Countdown continues ...

539 hours until Matt walks on the parade deck.... 24 days left before graduation! 23 days until I see my Marine! 22 days until I leave for PI!!!! Yes, it does only seem like yesterday that I... We.... sent Matt off to boot camp. I can't believe how time truly does fly. This is going to be a very hard week for Matt and all the other recruits. This is the week that you see many people mention that their recruits said was harder than the crucible even. Plus they get to sleep under the stars all week. Matt is in Lead Series so yesterday he had classes on target engagement (multiple, moving) and a review of snap in (in case they forgot) Today he will continue A Line- continue classes and preparing for combat firing- prequalification day for the combat firing that they learned yesterday. Tomorrow he will experience the Gas Chamber and qualification day for the combat firing. They will get a class on the gas chamber and the gas mask and how to properly wear it and use it. Then they all line up outside the gas chamber with their masks properly strapped to their waist in the pouch. Just before entering the gas chamber they will put it on and make sure they have a good seal around their face. Then they will file in to the gas chamber and watch as the NBC tech breaks open some tablets of CS gas (tear gas) on the little burner. Once the fizziling has stopped then they all have to take a deep breath and hold it and close their eyes and lift their masks up to their foreheads so that all the DIs and Series Commanders can see everyones eyes (closed still) sometimes this can take a little bit if one of the recruits has a problem. Once they see everyones eyes they allow them to "Don and Clear their masks" (put them back on and clear the gas out by making a good seal again). They then turn and grasp the shoulder of the person in front of them and play follow the leader to the outside of the chamber. Once outside they can take off their masks and air out a little. But meanwhile the CS has really opened their sinuses and they definitely are not a pretty sight as they come out of the chamber with tears and runny noses that are involuntary. Tomorrow, Land Navigation classes (how to use a compass, how to pace count, how to use their knowledge at night, etca Practical Application of Land Navigation during the daya Practical Application of Land Navigation at night. Friday, Continue BWT- Day Movement Class (moving about during the day without being detected) - Class on hand and arms signals- Day Movement Practical Application (crawl thru tunnels, under barb wire, crawl on their bellies, camoflauge and concealment, crawl over walls, thru woods, etc without being detected)- cass on different combat formations (i.e. fireteam formations)- Then the same course they did during the day under low light conditions. Saturday continues BWT for everyone- Combat Endurance Course (a 2.5 mi course which they have to use everything they learned in the last week, how to negotiate thru woods without making a sound as a squad, negotiate obstacles such as tunnels and walls and barbed wire and up and over obstacles such as cargo nets and monkey bars over a mud puddle -- to simulate going from tree branch to tree branch)- practice some drill in preparation for final drill. So please keep him in your prayers. Looks like he's going to be very, very busy this week.