AIT!!!

Advanced Individual Training! Basically this is the phase in your Army career where you ship off to where certain schools are at and learn the job you have chosen. I had chosen 88N which is Transportation Management Coordinator basically i'm import/export logistics. Where I went to (FT. Eustis, VA) is where Transportation (which is what category I fall under) and Aviation jobs go to train in the Army. Basically just so yal have an understanding, Basic/Bootcamp/BCT is getting you in the Army mentality. Not sleeping a lot, being so alert, get used to the physical training, get disciplined, and getting the basic concept of Military history, Weapons, Tactics, Etc. And AIT it's learning your job and being more physical but you have more freedom. In BCT, we only had about 8 phone calls the most in 3 months. We couldn't go anywhere, had to ask permission to breathe basically. In AIT if you did what you had to do and did your physical things you got different passes. You had 3 passes, 2 were freedom passes. You had Red pass which was you had to stay in the barracks basically on lockdown, then Green pass which meant you had to sleep in the barracks but on saturday and sunday you could leave at 0700 and had to return at 2100 but you could sleep in and what not, then you had Eagle pass was you got released Friday at 1800 and didnt have to report back in til Sunday 2100. So what they focused on more in AIT was your stamina. That meant we ran like there was no tomorrow. We ran everyday mon-fri from 0530-0630 yes an whole hour. The most we ran was 8 miles that took 1hour and 20min. The next day I could not walk straight I was limping and knees were giving out. All our requirements went from 50% to 60% but you can exceed it. Basically it was like going to school regularly except you had to wake up at 0430 and run miles before school. We did have more tactic techniques like security checkpoints, IED identies and Security check on personel. I will tell you one thing, once you get out from BCT and AIT and you go home you feel relieved but you miss it. And if your reserves like me, you no longer get what you had that taste of active duty. I miss it to be honest. I was in the best shape of my life, doing everything right not struggling. And basically if you decide to join any military and you're considering to go active or reserves to be honest with you go active because the way economy is its hard to get a good job, you have to go back to your parents house or back to your apartment your paying, and if your active you live somewhere for free, have a guarenteed paycheck, you cannot get fired (you can but you have to do something ridiculously crazy) and you can get your education and get paid for it. Reserves isn't bad but to me it depends on your situation. I should've gone active because I don't have children, i'm young, and I was used to doing the Army stuff. But I feel God led me here for a reason, what reason? I have no clue but some reason. I am still in the reserves, going to college, working hard, and barely making it but I cant complain. I'm going to end it with this...Everything in life has it's ups and downs, make a decision and go fully with it don't half ass it...

1st Real Blog...

So today I was talking to an old friend. We havent really spoken in about 5-6 years. She is doing her thing and she blogs a lot. So while we were talking and catching up I asked her " How do you find what to blog about and the time to blog with your super busy schedule?". She laughed and basically said when she has her me time she takes some time and blog about important things to her and things she find can help others even on the littlest thing. So she started telling me " Ramiro, you can blog about your Army experience. There are so many families that have other family members that serve in any kind of military and by you telling what you have been through it can give them comfort them in some way." So thats exactly what my 1st Real Blog is going to be about.

