Wow.

It's been a long time since I posted, my apologies.
It was a tough week, but a fun one none the less. I got a lot of emails about doing another post and the hardest part about that is finding the time. Last week time wasn't a word in my vocabulary unless it was prefixed with No before it. Every minute of every day seemed to be timed out .This is the best way for strangers to become friends. Taking away the element of time seems to have been the best social lubricant. THere was NO time to be awkward, there was just things to be done, and the only possible way they can be done is if you worked together.

Rook Week is what you take out of it. You can take anything out of it you want. For me it was great. Tough but fair. The best day of them all was the Mil-Skills day. All of the recruits went from station to station, campus wise, and did different things. There was  a land- navigation exercise, which is pretty much a large- campus wide scavenger hunt. There was also the rappelling tower, a huge fifty foot tower that you rope down from. I was scared. The guys running it were asking for people scared of heights. I raised my hand thinking they'd let me go down the 35 foot section. WRONG. The man in charge said " Today we're gonna conquer some fears" So we did. The next thing I know I'm on top of a fifty story tower, getting ready to lower myself down. The hardest part is always starting. Kind of like Rook Week. Once you get over the edge of the tower, it gets much easier. There were also other days were we did PT (Physical Training), learned how to fold our clothes and make our beds.  The week ended on a high note. We did the Dog River Run. Again, it's what you make of it. It's simple you run up a river for about a mile, get dirty along the way, and you pick up a rock. Some tried to find the largest one they could, others a small sentimental one. I chose a big one... too big. So i had some help bringing it back.

This week was the start of the first academic week, and it went to fast. I've never liked school much, the days fly by because it's not the class after class regimented, boring schedule. For instance all my core classes are done by 11:40.

I'm running out of time so I have to cut this short,

But Rookdom is what you make it.

Jim Gentile

Comments

[cadet mom2]

Welcome to Norwich, James. Just from reading your first two blogs, it appears as though Norwich and you are a perfect match. It is a demanding school; physically, emotionally, academically. It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance to succeed. I have no doubt that you have those qualities and will do very well. Learn everything you can from your Cadre and depend on and help all your rook buddies. The year will fly by; it did for my now sophomore cadet son. Best of luck!