Phase 3 Recruit

Wednesday Brent got a call from Aaron, thanks to a dropped call to my cell phone (thank you, AT&T)! That was Brent's first time talking to Aaron since June, so it was a real treat. Aaron was filling out his paperwork for his schooling and job, and needed some information. Brent was firing questions at him, but Aaron informed him that it was a business call & he had to go. Brent said he sounded really good.

Today we received my 2 page questionnaire and a long letter--a very welcomed treat! He started writing it last Sunday on the bus ride back to MCRD. That didn't last long, as the bus was so bumpy he knew we would have a hard time reading his writing. Truth is, it's hard enough reading his writing under the best of conditions!

Some highlights from the questionnaire:

• he finally got his glasses on Monday (about time!)
  
• favorite part of training has been land navigation & shooting--and the phone calls :)
• I asked him if the guys snore & keep him awake; he said they say "Aye Aye, Sir" in their sleep, no joke!
• The DIs wake them up in the morning by yelling, "LIGHTS! LIGHTS! LIGHTS! GET ON LINE! COUNT OFF!"
• They now get 10 minutes to eat instead of 5.
• Church at Pendleton was better than at MCRD; it is run by the Navigators
• Doesn't think he will get to go to Will's graduation; his Senior would have to send a DI along just for him. Unlikely that will happen. :(
• He's doing well physically; has a numb toe and just got over pink eye (word is that it went through pretty much the entire platoon)
• Can do 4 chin-ups.
• My last question to him was "Sick of my questions?" His response, "I'd answer your questions forever." Awe, good answer!

Aaron was really surprised to hear that Will got dropped, but by the time the letter was finished, he had already received word from us that Will had been picked up by Golf Company and was in the middle of the crucible. He's very excited that he will get to see Will at church tomorrow (9/14), but says it will be really weird because he's technically supposed to call Will "Sir."

"More good news! There are 2 different parts of shooting qual, Table 1 & Table 2. I got marksman on Table 1, but expert on Table 2, which made it sharpshooter overall. So, I will NOT have the pizza box garbage badge; I now have the second, but best-looking badge. :) So I'm satisfied!" I should say so, considering he didn't have decent glasses for rifle quals!!

Aaron is excited to be doing Phase 3 stuff now: the fitting for his dress blues & service Alphas, name tapes on his cammies, finalizing his MOS (Military Occupational Specialty)--what his job will be and where he will do his training, but he wasn't so excited about the penicillin shot; rather painful in the tush!

One big answer to prayer was regarding Aaron's MOS. With being held back, there was a possibility that he would lose the job that he was originally offered. The Lord has been gracious to him, and that hasn't happened. Aaron's MOS is Non-Verbal Signal Interpreter. After boot camp and combat training, he will be sent to Pensacola, Fl for 5 months of training. His job will then be to decifer and interpret non-verbal signals, and brief his superiors on the outcome (whatever that means!). So, reading between the lines, it doesn't sound like something that is done from the States...we won't think about that part yet! We're just excited for him that he will get to do the job he was hoping for. "Top secret clearance, baby!" He was pretty happy with that news!

He spends time thinking about his 10-day leave, most of all time with family. He has so many stories he can't wait to tell us. He has his "victory meal" all planned out--all of his favorites...I think we can do that! He is especially looking forward to sitting around the dinner table and talking.

Aaron says he's getting pretty good at controlling his expressions, except for laughing. He's gotten in trouble more than once for laughing when he shouldn't. No big surprise there!!

It's hard to summarize these letters; hope this all makes sense (the late hour doesn't help me, either!)

We are so grateful for your interest in and prayers for Will and Aaron. This has been a wild ride for both of our families, and we are so thankful for all your support. We look forward to Will's graduation day next Friday--it's our "dry run" so we'll know everything to do 3 weeks later when we go back for Aaron's graduation. Yes, one down and one to go!