Arrival Day

Reader,

Imagine, a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far away, 32 naive, ignorant victims walked into a hallway. Murals had been painted on various parts of the wall, and banners had been hung in other places. They searched through the hallway until they found their room. Their families were already in their rooms, and were setting everything up. Desk hutches were assembled, beds were made.

Eventually, it was time for the parents and siblings to leave. It had begun. They were New Cadets.

The 32 New Cadets, we will call them TC 0-0, were told to change, and get out on line. They did. Dressed in BDU pants, their VTCC shirt, and boots. They were instructed to look at the wall in front of them by an upperclassman. They waited for something to happen. Something did happen.

Clicks filled the hallway, and a man started to speak. He was Cadet Captain (C/CPT) Crunch, their XO. He introduced Cadet First Sergeant (C/FSG) Hokie, who talked slightly about them being in it together.

One by one, the cadre came into the hallway. Cadet Staff Sergeant (C/SSG) Mike, C/SSG November. C/SSG Papa, and C/SSG Sierra, their female cadre.

Finally, the last one walked out.

“My name is C/SSG Oscar. You will remember my name,” he started as he walked from the end of the hallway.

He took a step, and his heel slipped on a patch of water. He stumbled forward, his arms flailing to regain his balance.

He did, but the New Cadets who saw him were struggling to not laugh. C/SSG Papa continued with his spiel, and lined up like the rest of his cadre. They were standing at parade rest on the wall opposite the freshmen, with their heads down.

Suddenly, they started to yell.

“TOE MY LINE!”

“ROLL YOUR QUARTERS!”

“KEEP YOUR BEARING!”

They got into the faces of the New Cadets, correcting everything they were doing wrong. As New Cadets, there wasn't much they were doing right.

So, I think I’m going to do most of the posts like this, with a short story, and then a brief explanation of sorts.

What happened above was the first day of New Cadet Week, for those of you who couldn’t figure it out.

First, you and your parents part on Alumni Mall, and they are in charge of getting your stuff to your room. While they deal with that, you are put through in processing. You get your name tags, sign papers, are given your guidon, and make a trip to the tailor shop. Males get their hair cut, and you get your picture taken as a New Cadet. After you go through everything, you are lined up, and then are walked past each dorm. Once they reach your dorm, you go inside.

Once you get inside, take a good look, cause it’s the only real look you will get until Shadow day. The parents are in the rooms, setting everything up. You can go eat with them one last time, and then you have to get online in MODs.

After you get yelled at a bit, and receive the very first part of your training, you go outside for evening retreat. After you salute that flag, congats, you are a New Cadet.

What happened in the story did happen. One of my cadre sergeants slipped during his little spiel. I didn’t actually see it, I think I was on the complete other end of the hallway, but I know it did happen. I wish I had seen it, but, oh well.

I don’t have much more this time. I’ll be compiling the happenings of New Cadet Week for the next few posts, so they will be longer.

Very Respectfully,

C/ Onymous, A.N. TC 0-0

Welcome to My Life

Reader,

First, a short-ish list:

1. None of the people in these stories are real, although they are based on real people. Well, actually, I’m kinda just changing their names, so they are real, you just won’t know who they are.

2. The events are more or less real. I may have to create some stuff that I have forgotten, but every single event is either completely, or based on, a real event.

3. I am a college student and a cadet, so my schedule is tight, updates may not be often. I will, however, attempt to keep them as regular as possible.

4. After a while, the posts may start to slow down. It’s about halfway through the year, so I’m going to try and get as much as possible from the first semester, but I will, inevitably, catch up to real time, and if nothing really happens, I can’t really post anything.

5. There will be ‘bad words’ in my posts. I tend to write how I talk, and the longer I’m in the environment I’m in, the more I curse in simple conversations. Also, the length of each post will vary depending on what event I am using.

6. Although many of these posts will, in my opinion at least, be funny, some will not be. I do want to show the entire cadet experience, so do not expect to be laughing every single time you come here.

7. If you, somehow, realize that you are one of the people represented here, deal with it. That is why you will not know who I am. Although, some people might be able to figure it out through the anecdotes. If this happens, and you are a bud, deal with it. If it happens, and you are an upperclassman, please don’t kill me.

Now, a short bio:

I am a cadet at Virginia Tech. I wake up no later than 0630 Monday through Friday, to go to formation. Every Wednesday and Friday, I go to PT, so I wake up even earlier. I wear uniforms all day, and some are much more uncomfortable than others.

I am a freshman, currently, so my life isn’t the best. I have to drag (marching on the right side of the hallway, as fast as you can without running) when in the barracks (dorms). I have to sound off (greet) to every upperclassmen in the hallway by rank and name. I cannot look at them to figure out who they are, that would be gazing. I just have to know them by what I see in my peripherals. I am almost always in uniform (We just got cits on the weekends, after over half of our training finished), and every little thing I do is scrutinized.

As you see, I have a lot of shit I have to put up with, and I complain about it plenty. However, there are some moments (quite a lot, actually), that are so funny, I still laugh about it. There are some moments that make me proud of what I am doing. There are some moments where I see why I am doing it. Those moments are the moments that you will be reading.

Very respectfully,

C/ Onymous, A.N TC 0-0