Letter number 2

Being here at Basics for merely two weeks has taught me and pushed me to realize many things. I learned how to successfully take a shower in three minutes and how to fold a lot of things according to the Navy Standards. A majority of their folds are redundant, but they’re actually kind of fun. What motivates me to fold all my crap is that it reminds me of oragami. I learned how to consume more food than I ever have in my life.  Also,  I have learned how to do it under ten minutes. Also, I learned how to lace and polish my boots. I learned how to make my rack (haha, bed) I learned how to survive with less than five hours of sleep a night. Basically, I was taught a handful of things ever since I have been here.

The ones lesson that sticks out the most is respect. Respect is a broad term, but I meant the respect that males should have for females. This is how it all went down. One  of the biggest things about the Navy is that they do not tolerate fraternization, which means recruits flirting or hooking up with other recruits. When it was first explained I didn’t think much of it because who would want to give the opposite sex any kind of sexual attention while in bootcamp?  Then, about five days ago there was talk going around the division that a male recruit qwas making cat calls at female recruits and rating them. When I heard this I wondered why any guy would do that right now because the famles look exactly like the males with our extra short hair and our baggy clothes. We look really ugly. Apparently everybody noticed it except me. I guess I’m completely oblivious to things because I don’t care to look at anyone let alone what they are doing.

A female recruit finally reported it to our RDC’S and Chief Meeks flipped!!!!!! DUHHH!!! She was really pissed off. One, because she and the other RDC’S made such a big deal about not doing it. Two, because she is a woman and she was freaking offended as crap. Me, I was just like, whatever. But the next afternoon, both males and females were called into one compartment. Males on one side, females on the other, facing eachother. Chief Meeks screamed and yelled. When this woman even opens her mouth, the last thing anyone would want to do is not listen or not be intimidated. She asked the females to take a knee. Then, Chief Campbell and Chief Meeks started to tear the males up. They were being IT’d for the first time. PT stands for physical training. IT stands for intense training. They were intensely getting their butts beat. They were doing jumping jacks, 8-count body builders, mountain climbers, and a lot of crying. I saw males cry. They weren’t just being wimps. It actually does hurt, a lot. As I was taking a knee, and watching them, I felt really sorry for them but I was more angry than anything. It finally hit me that everytime a guy disrespects a girl in anyway, should make the girl feel offended and angry. It should not be tolerated and it should definitely not be taken as a compliment. Chief Meeks preaches on respect a lot. She told us really crazy stories of when she first enlisted in the Navy 12 years ago. For example, she checked into her first command, she was one of the first females who were allowed to be on that ship. As soon as she got on board, the males grabbed her, unbuttoned her shirt, tied her to a chair, duct taped her mouth, and starting hitting her stomach with some kind of rope. They then told her that she didn’t belong there because she was a female. For three months she carried scars on her stomach from the beating.

What happened with us wasn’t as intense as that, but it still carries the same message. There should be none of the cat calls, the name calling, the disrespect, the whatever especially in the word place. Women worked hard to be doing the same things as males or more and when stuff like this happens all of our hard work trying to prove ourselves as equals gets thrown in the trash because then we are just another piece of meat or something to look at.

So as I knelt, and watched the males, I realized that I was offended and I should be angry. I should never let a guy give me less respect than I deserve, and I should deserve a lot.

I have so many stories to tell. Ever since I have been here, I have been shot by a needle 10 times and one of them was in the butt. I manned up. It’s all good. I haven’t cried yet. I almost did yesterday. Oh, we, as a division, were IT’d 2 or 3 days ago. Because not all of us could follow instructions. IT FREAKING SUCKED! The girl next to me was crying. I was just grunting. But I almost cried yesterday because we disappointed Chief Campbell. Chief Campbell is a really attractive, full-blooded Native American. He was born and raised on the Reservation. He doesn’t yell to get any of his point across. But for some reason we can’t seem to get our crap together and kept on screwing up so yesterday he told us we were the worst recruits he had ever had. Chief Campbell is the kind of person that you can tell just tells it like it is. He doesn’t try to play mind games with us. He really meant it when he said that about us. We were all sitting facing him when he sat us down and had a talk with us. He told us that he actually gives a crap about us. He said he doesn’t care if we get any awards or recognitions as a division at the end of boot camp. All he cares about is us being trained sailors as we graduate. He said he doesn’t yell and beat recruits, and he is going to give up on us if we don’t start trying in a couple of days. Hearing that man talk broke my heart. I felt so bad for disappointing him because I can tell that he does care. I almost cried, but I told myself that I was being a wimp and to get over it. The other girls teared up a little bit though.

Anyway, sometimes I’d ask God what I am doing here and I’d tell him I feel I don’t belong here. But yet, I’m still here. I miss everyone back home a LOT and I hope you guys are taking care of yourselves.

Love,

Sang Mythi Nguyen

Interpreter: Niki

First Update on Sang.

So last night I received my first letter from our wonderful friend. I was so so so so stoked to hear what she had been doing. And in fact, she wanted us to post it on here so you guys can see how she is doing as well. So please please please keep her in your prayers. It will be very much appreciated. Thanks el mucho.
-Kat.

