had a sense of pride and responsibility. Before the Navy, I was pretty much a little punk who thought he knew everything. I had this sense of entitlement and thought the world owed me a giant favor. I am truly grateful that the Navy put me in my place and showed me a different perspective. The world is much bigger then I am and it is important to have a sense of pride, without being overly confident. You also have to pay attention to the small details and always remain situationally aware. You might not always win and sometimes you might even lose badly, but it’s how you handle it that truly counts. All of these important lessons in my life I owe to my United States Navy Career. I am truly grateful for my boot camp experience.
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