My Marine (recruit) Monday Update

*thanks to Vanessa for breaking a million FAA rules to get these pics!**

This is the MCRD base where 'dawg is stationed.  Bird's eye view thanks to a darling BFF who put herself on the line to get these!!

We got three letters from him this week.  Written at different times, but I am assuming only one mail day.

I was going to scan them, but realized that

A. His writing is hard to read and they would be difficult to see

B.  There are personal messages in them that I need to deliver to some FB friends that don't need to be public.

So with that, I am going to type out word for word his letters home. Even in his all caps manner of writing

DEAR FAMILY -

HO-LY  SHI*!

FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY.  I'M IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT EXACT TIME IN MY LIFE FOR ONCE!  BOOT CAMP IS EVERYTHING I HOPED IT WOULD BE.  I HAVE TO BE QUICK WITH THIS SINCE WE DON'T GET MUCH TIME BUT IT'S ONLY BEEN 2 WEEKS AND SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED!

IT'S AWESOME.  TODAY WE DID DAY 2 OF MCMAP TRAINING (MARINE CORPS MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM).  MOUTHPIECES AND UFC GLOVES WERE ON AND WE LEARNED ALOT OF WAY TO KILL PEOPLE.  IT WAS FUN AND THE STYLE OF FIGHTING COMES NATURALLY SO I LIKE IT ALOT!

WE ALSO DID DRILL PRACTICE WITH OUR M16A4 RIFLES!  BRAND NEW ONES TOO!  OUR WORKOUTS ARE INSANE,  EVERY DAY AT LEAST ONE OR TWO RECRUITS PASS OUT AND WE HAVE TO PAUSE FOR A BIT. 

I'M ALREADY TONING OUT TOO.  I AM STOKED.  INCREASED ALL OF MY 1ST NUMBERS LIKE RUN TIMES, PULL UPS, CRUNCHES ....

OUR DRILL INSTRUCTORS ARE SOME OF THE MOST BADASS DUDES I'VE EVER MET.  HILARIOUS TOO. SENIOR DRILL INSTRUCTOR GUY SGT WILLIAMS, SGT BOWMAN, SSGT TAYLOR AND SGT CURIEL.  SGT CURIEL HAS DONE SOME CRAZY SHIT TOO.

SO FAR I HAVEN'T BEEN MESSED WITH YET, THANK GOODNESS.

SO ONE LAST THING BEFORE I CLOSE THIS UP.  I HAVE BEEN TOLD TWICE NOW THAT THIS IS EXACTLY HOW MY ADDRESS NEEDS TO BE WRITTEN ON THE LETTERS:

RECRUIT CATMULL CA

THE 3RD BN MIKE CO PLT 3261

MCRD SAN DIEGO, CA 92140-3261

PLEASE LET EVERYONE KNOW MOMMA.  THANKS.  I WILL WRITE A LONGER LETTER AS SOON AS I CAN!

ILYPI ALL YOU GUYS

RECRUIT CATMULL

I debated whether or not I would post his address, but many friends have expressed interest in writing him.  If you feel so inclined - I would be grateful forever!  As would he, I think they need so much encouragement.

Are you asking yourself what ILYPI means?  Stay tuned.

Next letter:

MIGHTY MIKE!  MIKE COMPANY - THE STRONGEST MOST PROFESSIONAL CO. AT MCRD! (IF I KNEW THE DATE, I WOULD WRITE IT)

DEAR FAMILY -

OK, I AM AT CHURCH EARLY SO I CAN WRITE AGAIN.  SO FAR I HAVE RECEIVED 7 VACCINATION SHOTS IN 20 SEC.  GAINED 3 LBS.  WATCHED GUYS CRY.  SEEN TRUE HUMILIATION AND HAVE HAD SOME AWESOME STORIES.  I HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN SICK TOO.  86 DUDES FROM ALL OVER THE NATION CAN GET YOU SICK QUICKLY. 

SIDE NOTE:  STAYING UP FOR 72 HOURS SUCKS!

