In The Navy (Boot Camp, the end), Part 7

Nearing the end of boot camp, I did finally complete the run in time. I was given no praise and it was not pretty (I had to walk a bit in the middle to catch my breath). I made it though.

The marching was intensified now. I said before that the better marchers wound up in the right hand row. That was because during final review (as we pass the Base Commander and his party) during graduation, they really only see the right hand people in the formation. That’s where you want your best people. The band blazed during dress rehearsal, which I was present for.

Come graduation day, the Chief kept his word. I did not graduate with the rest of the company. I was stuck on watch in the barracks. I knew my family had come for graduation and I was chomping at the bit to see them. Shortly after graduation was over, I was relieved by one of the guys who had no family visiting. I ran as fast as I could to the graduation and found them. The event was over, though.

I met up with my Mom (HUGS all around) and one brother; we followed the rest of the groups and wound up at a really large restaurant/bar. We had drinks and the Chief actually commended me for passing after all. We drank more, then more…then more. I wound up lit, to say the least. Way to make Mom proud! It was not my finest moment.

I passed out in the Hotel she was staying at. She left the next day. I had my orders to report to Basic Electronics & Electricity (BEE) School in a few days. I made my way back to the barracks to gather my things. We were all marched over to a temporary barracks and dispersed from there. Some of the guys went on to be A-Gangers (look it up) and others went way away to Nuke school. Some of us (me included) shifted over to BEE to complete our time at the lovely Great Lakes Naval Training Center.

It’s interesting to me that the form you get when you leave the Navy (a DD-214) that lists all of the training you had taken, awards, rank and discharge status, does not list Basic Training. It was to me the most significant part of the whole package and the greatest single influence on any Sailor’s career and life. It should be recognized.