So here we go...What can you say about the U.S. Army. I'll start off with a little joke we use in the Army. If you look at the acronym of U.S. Army and reverse them it actually be YMRA SU which is Yes My Retarded Ass Signed Up...haha. But anywho lol...I signed up on November 27, 2007 3 months into my senior year. My whole sophmore and junior year I denied the Army. I used to say "What does Cobo look like being in some Army. Im too real for that." Then as I said before I joined in 3 months into my senior year. My decision on joining the Army was that I didnt really see myself going to college right away and if you know me, I like trying new things, ima clown, always doing me. But yeah. So I shipped out June 18, 2008...2weeks exactly after graduation. I shipped out to FT Benning, GA its suppose to be the "Hardest Army Bootcamp" idk I didnt think it was hard but not that bad. I mean yal know how out of shape I used to be. I honestly didnt notice until I came back and started seen my senior pics lol man I looked like a butterball anywho lol...and ofcourse I had to spend my 18 bday in bootcamp so gay they made me do push ups and clean but I did get to speak to my moms tho. Bootcamp really started June 26 because from the 18-25 we had to process get uniforms shaved bald and what not. Oh by the way FT Benning, GA is an all BOYS base so we only 10 girls the whole time and 9 were the cooking ladies no lie so that sucked. But yea on June 26 we arrived on where we were gonna live at for the next 3 months. So the 1st week was just like the movies, they were in our face yelling spitting, saying funny stuff (thats what I got in trouble the most was laughing when they would crack and your not suppose to laugh) and I was thinking to myself..."Man idk if I can do this for 3 months". So what I mainly did in bootcamp was write, write letters to everyone im telling you, you feel so lonely the first 2 weeks until you get a group of guys that you get cool with and start doing everything as like a family. The worse thing you can do and this goes for guys or girls is go into any military bootcamp with a boyfriend or a guy you talking to (for girls) or with a girlfriend or girl you were talking to (for guys) cause statistically 9 out of 10 times your going to get a Dear Johnny letter or Dear Jane letter sooner or later. Basically its a break up letter. I got 1! Yes I got 1 lol I was talking to this girl (aint gonna put her on blast) and we met back in my junior year in summer camp and she aint really want to talk to me cause she had a boyfriend and like couple months before I left I showed up at her house with D (Daniel/Big D my bestfriend) and that party was wack lol but I stayed there for her and she started seen me differently and we started talking and chillen more. Then I left her and another girl (I aint gonna lie I thought I was a player, I had an immature mindset) So 1 girl was 17 and the other was 16, The 17 year old wrote me the most, called me babe, and I even called her three times and we only got 8 calls in all in bootcamp. When I called her, her heart melted shes like "OMG I never thought you would call me, I feel so special." Then like 2 weeks before graduation I got that Damn Dear Johnny letter. I said "Damn oh well thats why I got that 16 yr old" Well not for long. lol. A week after I got another Dear Johnny letter. Maybe the 2 knew each other? No way 1 went to plantation the other miramar I was smart about that. So I said "Damn im slipping". True fact most guys would want to harm themselves more because of them getting those Dear Johnny letters because sometimes its their wifes or girlfriends or fiance who has all their bank info takes all their money they earned in bootcamp cause we dont use it at all and leave them so they get depressed. I sure as hell didnt get depressed I was about to graduate the "Hardest Bootcamp the Army has" I felt invincible. Dont get me wrong it was hard I was a Fat Boy it wasnt easy but i lost 25 lbs pushed myself to limits I never thought I could push myself. Ofcourse had help with encouraging words from my parents and friends, and I had DS (drill sergeants) who would never let me quit. I had injuries from coughing up blood to minor concussion, Bruised Hip, Chipped tooth, Achillies injury, Knee injury (still got those). It was all worth it tho. All the blood, sweat, tears. You ask me if I would want to do it again with the same guys and same Drill Sergeants I would not hesitate and ask you where do I sign up. I know im bluttering out things but just follow along. Ummm what else...We shot guns like we was at war lol. We shot M16's, M4's, 9MM, Rocket Launchers, Grenade Launchers, 50 Caliber, Threw Grenades. Man was that fun. Road marches which is marching miles with 80lbs on your back with a 40lb bullet proof vest and your M16. Oh your M16 is your bestfriend you cannot leave it alone, you take it everywhere you go. But the longest road march was 15 miles and ofcourse I had to be in the front because I was 1st Platoon Guidon (flag holder). We also had to do Iraq simulations, IED (bombs simulation), they had toy minds planted in the ground and if you stepped on it you get covered in baby powder.Best part of basic to me was combatives which is like UFC but without the punching all chokeholds and clinching that was awesome and to get certified level 1 you have to take punches from Drill Sergeants (Grown Men who try to send you to the hospital) and you have to clinch their arms in a way they cannot hit you. Its harder than what it sounds. I had the least injury out of 300 guys I had a minor concussion. You had guys with blood in their eyes, broken noses, black eyes, 2 black eyes, serious concussions. Crazy but fun. Im thinking about going for my level 2 HA! And after all your hard work you get Family day and Graduation day where your family comes and just spends time with you and the day after Graduation day you ship out. My parents and homie Jennifer came. Man was it good to see them. When they saw me all they could do was cry. And that got me teary eyed. But it was a relief like mission accomplished. First place I ate was Sonics!!! We dont got those down in South Florida and D kept telling me about it when he wrote me so I went. Then Red Lobster. Basically everyone who was graduating got released (not everyone graduates by the way) at 0900 til 2000 for family day and graduation day. On family day I was so exhausted we went back to the room I had my sidekick lol A PHONE!!! And I knocked out my mom just watched me sleep the whole time she couldbt keep her eyes off of me lol. And everyone else slept. Then we chilled and talked. Went back and Graduation was awesome after it was all done I introduced my fam to DS Lenderman the man who reminded me so much of SFC Santana. DS Lenderman was my biggest influence in bootcamp and he is now retired. But after that we went around FT Benning and chilled more. When they dropped me off I had to say my goodbyes because I was shipping out the next day at 0800 to FT Eustis, VA for AIT. My mom cried ofcourse lol and I said bye to my pops and Jenny. Everyone was in the barracks(where we slept, there were 32 bunks 2 per bunk.) just talking about what we were doing how relieved we were and finish packing, exchanging numbers and emails. Then the next day we were all on our way to different AIT out of 300 guys only 8 went to FT Eustis with me. Tomorrow I will talk about my AIT. I hope you found this entertaining and informative. Til tomorrow. Much Love....Ramiro Cobo