YESTERDAY WE DID CROSSFIT TRAINING AND HAD A 4 COMPANY (FOUR MILE) RACE.  I CAME IN 3RD OVERALL!  I RAN THE HARDEST I POSSIBLY COULD SO IT WAS VALIDATING,  SINCE THERE ARE ABOUT 500-600 RECRUITS IN THE MIKE COMPANY.

I REALLY LOVED YOUR LETTER MOM.  IT CAME AT A PERFECT TIME. I KNEW I WAS GOING TO LIVE AND DIE BY LETTERS AND IT'S ABOUT THE ONLY THING THAT RELAXES ME HERE.  HAHA.

IT'S SO CRAZY.  ALL DAY YOU HAVE TO BE FOCUSED AND TASK ORIENTED.  NO TIME TO THINK FOR YOURSELF OR DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.  I'M TOLD WHEN I CAN PEE, EAT, SHAVE (HOPEFULLY LUCKY TO GET SHAVING CREAM) AND WE NEVER GET TO SIT ON ANYTHING BUT GROUND (IF) WE HAVE A DISCUSSION.  I AM GETTING SO DISCIPLINED SO QUICKLY THOUGH.  I M STARTING TO REALLY GET A FEEL FOR BOOT CAMP AND IT HELPS MAKE IT EASIER.

I HAVEN'T HEARD MUSIC IN AWHILE OR WATCHED ANY TV AND IT'S WEIRD TO THINK ABOUT.  I ALSO HAVEN'T SPENT ANY MONEY AND WE ALL KNOW HOW MUCH I DID THAT BEFORE!   HAHA

I AM EATING REALLY REALLY WELL TOO.  FRUITS AND VEGGIES 3 X'S A DAY WITH LOTS OF PROTEIN AND CARBS.  NO FAST FOODS AT ALL. 

 I  AM SO STOKED FOR YOU GUYS TO GET HERE SO YOU CAN SEE HOW PRETTY THE BASE IS!  I LOVE IT. 

I WATCHED "EARS OPEN, EYEBALLS CLICK" SO MANY TIMES NOW THAT I AM FINALLY HERE IT SEEMS LIKE I'M SOMEWHERE FAMOUS. 

TELL SISSY FOR ME HOW MUCH DADDY LOVES HER AND MISSES HER.  I THINK ABOUT HER EVERY SINGLE DAY!  I HOPE SHE IS DOING GOOD.  I WOULD REALLY LIKE HER TO BE HERE TO EXPERIENCE SEEING HER DAD AT USMC GRAD.  DON'T WANT HER TO MISS IT.  IT'LL BE A GOOD MEMORY FOR HER : )

IF YOU COULD CONTINUE WRITING LETTERS THAT SAME WAY AND UPDATING ON MY FRIENDS, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT MOMMA!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL

SEMPER FI

RECRUIT CATMULL

He then drew a breakdown of how the company works.

One company has 6 platoons = 500-600 recruits.

The company is divided into to Lead Series which has 3 platoon and Follow Series that has 3 platoons.

Each platoon has about 80 or so recruits.  His platoon 3261 is in the Lead Series.

He gave some personal messages to a few friends that left notes for him on FB, and then a very touching and personal letter just to me.  Not gonna post it.  Let me just say, I am so proud of him I could cry.

He seems to be doing well, and is good about letting us know as much detail as he can.

When I read about him coming in 3rd in the race, I was so thrilled!  That's my boy!

Still early in the game, so lot's can happen in the next 10 weeks or so, but for now, I am feeling happy that he is well, doing what he needs to be doing and loves it!

I'm a little hesitant about taking Sissy to the two day graduation event.  She would do well through all of it BUT the actual graduation.  I hear it's about 3 hours long and would be very boring for a 3 year old.  I'm gonna need to do some more thinking on that one.

And what does ILYPI stand for?

Gonna save that for another post.

Semper Fi

PS:  When you ask Sissy where Daddy is she says, "He's at da Marines!"