Crushing hard in Marine Bootcamp and Operation Semper Fi

Chapter 35

Ashs POV

If I wanted to be a Doggy

If I wanted to be a Doggy

Then I would've joined the stinkin' Army

Then I would've joined the stinkin' Army

If I wanted to be a Fly Boy

If I wanted to be a Fly Boy

Then I would've joined the stinkin' Air Force

Then I would've joined the stinkin' Air Force

If I wanted to be a Swaby

If I wanted to be a Swaby

Then I would've joined the stinkin' Navy

Then I would've joined the stinkin' Navy

We ran huffing and puffing, singing jody after jody to the ever daunting "Confidence Course", 

Braxtons had given me a rundown on what this "course" would entail. Eleven obstacles, each more challenging that the last, DI's would swarm like flies around shouting "encouriging" thoughts as you made your way across the obstacles. Sounds like fun.

After David had dropped me off not more than two days ago I joined my new platoon in 4th Battalion.   My new DI was Gunnery Sergeant English, and I would have to say she was far better than Donovan.

When we stopped in front of the looming course, my most feared obsatcle was in view.

Called the Confidence Climb , it was a huge vertical ladder with a height of 50 and you muist ascend over the top. That wasnt the problem.

"Recruits!" English shouted gathering all 20 of our attentions.

She pointed in the direction of the Climb.

"Look at my Climb!" We all looked upon it, proabably with many mixed emotions.

"You will NOT fall off my Climb, do you understand?" 

"Yes Ma'am!" We shouted with gusto.

The reason why she asked us to not fall off was a pretty important matter. There were no saftey ropes, nets or anything of the sort on the Climb, if you fell it was pretty much a death sentence. 

I looked over at a few of the women close to me, they looked prepared but worried, their faces a little flush and their hands shaking ever so slightly. But they wanted to be Marines they could do anything they put their minds to and I knew I could as well.

English made her way over to me, her skinny frame drowning in ADU's and her hands on her hips.

"Daniels what are the Marine Corps core values?" She asked me, tanding in front of me. Her brown eyes bore into mine.

"Drill Instructor Gunnery Sergeant the answer is as follows." I said pausing a moment searching my muddled brain for the answer.

"Daniels what are you waiting for ANSWER my damn question!" She shouted at me, directly into the face. 

"Honor, Courage, Comittment Ma'am!" I shouted.

"You WILL take down my course with these words glued in your tiny minds!" She growled addressing our entire platoon. 

 "YES MA'AM!"

For the next 20 minutes we struggled and oomphed our way over increadingly difficult obstactles, the Climb still shone ahead of us.  Helping one another until I got to the Climb.

Standing at the very base of it, it seemed even taller, the gaps between the rungs even greater and the fear ever more present, I felt my pulse quicken and my cheeks flush.

"Daniels if you want to be a Marine destroy my CLIMB!!' English shouted.

I was the first of my platoon to go up, I placed my hands on the smooth wood of the first rung. Hoisting my self up was easy this time, I judged the distance between rungs to be a little under four feet.

I stood up balencing precariously onthe first rung and gripped the second one with my hands, swinging my legs up and got my entire self on the second rung, eight more to go.

Gritting my teeth and not looking down I made my way up to the sixth one, 30 feet in the air. The ground far afr away and Gun Srgt. English looking very small.

"Daniels lets GO!" She shouted up to me, shaking my confidence,

The seventh rung.

Reahing for it I secured my arm around it and reached with the other grabbing it securly. Swinging my legs over, the left one caught and right one slipped. 

"AHHH!" I screamed as my whole lower half lost its grip on the seventh rung.

"DANIELS DONT LET GO, SWING YOUR LEGS BACK OVER!" English was screaming up at me, I didnt look down at her.

Swinginh my legs again, my combat boots found purchase against the wood and I was securly on the seventh rung. 

Once at the top the next recruit started her way up as I descended back down, quickly but carefully.

When my feet touched the ground the feeling that came over me was amazing. I had acsended and descended the Confidence Climb and I had lived. I wiped my sweaty palms on my ADU pants and waited for the rest  of my platoon to finish the course.

-----Three hours later-----

Eating dinner in the chow hall, avoiding looking at anyone.

-----Twenty Minutes later-----

We had been released back to our room for a little under an hour of free time. 

I sat on my rack, now on the bottom and took out some paper and an envelope. I would write Braxton before he left for Baghdad.

Dear Fischerman,

 For the first time i'm writing you so I hope you like it. Just kidding B, I know you'll love it.

Are you familiar with a Gunnery Sergeant English? Blonde hair, brown eyes, rail skinny, you might coin her the term bird depending on your mood? Anyways she is my new DI Completed the Confidence Course today, the Climb was pretty spectacular.

I lifted my pen, pausing for a moment.

Braxton I love you and i'm praying for your safe return to me, I always think of you and I miss you 10 times over. Well I hear English a calling so Ill write you later. You always know where to find me.

Love,

Daniels 

"Recruits get your crap together were going for a swim!" A smile in our DI's voice.

English was excited about something.

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Just a short little chapter cause im functioning on 4 hours of sleep, Enjoy and vote and comment your heart out!!!