Letter from Army Basic Training #5

Hello Dad,

I got your letter. Thanks for Scott's address.

Today we finished BRM (Basic Rifle Marksmanship). We had to qualify with our M-16s. We had to get 23 out of 40 pop-up targets. I got my first badge today, a Marksman medal. I hit 26 targets. I didn't do as well as yesterday. I hit 30 then. If I had hit that today I would have gotten the Sharpshooter medal. I think that I was too nervous, so I screwed up my shots.

My platoon won the BRM Streamer because we got the best percentage of qualifiers. We now have two streamers on our flag. The Barracks Maintenance and BRM.

We get to go on pass Sunday. We also have a concert Saturday night. We did a lot of marching this week. We marched about 16 miles with full pack, all together. I'm lucky, I only got a couple of blisters compared to other people.

We got another haircut today. This time they only cut around the hair on the sides leaving the top to keep growing. I like it. We also get our Class A Uniforms next week. They look like the ones the recruiter wore. We get a dress green jacket and patent leather shoes.

Only two more weeks until the PT Test. To pass, you have to do 32 push-ups, 42 sit-ups and 15:54 on the 2 mile run. I should be able to pass if I continue to work hard. I can already do the run on time.

We also pull a 24 hour guard duty next week. They take a group of us out into the middle of nowhere with our rifles and live ammunition and we have to guard an ammunition dump.

Tomorrow, we have the IET Challenge. That's where our company, Alpha Company, competes against other companies within our battalion. It's kind of like a field day at school.

This coming week is our last week in White Phase, next week we move into our last phase, Blue. In that phase is where we have the tactical bivouac with the 15 mile night hike.

It's starting to get chilly here in the mornings. I hope it warms up a bit.

I'm glad to hear some people are interested in my car. I've written Jake already, hopefully he'll write back. Grandma and Grandpa DeVol have been on a trip to Alaska and have been sending me postcards. Could you send some pictures? Some from the Going-Away party. At least one with a picture of Scott and Greg in it, please.

Well, I have to go. I've been writing this after lights-out with a flashlight and I'm getting tired.

Love, Noah

PVT. UNSWORTH, NOAH
A Co. 3rd BN 26th Inf
Fort Dix, NJ 08640-7031