1/17/2010
I’ve been looking forward to this day ever since I got to bast at 6 pm on Tuesday. It’s actually not that cold here, but snow is everywhere though. I don’t really remember what all I have done since Tuesday so here are some things that really stuck out to me. They chopped my hair off. It’s not cute. I look like how I looked in that video with you and Emily. I wasn’t upset when they cut it though because I knew it was coming. Basically, i have never been so ugly in my life. I think my RDC Chief Campbell is HAWT! I didn’t at first because he looks at me like he wants to take my head and slam it into the wall until my skull cracks and then run over my brain with and industrial-sized tractor. But one day when we were getting our uniforms issued, he was sitting in front of me eating his turkey sandwich and drinking his Pepsi and he became so attractive to me. Chief was just really relaxed and laid back and I realized he doesn’t want to kill me after all. He just wants me to succeed.  He’s actually really funny, but he’s mostly extremely HAWT! Every single word that the RDC’s here say is a cuss word. I don’t think i have ever heard more F words in my life. I have another RDC. Her name is Chief Meeks and she is mean. I have never met any woman like her. She can definitely keep up with the guys. Even though she is super mean, I think she’s my new role model. Chief Meeks is a steel strong, goal-oriented woman. They guy recruits are deathly afraid of her because she is very picky and had a really good yelling voice. Again, she yells at us ALL THE TIME because she also wants us to succeed.

Another memorable thing happened just yesterday. We had to put all our crap into our humongous sea bag to carry over to our permanent ship, or house. We have been living in our temporary ship, USS Pearl Harbor, before that. The bag, when everything is packed, weighed about 60 lbs. The distance from the USS Pearl Harbor to our new ship, USS Constitution, is about 2 miles. Now add another 5-10 lbs with our canteen and layers of clothing. Then add 2 flight of stairs to that also. IT FREAKING SUCKED! But I held out because it wasn’t that bad, it might only give me baick problems for the rest of my life, that’s all!

I can’t remember anything else. The food here is really good. I have eaten so much. I’ve slept extra good. I haven’t cried yet. I mis you all very much, especially my car. I don’t know why I put a smiley face because I wasn’t smiling nor have I cracked one smile ever since I’ve been here. But now you know my address so distribute that among people who care to drop me a line or so. I’ll Definitely Maybe write back (dude that movie never gets old) Everybody here is sitting in front of her rack, bed, wirting to people and stuff. We all kind of look the same, but not me though because I’m Asian and they’re not. Our sweatshirts and sweat pants are freaking amazing! Here are some individual shouts outs:

Kat-> Dude found out you cried. Thanks for crying. That shows that you really love me. I miss you and our pretzel time. Write me about your life.

Niki-> What’s up dude? How’s life? How’s Milan? How’s Ben? I saw you cry at the hotel so thanks too. I miss your red hair and the way you uhh look and stuff. I.L.O.V.E.Y.O.U!

Harrison-> I hope you’ll stop doing whatever you’re doing because you can amount to so much more without it. I really think you’re making immature and stupid decisions. By the way you’re doing now who knows where you’ll end up in ten years. I say all this because I love you and you’re my bro. So change your life, please.

Devan-> Devan I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time.. You were complaining way too much during Passion weekend. Don’t complain so much. But dude I still love you though because you’ve always been there for me whenever I needed someone. You’re doing an awesome job taking steps towards getting closer to God. I’ve already told you this before but I’ll say it again: I am very proud of you. Keep up the holy work!

Lizzie-> Dude you wanna like dance at Tarboosh when I get back? Like for real this time. I’ll try to think of a routine with my abundant free time I’ll have here at boot camp.. NOT! But I’ll still dance with you there though if I ever come back. Dude your’re funny so write me something funny.

Please keep me in your prayers because I am honestly struggling or atleast I will be in a few days. I really hope to graduate on time. Thanks and God Bless!

Love,
Sang Nguyen.

Her address is:
SR Nguyen Sang
Ship 06, USS Constitution, Div 917
3510 Illinois Street
Great Lakes, IL 60088-3119

I’m getting really scared. I’m becoming nervous. The reality of me leaving in less than a week has finally hit me and it’s hitting me hard. The source of my fears is from the thought of me not making it. I need God so much right now because I feel so inadequate and so insignificant and so weak and so pathetic. So I turned my phone off and I am about to pack up my things into my car and have a long drive. I want to appreciate the things that I never appreciate. Then, I’m gonna go home and appreciate my room, my bed, my heat, my ability to sleep in, and the food that I will eat tonight. I pray that God will comfort me and give me the strength and courage to look forward to the next few days like He always does.

Kyle

Here are a few of the photos from today.

People say that you shouldn’t have any regrets in life. I think they’re wrong. I do regret a lot of stuff that I have done. If I could go back and do it differently then I would. One thing that I regret is to start dating. Sometimes I wish I’ve never had a boyfriend. I wish I’ve never had a first kiss. I wish I would’ve saved all those emotions and the things that I’d sacrificed for my husband.

I don’t want to waste my feelings like that anymore. The majority of guys in this world are too immature to be taken seriously. I try to not believe that all guys are the same, but I secretly think so. If I could go back and start over I’d guard my heart like crazy because I’ve finally realized that love is just too precious of a feeling to feel for merely anybody. I deserve the best.

In other news..

I am going to take Kyle’s pictures today and Sarah’s sometime soon. After those two I am done with photo shoots for a really long time.