Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Saturday December 20, 1969 ~ Letter from Boot Camp

This is the 11th in a series of letters written home while I was in Basic Training. Click on the "Boot Camp" label at the bottom of the post to see all of the letters.

Recruit Training Command (Women)
U. S. Naval Training Center
Bainbridge, Maryland ~ 20 Dec 1969

Hi Mom,

Sorry I haven't written sooner but I really haven't had much time. I've done pretty good on inspections this week. CC personnel 4.0, IO personnel 3.8, bunk 3.57, cubicle 2.80, and locker 4.0 - not bad, huh! I'm working for a 4.0 across the board. Have tests Monday so I'm gonna hafta take time to study since I haven't done any studying all week. I'll cram tomorrow.

I just got back from the movies. We went to see Swiss Family Robinson. It is really a cool movie. McRoberts, Sotelo, and I sat thru the whole thing laughing our fool heads off. When the pirates stormed the island we used naval terminology for their movements, one of us would say something then another would say the same thing but turning the words around - it was really funny, but you had to be there, I guess. There were only five of us out of the company that went and we got to wear our combination hats instead of garrison caps and if we had heels we could wear them too. I bought mine Friday morning - can't you just see ME MARCHING in heels. Well, I did. Believe it or not. We really looked sharp in our blues, hats and heels. The other girls were jealous because the last time we went we had to wear the garrison cap and service shoes.

Today we started decorating our lounge. There is a judging next Tuesday and the company with the best or most original decorations wins a flag. When we got back from the movie they were still working on it and it really looks great. Tatoo is in five minutes - I'll write more tomorrow.

Hi, I'm back - have a few minutes before we go to Church. there has been a change in our petty officers. I am no longer AMO (assistant mail orderly) as someone else has taken my place. Don't get shook - I guess I have been promoted? I am now ARCPO (assistant Recruit Chief Petty Officer) second in "command". Bet you didn't know you had a leader in your family - I didn't know it either but the CC must think I can do it so I guess I'll try my best. Because I am RCPO I am not eligible to be on the drill team. I was already on second drill team and tryouts for first drill team were next week so my name is being taken off the roster.

Half of the company is going on service week "alpha" and the other half "bravo" is going to classes then they switch around and in two weeks we get Lancaster liberty. Usually they split the company for that also but they are letting us go together because the USO is closed next weekend and they always have a dance on Saturday. They always say that service week splits a company in two but I don't think that will happen to us. We all get along pretty good. The time of the year is going to help us and we want to win all of the flags.

Half of the petty officers are in Alpha and half in Bravo. The RCPO is in Alpha and I'm in Bravo so that means that I am in full charge of half of the company and I am responsible for getting us to classes, mess, etc. on time. That's a lot more responsibility than AMO and much more of a challenge!!

It's time to go to Church so I've got to go. We are starting our sixth week. See ya soon. Give Doug and Janet my best wishes and I hope everything turns out for the best! Merry Christmas! Give my love to the family.

Love, Becky.

= = =
Note: Doug is my brother. He and Janet were married December 12th, 1969.

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