Week One
30 APR 06
2300

Last week of school as a second class! This weekend was our Sandhurst competition at West Point. We got stomped – we always do – but the good news there was a lot of improvement, and who knows, maybe someday we’ll do really well at it.

Sandhurst is a military competition based on Army obstacles held at West Point against all the West Point companies and military schools in Canada and Britain. The Canadians won again, but we were just happy we didn’t come in last.

The Naval Academy struggles, too. Each year we get dinged for not knowing Army regulations, but at the end of the day we’re rather happy we don’t – we’re in the Coast Guard!

My favorite part is the night before the competition where we’re all running across the school looking for exchange cadets, people we knew in high school, etc. to ask them random questions about playing Army.

3/c Michelle Gartland (left) and me at West Point after the competition. We finished 42 out of 44 teams, an improvement by one since last year.

It was my job this year to find someone to teach us how to correctly apply camouflage. And my mission was successful, thanks to a former exchange cadet’s roommate who was willing to help two random Coasties.

Hanging around West Point always makes me proud of being a Coastie. We were at the Awards Ceremony, and there are 4,000+ people in different kinds of BDUs [Battle Dress Uniforms], and we’re the only people in blue.

I admit, I strut when I’m in my ODUs [Operational Dress Uniforms] there. I know we stand out, and I’m proud of that. I’m in the Coast Guard, and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

So this week starts finals… I have five of them – four sit-down and one take-home final. On top of that, I’ve got to pack out my room, pack for Eagle (I take off on Saturday!) and say goodbye to my firstie friends who will be graduating. And somewhere I’m supposed to sleep in there.

My sister just received her Gold Award for Girl Scouting back home, and I’m a little sad that I missed the ceremony. Oh well, that’s life in the military...

Have a wonderful week!
Crystal

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