Code Blue:

Code Blue means a general disturbance. It's used for all disturbances from where a prisoner raises it's voice to when he's freaking out in his cell.

Yesterday was my first "busy" week day working in Master control. That's the post where I call announcements over the PA system and hand out keys and open gates. I pretty much control the in-flow and out-flow of the brig.

So, after lunch everything was calm, I was in the flow of things and just getting stuff done. The brig supervisor came by and told me to get the Corporal in charge of keys and security. So I got a hold of him, and they went down the hall to Special Quarters. I didn't thing of it, and then I hear over the radio in a very calm and quiet voice:

"Base....Code Blue Special Quarters."

You know those moments where you have been preparing to do something crazy for a while and when it gets to be that time, you freak out. So I got in the PA and called out the alert and we went into lock down. I look up at the gate going into to main part of the brig, where the inmates are, and I see every one yelling "Open the gate!" So I look down and open all of the gates that lead from the lounge to SQ. We got around 25 people down the hall way and into SQ in 15 seconds.

So what was this all about?

A drill, they got there and there was Master Guns sitting with his feet propped up, looking at his watch. He said "15 seconds? Not bad!"

In the mean time a fellow Lance Corporal was running to SQ and she slipped on the freshly mopped floor. She broke three fingers. That was the only injury.

So my day yesterday was pretty crazy.

Almost there...

Running guard is almost up. We get a 48 after tomorrow, so I'll catch up on much needed sleep. The day off has been giving me time to this place called the "gym" (sp?)

Rumor has it you go there and lift heavy things. You go there and it makes you stronger? Something like that.

Running Guard

Division Rifle matches are next week, and only selected people with high rifle scores get to go. Unfortunately, that means almost an entire section will be missing from out schedule making the other two sections go into "Running Guard". This is for the next two weeks where my section and the other section will be in a constant state of 24 hours working, and 24 hours off. So all, if any, free time will be used sleeping.

Also, my MOS is in the long process of being shut down. According to the Marine Times the 5831 Corrections Specialist MOS is closed to re-enlistment in 2009.

So if it's still around if and when I decide to re-up I'll have to make a lateral move into another job. Bitter sweet if you ask me, it just means more training if I decide to stay in. But, nothing will come out of it in the near future, this is something that could take years.