OCS is Officer Candidate School. These are the candidates who have not yet received their commission. They are in the building next to ours.
This evening, while OCS were cleaning their building, Senior Chief used the P.A. system and called all hands on deck.
We (kilo company, 41 members) were standing in a conference room with OCS (100+ members).
Senior Chief began to speak, explaining how we need to see each other, understand and know each other. Respect each other.
At first, it was awkward but Senior Chief's point was taken. We are not OCS and ODS, we are NAVY. We are one.
We ended this spontaneous meeting with the Sailors Creed and Marine Hymn.
One of the things that brightens your day, is contact from the outside world. Other than that, having a visit from the Deputy Director of Chaplains at your weekly chaplain meeting. Rear Admiral Margaret Kibben was amazing, dynamic and inspiring. I wish we had a chance to spend more than an hour with her.
Fourth week. Can it really be the fourth week? Then I realize how tired I am and how sleep deprived, physically sore and hungry I am and remember that it really has been 21 days here at Camp ODS. Today was not so physically demanding but it’s amazing how your body can adjust to being tired all the time. Our focus this week is graduation practice and the leadership program(DOLC).
I have finally found the stash of kosher instant-microwaveable meals. I was way too excited and my expectations were way beyond reasonable. The first one, ‘Chicken noodle’ was amazing. Since then, my body has informed me that it would rather eat PB&J with salad for lunch and dinner every night.
I finally attended religious services off-base at the Touro Synagogue. It is the oldest synagogue in the country. As for protocol, I went in my summer white uniform. When I first arrived, some people stared at me. Though seeing Jews in uniform is not uncommon to them since this is a NAVY town, seeing a female in uniform and a chaplain no less was something of spectacle. After the Torah was read, the prayer for the American and Israeli military was read in the Hebrew. This was the first time that I had heard it while in uniform on active duty. They are praying for me, I realized. I became emotional; that same kind of emotional response when I see the flag flying in the breeze or when I sing Hatkvah. It is a deep response for which I have no name. It is a mixture of pride, understanding and acceptance of the blessing. You are praying that when I supersede to active duty, that I come home when all is said and done.
So what do most companies do on a Friday night? Go off post.
What does Kilo Company do? Spend more time with Senior Chief, watch a movie (“The Caine Mutiny”) and eat pizza, doughnuts, coffee and candy. The truth is, I was supposed to go to services in town and everyone had planned on hanging out off post. However, when one person lost his liberty, we chose to stay with him.
On the way back to King Hall, people admitted how much fun we had together and that the movie was better than going out. As one of the chaplain candidates put it, it was a blessing in disguise. There have been many of those.
The Guide-On: the flag carried by the person who marches at the front of the company.
It has been almost three weeks and our Guide-On still carries a pole with no flag. Today, that changed.
When the Senior Chief handed us the flag, I teared up. How can I not, when I know what we went through as a company to get to this moment. We have earned this moment. When we marched away from Senior Chief, my heart swelled with pride, watching the guide-on wave in the breeze.
