I'm on my way to BCT. Thus far it happened like this.
Yesterday all the recruits that were either shipping out or just going to MEPS checked into the Radisson and had a briefing at 8. Lights out was at 10. Our wake up call was at 4:30 and I've been awake since.
Typically everyone takes a chartered bus to MEPS in the morning but today they lost the bus. The hotel instead called a few cabs and shuttled us there a handful at a time.
Upon arrival to MEPS we all went through the motions of medical screenings and getting travel arrangements. Mine of course went awry. For some reason my name kept getting locked out of the computer system and I would have to wait for 10 minutes each time to try again.
The MEPS was short staffed and everyone was stressed, the one who most easily showed it of course was Scott. A civilian that was of equally bad demeanor the last time I went through MEPS.
Eventually I got on my way with my "travel squad." There are six of us that are all going to the same base and we all travel together.
The only real problem I encountered was when I showed up to the airport and my reservation was under the name "Manuel T Towse." With the wrong birthday to boot.
After making a call to the travel liaison who made a few more calls, the reservation was changed and I was on my way.
On our flight from Salt Lake City to Denver I sat next to a National Guardsmen, who had been in for 42 years.
Once we got to Denver we took out meal checks and went to the nicest place we could find. We were all allowed 23 dollars and all but one of us went over the limit and had to pay the difference. But 3.42 for a full rack of ribs isn't so bad...
Now I'm sitting at the gate waiting for our flight to St. Louis. Upon arrival, as far as I understand we should be getting on a bus to take ua to the reception center at Fort Leonard Wood. It is at the reception center at which we will all get to spend a couple days filling out paperwork and getting shots.
I don't know if I'll have any time to add a last post but I want all of you to know that I am going to use the restroom aboard this flight and cross that off my bucket list.
