Training the Best

So we decided to spend the night in Houston; there was no rush to get to Corpus and I didn't want to drive for twelve hours straight. I figured the truck would appreciate the break and so would I.

We stayed there on a Monday night, and everyone we asked said we were SOL for finding a party that night. The bellhops at the hotel, the bartender at the restaurant we went to, everybody. I know it was a Monday night, but in a city as big as Houston you should be able to find something! My first experience with Texas was kinda disappointing.

So the next morning we set out for Corpus. More flat land. As I approached Corpus, it became clear that I was heading to a far outpost of civilization. There really is nothing within 3 hours of Corpus Christi. The open plains are pretty in the early morning, and I can enjoy it for a short time, but I don't see myself missing this place when I'm gone.

Check in to our apartment was uneventful, the place is pretty nice and our apartment is big. Unfortunately, a lot of my bedroom is taken up with a huge bathroom and closet; clearly designed for a woman. I have this huge garden tub and all kinds of space to walk around in my closet. The closet space is appreciated, but I'd gladly trade that tub for a shower stall, a toilet, and a small sink in order to get some room space back.

Check in to NAS Corpus Christi wasn't too bad, but it was the same hassle that checking into any new command is. You drive all over the base, getting signatures and stamps on your check in sheet from fifteen to twenty different agencies, many of whom aren't in their offices when you get there or don't know exactly what you need. That's an entertaining moment.

You - "Hi, I'm checking in."
Dumfounded Civilian Behind Desk - "Ok, what can I do for you?"
You - "Well I'm checking into this command and I am supposed to check in with you"
DCBD - "Umm, ok"
You - "Could you just sign this sheet?"

So that's what you do, walk around and collect signatures for no apparent reason other than to say you did. You check in with admin, get your travel claim done, they take thirty bucks from you for a patch which you will wear on your flight suit for two days, a coin, and a t-shirt which you will never wear and comes only in extra large. I've always wondered why the hell anyone ordering t-shirts for marines would order extra large. If you require an extra large t-shirt you probably shouldn't be in the Marine Corps. But I digress.

We didn't really get anytime to breathe when we got here. I waited sixteen weeks in Pensacola to start API; I got six days here in Corpus, which wasn't even really six days. We had to attend in-briefs on Tuesday and Wednesday, got Thursday off, and checked into my training squadron on Friday.

Most of the in briefs were the standard, boring fare, but there was one exciting one. A police officer from the Corpus Christi Police Department came to brief us on the laws unique to our new duty station. Most pertained to the beach, which you can drive on, build bonfires on, drink on, shit I don't think there's anything you can't do on this beach.

The most entertaining part of the brief pertained to a city called Laredo and its sister city across the border, Nuevo Laredo. Apparently there is a big drug war going on in this little border city between warring cartels and the local authorities. A new sheriff was elected on a platform that he was going to crack down on this crime and run the drugs out. He was assassinated two hours after being sworn in.

As you might expect, this city is off limits for all DoD personnel stationed in Corpus Christi. I have to say, before this brief I hadn't even thought about visiting that city, but now I want to go just to see what all the fuss is about. I still most likely won't, but I think their brief had the opposite of their desired effect.

// posted by Josh @ 3/12/2006 10:50:00 AM