DOUGLAS
Here are some of the emails that ive been exchanging with Doug. enjoy.
Matt: Hey, hows it going? heard from trav your kinda havin a ruff time over there. is it worse than you expected? what are they having you do so far? maybe make an inferno post? well, do your best.
Doug: I'm not allowed to post anything on blogs or stuff like that, although I can use the computers now at OCS. The computers are only allowed for personal use on Sundays from 0700 to 1600, so expect quite a bit of delay. I see that it's taken me 18 days to reply to this message, but that's only because the past 2 or 3 weeks were pretty much computer-less weeks.
I wrote this about the time I sent the original email to Trav. Since then, my opinion of OCS has changed (which is probably part of the grand OCS plan).
OCS is what I imagine a goal-oriented prison would be like. The inmates are the officer candidates, foolish individuals who signed away themselves to the United States government. The wardens are the the class teams composed of a class officer, a class drill instructor, and a class chief petty officer. Junior inmates, or indoctrination candidates are the lowest on the totem pole. Knowing nothing coming in, indocs are guided largely by yelling voices. Senior inmates, or candidate officers are tasked with a difficult role. They must pretend to side with the wardens and ensure discipline (D...I...S...C...I...P...L...I...N...E Discipline is the instant willingness to orders, respect for authority and self reliance) amongst the junior classes.
The worst part of OCS is that you must really try in order to fail out. Students who fail an evolution (or major activity) roll into the holding company. The students there sit and wait until the next class that comes in reaches the evolution that they had failed. Reasons for rolling include physical injury, academic failure and inspection failure.
My first inspection is a giant event that covers the most important things such as being able to fold a pair of exercise shorts into six inch by six inch squares, or being able to make a stamp for clothing from a 2 dollar stamp kit. Essentially OCS is designed to prepare candidates going through for a life of ill prepared plans.
Most of what we've been doing for the past couple days is to react to the whims of the class drill instructor or the class chief petty officer. OCS is without an over-hyped experience. Its secret weapon is sleep deprivation. Coupled with physical activity and tons of busy work, the body is pretty much in a handicapped state all the time. There is a numbing haze over everything. Thoughts that used to fly now crawl. The body reacts slower, everything is uncomfortable and nothing seems to work right. OCS is about how much crap one can sludge through.
--------Jun 24th Entry---
One of the best understood verbs here at OCS is "sanding". Sanding is a form of remedial physical training meant to instill discipline into an unruly class. Here at OCS there are three sand grounds, the Cookie Jar, the Rose Garden and the SUYA (Sand Up Your Ass). Each of these places is a pit of sand, filthy with the sweat of untold classes before, goose droppings and who knows what else.
The simplest form of sanding is just doing exercises in the sand. Sometimes the sand is hot after it has been baking in the mid day sun. Sometimes the sand is wet, after the morning fog has rolled out. But what it is never comfortable. Push-ups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, 8 count body builders are all fair game.
A more complicated form of sanding involves water as well. When we "go to the beach", the class files into the SUYA and assumes the push up position. The SUYA is conveniently located outside our rooms. In fact, I can see it right outside my window as I type. As we exercise, our drill instructor turns on a hose and lets loose. All of a sudden, the uniforms which once were a pound or two weigh a good fifteen pounds soaking wet. Push-ups get harder, but the worst exercise is anything on our backs. Sand sticks. Once the session is over, everyone has to go change into fresh uniforms and clean up whatever water and sand mess that got dragged in.
If the drill instructor is dissatisfied after a simple sanding, we get the worst of the bunch, moving sand. Moving sand is just that. Fill a helmet or a plastic box with sand, bring it into the hallway in which we live. Dump and repeat ad infinitum until he says to stop. With 48 people working hard, we've filled a 30 yard hall way a good 4 inches. All that sand was scooped by hand into a container, carried to the stairwells, up the stairs and into the hall way. Once given the command to stop, we then begin to unfill. Keep in mind that the hall ways must return to a pristine condition by the end of the day.
At OCS, we learn how first to dig a ditch, and then to fill it.
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Anyways, I hope you guys are doing good. Right now I expect to graduate on Aug 20. Keep me updated. I may not reply immediately, but I will always check my emails on Sunday where authorized to do so.
Matt: Sounds like a blast man. do any weapon or basic hand to hand training yet? is that even part of your basic? How are things going now? i was thinking about posting this email on inferno, you alright with that? well, everything is pretty much the same here. i had a second boxing match, i lost again. i beat the shit outta him, but he hit me a few more times than i hit him, so i lost again. i really cant think of anything else worth mentioning. do you have any idea if you will be doing the back to back training or coming home? Gettin stronger? i hope you come back a beast. well, keep up the good work. See you in a few.
Doug: Hah, we don't get to play with anything dangerous, so no guns or fists here. In fact, it's even considered an offense to touch another candidate unless immediate danger is pending.
I sent this email to Trav too, intending for it to show up on Inferno, but I guess he hasn't posted it.
I don't think I'm getting any stronger here, but I have lost weight. I dunno how much yet, but it's noticeable.
Matt: ooooh, quick reply, and its not even Sunday! well, too bad about the no dangerous stuff, that's no fun. Things still about the same then? any changes in routine? are you learning anything interesting or different? or is it just 3 months of the same conditioning? I'll go ahead and post this up on inferno for you. oh, hows your running doing? getting better?
Doug: Yea, I think I'm breaking a rule.
We aren't learning anything interesting. Classes are easy. The most interesting part of my day is guessing what the menu for lunch and dinner are going to be.
I've definitely gotten faster in the run, but nowhere near my fastest yet!
