A T-shirt from Mimi, I'm traveling Continuing the Coutdown!!!

Got this in an e-mail from Mimi... just how did she know that I adore T-Shirts... ;-) Click to get yours! I'm traveling this week too. Will spend the next three days back in Pulaski. Do you know what next week is? Well in case you don't I'm going to tell you. I shouldn't have to though... ;-) We will leave Wednesday 10/17 at 3:00 am traveling to South Carolina!!!!! Should I go on??? hehehehe .... I'm going to see my son ... to spend Thursday with him on Family Day and Friday is GRADUTATION!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOO... But first he must get through with this week.... a very busy week for him... not only Matt but the entire Echo Co and Oscar Co will need our prayers ... Oscar Co is the women's platoon ... Here is a breakdown of this weeks activities ... taken from the website ... TD60 Monday Oct 8 Today is a BIG day! There are two of the graduation requirements today!!! - Final PFT is first thing in the morning. - 171 question written test. The 171 question test is combined with the practical application part (which is Tuesday) to make one score -- a recruit must pass both parts as a graduation requirement. They get 2 hours to complete it, but it is multiple choice and they have been going over the information since they got to Parris Island. It will include questions on general military knowledge (like what time is morning colors on base and What color DOD sticker do you salute), first aid (like how to treat a wound or how to cover a chest wound), and also basic Marine Corps History (like who are the only two Marines to win two Marine Corps Medal of Honors and where did the battle of Belleau Wood take place) TD61 Tuesday- PRACAP (which is the practical application of what they have learned in First Aid & customs and courtesies such as how to board a ship and how to report to an officer. They will demonstarte these techinques to the instructors of the course to show that they are efficient in them.) - a haircut - platoon photo TD62 Wednesday I know you don't really need me to reiterate that today is: FINAL DRILL Then the rest of the day will be fairly easy to help them for the crucible... they will have several classes on mentoring, leave and liberty as well as some Corps Values classes. TD63 Thursday Just think, today we are 1 week from Family Day! You certainly don't need me to tell you what the recruits are doing today. It is finally time for the big challenge that we have all been waiting for while biting our nails for the last 11 weeks.... This is the official USMC headquarters definition: The culmination of recruit training is the “Crucible,” an intense field training exercise designed to build unit cohesion, reinforce core values, and complete the transformation from recruit to Marine. The “Crucible” is the defining moment of the recruit training experience. As a right of passage, the 45 Concepts and Issues “Crucible” is a 54-hour ordeal that tests the mettle of every recruit (and DI). The physical and mental challenges are intensified by sleep and food deprivation. The “Crucible” focuses on six major field events and is augmented by eleven challenging “Warrior Stations.” Throughout this rapid paced exercise, emphasis is placed on the importance of teamwork in overcoming adversity and adaptive problem solving. The teams of recruits, under the leadership of their drill instructor, succeed as a team. The experience pushes recruits to their limits and is a poignant culmination to the transformation process. I will post a more detailed schedule of what they do during the crucible a little later on in the week, bu here is an overview: during this time they will be given 4 MRE's and about 8 hours of sleep total (about 4 each night). They will march about 40 miles total in humps and between different stations carrying their packs and rifles. They began this "test" at 2AM (EST) Thursday morning after getting up at 1AM to get ready. TD57 Friday Crucible Continues! Well, according to my not always correct calculations, by the time most of you wake up (if you slept at all that is)... they will be on the DOWNHILL SLIDE!!!! Yippeee! TD58 Saturday The company of recruits, DIs , corpsman, and officers should complete the last of their march back to Battalion. This is an incredibly emotional time for them (yes even for the guys! ) They realize that really the rest of boot camp is just a walk in the park. They will be issued their emblems (EGA) by their drill instructors in a private and memorable ceremony an are now officially recognized as basically trained Marines for the first time. Then it is time for them to take part in the Warrior's Breakfast! Yummy, bacon, eggs, sausage, ham, grits, oatmeal, pancakes, steak, french toast, hashbrowns, fruit, milk, juice and even pop for the first time since arrival on island. In the afternoon they will begin cleaning up their equipment from the crucible and preparing it to get turned in. They will then finally get to go to bed after their regular square away time later in the evening. I am sure basic Marines and DI's, corpsman, and officers alike will have no problem falling asleep tonight. So.... what are YOU doing this week? Me, I'm sitting on pins and needles... will be in much prayer. I'm asking you to please do the same... SMOOCHES~