TBOLC, Week 12

Ah yes, the home stretch of the course. This week rocked, first because it was only three days long (we got Monday and Tuesday off for Memorial Day), and second because there was no PT.

Wednesday started things off right. We came in at 8:30, did our written course review, and got out at 9:15. Unfortunately, we had to come back at 12:00 for a lunch with the brigade commander, and then went over the motor pool to turn in our gas masks.

I was hoping to get out quickly, but the cleaning and inspection took about double that. So all in all we ended up getting out at pretty much the regular time -- a little before 1500.

On Tuesday we spent the morning practicing for graduation until 1100; we broke for lunch and then had to come back at 1600 for some briefings in the theater -- mostly dumb junk we've all heard before about sexual assault and suicide awareness. It ran into overtime, so we weren't released until 1800. Highly irritating.

On Friday, true relief arrived in the form of graduation. We practiced again at 0800, then kicked things off at 1000. By 1100, we were free to complete our out processing.

This was were the day turned less than pleasant. In order, I had to go from the schoolhouse,

1. To CIF to turn in one last piece of gear
2. To the schoolhouse to get a signature,
3. To finance, but I got sent
4. To the Battalion S-1, for one sheet of paper,
5. To finance (again) signature,
6. To the S-1 to get a full copy of the DA-31, and finally
7. I went back to the schoolhouse to get my full release paperwork.

I didn't finish until about 2:00. (Though I did manage to fit lunch in there -- they always have a good shrimp dish for Friday lunch.)

But now, I am free. My year Army training is finally finished. From here, I go to Texas to join my first unit.