T-10 (July 24)

T-10 (July 24)

Today is Pioneer Day for Utahns and those of us that are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormons).  While the scouts in the area put out American flags, Jeremiah probably hopes we are wearing RED since the Marines do that to Remember Everyone Deployed.

I think today was another haircut day.  I'm not sure though.  He's been gone three weeks now, so maybe the hair cut will wait another week.  With as fast as Jeremiah's hair grows...they may have to shave his head weekly!


The Matrix shows "Lower Body Strikes" scheduled for today.  I joked with the other boys that Jeremiah must be learning how to tackle like in football.  Frankly, I have no idea what "lower body strikes" means.


According to a group I'm in on Facebook, classroom sessions will include Small Unit Leadership, the Law of Land Warfare, and Equal Opportunity.  From what I gather, in Phase 1 of boot camp, recruits may be chosen to be Squad Leaders, PLT Guides, or other positions then "fired" a few days later as DIs try to find out who fits the position the best.  Hopefully Jeremiah doesn't get "fired" as a prayer leader since I think that is an ideal position for him.  He's faithful and loves God more than anything.  He was called to be a Marine and so God will use him as He sees fit.  Hopefully the DIs are listening to where God wants Jeremiah to be.

A mother from a support group posted that her son had written a letter on July 17th.  As of that day, he hadn't received any letters from home.  Not unexpected really since the first letters the recruits sent out were on July 13th.  Parents started receiving them on the 15th (mine came on the 16th) and that was the first time we even had their addresses to mail things.  Many of the recruits are requesting protein bars, so yesterday I got a group together and we sent about 11 boxes of protein bars to Jeremiah's platoon.  Now other groups are doing the same.  The parents of Jeremiah's fellow recruits are amazing and so very supportive of the recruits and other parents.  Some of them are even starting to write letters for recruits that haven't received any letters.  Here we are, three weeks into training, and some parents haven't even received the form letter that most parents received last week.  Not sure if I have time or would even know what to say, but I may try to do the same thing.  Many of the parents have posted the following image on the internet.  I'll do so here, especially since it touches my heart.  I've definitely prayed for these same things even if I didn't put it so poetically.