How's everything else going?
Matt: Hey, hows it going? heard from trav your kinda havin a ruff time over there. is it worse than you expected? what are they having you do so far? maybe make an inferno post? well, do your best.
Doug: I'm not allowed to post anything on blogs or stuff like that, although I can use the computers now at OCS. The computers are only allowed for personal use on Sundays from 0700 to 1600, so expect quite a bit of delay. I see that it's taken me 18 days to reply to this message, but that's only because the past 2 or 3 weeks were pretty much computer-less weeks.
I wrote this about the time I sent the original email to Trav. Since then, my opinion of OCS has changed (which is probably part of the grand OCS plan).
OCS is what I imagine a goal-oriented prison would be like. The inmates are the officer candidates, foolish individuals who signed away themselves to the United States government. The wardens are the the class teams composed of a class officer, a class drill instructor, and a class chief petty officer. Junior inmates, or indoctrination candidates are the lowest on the totem pole. Knowing nothing coming in, indocs are guided largely by yelling voices. Senior inmates, or candidate officers are tasked with a difficult role. They must pretend to side with the wardens and ensure discipline (D...I...S...C...I...P...L...I...N...E Discipline is the instant willingness to orders, respect for authority and self reliance) amongst the junior classes.
The worst part of OCS is that you must really try in order to fail out. Students who fail an evolution (or major activity) roll into the holding company. The students there sit and wait until the next class that comes in reaches the evolution that they had failed. Reasons for rolling include physical injury, academic failure and inspection failure.
My first inspection is a giant event that covers the most important things such as being able to fold a pair of exercise shorts into six inch by six inch squares, or being able to make a stamp for clothing from a 2 dollar stamp kit. Essentially OCS is designed to prepare candidates going through for a life of ill prepared plans.
Most of what we've been doing for the past couple days is to react to the whims of the class drill instructor or the class chief petty officer. OCS is without an over-hyped experience. Its secret weapon is sleep deprivation. Coupled with physical activity and tons of busy work, the body is pretty much in a handicapped state all the time. There is a numbing haze over everything. Thoughts that used to fly now crawl. The body reacts slower, everything is uncomfortable and nothing seems to work right. OCS is about how much crap one can sludge through.
--------Jun 24th Entry---
One of the best understood verbs here at OCS is "sanding". Sanding is a form of remedial physical training meant to instill discipline into an unruly class. Here at OCS there are three sand grounds, the Cookie Jar, the Rose Garden and the SUYA (Sand Up Your Ass). Each of these places is a pit of sand, filthy with the sweat of untold classes before, goose droppings and who knows what else.
The simplest form of sanding is just doing exercises in the sand. Sometimes the sand is hot after it has been baking in the mid day sun. Sometimes the sand is wet, after the morning fog has rolled out. But what it is never comfortable. Push-ups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, 8 count body builders are all fair game.
A more complicated form of sanding involves water as well. When we "go to the beach", the class files into the SUYA and assumes the push up position. The SUYA is conveniently located outside our rooms. In fact, I can see it right outside my window as I type. As we exercise, our drill instructor turns on a hose and lets loose. All of a sudden, the uniforms which once were a pound or two weigh a good fifteen pounds soaking wet. Push-ups get harder, but the worst exercise is anything on our backs. Sand sticks. Once the session is over, everyone has to go change into fresh uniforms and clean up whatever water and sand mess that got dragged in.
If the drill instructor is dissatisfied after a simple sanding, we get the worst of the bunch, moving sand. Moving sand is just that. Fill a helmet or a plastic box with sand, bring it into the hallway in which we live. Dump and repeat ad infinitum until he says to stop. With 48 people working hard, we've filled a 30 yard hall way a good 4 inches. All that sand was scooped by hand into a container, carried to the stairwells, up the stairs and into the hall way. Once given the command to stop, we then begin to unfill. Keep in mind that the hall ways must return to a pristine condition by the end of the day.
At OCS, we learn how first to dig a ditch, and then to fill it.
-----
Anyways, I hope you guys are doing good. Right now I expect to graduate on Aug 20. Keep me updated. I may not reply immediately, but I will always check my emails on Sunday where authorized to do so.
Matt: Sounds like a blast man. do any weapon or basic hand to hand training yet? is that even part of your basic? How are things going now? i was thinking about posting this email on inferno, you alright with that? well, everything is pretty much the same here. i had a second boxing match, i lost again. i beat the shit outta him, but he hit me a few more times than i hit him, so i lost again. i really cant think of anything else worth mentioning. do you have any idea if you will be doing the back to back training or coming home? Gettin stronger? i hope you come back a beast. well, keep up the good work. See you in a few.
Doug: Hah, we don't get to play with anything dangerous, so no guns or fists here. In fact, it's even considered an offense to touch another candidate unless immediate danger is pending.
I sent this email to Trav too, intending for it to show up on Inferno, but I guess he hasn't posted it.
I don't think I'm getting any stronger here, but I have lost weight. I dunno how much yet, but it's noticeable.
Matt: ooooh, quick reply, and its not even Sunday! well, too bad about the no dangerous stuff, that's no fun. Things still about the same then? any changes in routine? are you learning anything interesting or different? or is it just 3 months of the same conditioning? I'll go ahead and post this up on inferno for you. oh, hows your running doing? getting better?
Doug: Yea, I think I'm breaking a rule.
We aren't learning anything interesting. Classes are easy. The most interesting part of my day is guessing what the menu for lunch and dinner are going to be.
I've definitely gotten faster in the run, but nowhere near my fastest yet!
How's everything else going?
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