Navy Marriage Law

P-Days

P-days

I finally get off the bus to MEPS. The building was a plain white building with a few windows, a small porched area by the front door. It looked like a heavy secured place. This is it, time for processing to see if I can ship out. We get into lines by who is leaving for Bootcamp, picking jobs, and swear ins by the lady's instructions. It was me and fifteen other people who were leaving today. I saw people who weren't at my hotel, standing there as well. Everyone seemed to be as nervous just as I was. We are all headed to a place where the unknown is in every direction of sight, There's no turning back now. We listened to the speeches of the people in charge I didn't really pay attention to drawing myself to the faces of the people around me. There were only five girls and the rest were guys. "Take all belts off, no phones allowed, place everything in the closet to the right, along with all the belongings you brought with you." It is what I seemed to hear. I do so then go through the metal detector and follow everyone else. We spend all day getting our eyes checked, our ears, blood drawn, weighed and the whole works. Finally, it was just me and some other people sitting in a room taking turns playing video games. I sat at the table eating every snack they had. "Alright, I want the people who are shipping out to line up out in the hallway." A tall built man says. We get up and line in the hall. Alright, since there are only a few of you we are gonna take a van. I'm gonna need a leader for this whole trip. I'm putting you in charge." He comes over handing me some papers. "Alright every stop, every break. I want you to call muster before you leave. And make sure everyone eats is that clear?" He instructs me. "Yes, sir." I say in understanding. "Okay, everyone outside gets ready to load up." we all get in the van getting ready for this long ass trip ahead of us. Everyone put in their headphones while others out there hoods up to go to sleep. We are gonna need this sleep to get energized for Bootcamp, I heard.

After several stops, I look to see the scenery has changed. Big black metal Gates were on both sides of the roads. You could barely see anything beyond that since the night sky was hiding it away. I read a sign that said "Great lakes Recruit Training Command." Aka boot camp. Everyone was on their phones telling their family and friends this will be the last time they could get ahold of them. I pull out mine to do the same but then realized I have none to contact. My brothers at the fire station are the only ones I ever message. I send a message to my chief. He is like a father figure to me. "Hey chief, I'm arriving at Bootcamp."  I send the message. Just seconds later I revived a reply. "Good luck, you're gonna do great. You can still call me when you get phone time." He messages back. Perfect now I have someone to talk to on the phone. We pull into the gates making our way to a roundabout with many flags. The van finally stops at the entrance, opening the doors. There was a man in a team short with many colorful ribbons and a silver ship above the ribbons, a crow with three Chevrons, and a red rope around his left shoulder. "GRAB ALL YOUR SHIT AND GET OUT!" Yells at us. "GO, GO, FASTER." We grab all our belongs running inside. "GET ON THE LINE!" Another man yells at us. He had a gold anchor on his collar. We got on the black line waiting for the next orders. I look around at my new surroundings, flags from every country hung on the ceiling, the same flags are on the white marble floors in the middle of the hallway floor. "QUIT LOOKING AROUND, YOU HAVE NOT EARNED THE RIGHT TO LOOK AROUND, LOOK STRAIGHT." The man with anchors says. I look at the boy standing straight across from me. He looks completely plain, his eyes had a terrifying story to tell. You could see he was scared, scared of the next few months. I don't think he'll make it, he's too soft. Unlike me, I've created a wall around me. I couldn't careless of people yell and scream at me, I'm used to that. "WELCOME, TO THE UNITED STATES NAVY. For the next eight weeks, you will not do a single thing on your own. I tell you what to do, how to do it when to do it. NOTHING THAT I EVER TELL YOU is A REQUEST, AN OPTION, OR A SUGGESTION. IF YOU DON'T DO IT. YOU WILL BE DELT WITH." He walks down between both lines yelling at us. "NOW TAKE OFF ALL JACKETS AND PUT THEM AT YOUR HEELS. THEN ROLL UP YOUR PANTS THREE INCHES UP. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GO GO GO!!" He screams clapping his hands. I take off my fire jacket placing it at my heels then roll my pants up as quickly as possible. I watch as people get yelled at for not following directions. "DIDN'T HE JUST SAY YOU CAN'T LOOK AROUND?!? WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM? YOU THINK YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE IN OTHER PEOPLE'S BUSINESS AND HAVE THE PLEASURE OF WATCHING OTHER PEOPLE GET IN TROUBLE. YOU'RE NOT WATCHING REALITY TV." A man comes from behind me then yells in my face. He was at least two inches away from me. I look at him to see he was a really attractive man. He was about 6'2", to be at least thirty years old, big broad shoulders, biceps bigger than my head he definitely works out, dark black hair that was hidden underneath his cover, trimmed  on the sides, he had beautiful brown eyes, very structured jaw bone, tan skin, tattoos on his arms, and big plump kissable lips. He was a very handsome man. "OH, YOU THINK YOU'RE SO TOUGH DON'T YOU?" He continues to tell."WHO'S SHIRT IS THAT YOU'RE WEARING? YOUR BOYFRIEND'S?"
"NO, PETTY OFFICER." I reply back."Who's then?" "MINE." I say. "Oh, I gotcha, YOU THINK SINCE YOU WERE A FIREFIGHTER YOU'RE SO BIG AND BAD? GOT NEWS FOR YOU RECRUIT, YOU AIN'T SHIT. " He yells at me."YOU AREN'T GONNA LAST A WEEK HERE, FIRE GIRL." He yells at me. I could smell his minty breath. "YOU'RE SMIRKING? ARE YOU REALLY SMIRKING AT ME!?! YOU THINK I'M CUTE OR SOMETHING?" He continued to yell. I stood there not answering. "ANSWER ME!" "NO PETTY OFFICER." "THEN WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU SMIRKING AT ME?" "IM GONNA MAKE IT THROUGH." I reply.  "I Highly doubt it, NOW QUIT LOOKING AROUND." He walks off. I look at his name tag really quick before he caught me. 'Gonzalez' I look back at the boy across from me.