Marines in Japan

MSG

2010-01-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

Again, I got recommended for a class at Marine Security Guard school.

Only this one is in August. So I might be home around.....July? (Maybe?) But then I will be gone for a little over a year, maybe.

OFFICIAL LEAVE DATES

2009-12-07T06:13:00.000-08:00

December 19th, 2009 - January 5th, 2010

Leave dates:

2009-11-02T15:46:00.000-08:00

December 19th -January 9th

(Pending)

Just another Saturday

2009-10-24T01:20:00.000-07:00

Well, the week has come and gone, and our monthly 72's are just about over.

The first set of 72's we went to Okuma, which is always fun. I forgot my camera, but I am trying to find someone who did, I know someone has some somewhere. I had my first experience with "Tubing", it was a lot of fun, I didn't know a person could skip across the water more than 10 times, resulting in bruised ribs. We also did some jet skiing and some grilling. Easily one of the best section functions of all time.

Wednesday we worked and got a new confinement (a former Staff Sergeant) and a release all with in an hour of each other, that means I was really busy for most of the day doing paper work and dealing with someone who didn't want to be there, and someone that couldn't leave soon enough,

The second set of 72's some of us went to our new Boss's house and played some poker and just hung around.

This week has been good, and the next 2 weeks we get back in to the full swing of things, but soon we have the Marine corps ball, so here in the next week or 2, we start getting our uniforms ready and ready to hang out with all of our higher ups and stuff. It's going to be a good next few months.

Talking to my Sergeant, he was talking about putting me on a meritorious Corporal board if I get my Physical fitness score up to a first class after our next test in April. So I might get off of this island (if I don't leave early due to MSG or a Lateral move into another job) as a corporal, but either way I will probably get a promotion by the end of next year.

2009-10-03T22:45:00.000-07:00

So after getting the run-around for the MSG Monitor for the past month, I think it's a sign I don't need to be aiming that high right now.

Talking to my Sergeant, he says I might like counter intelligence. Which would get me a (almost instant) promotion and a $72,000 bonus. So, it's looking like a good idea. I'll probably start that up in the next week or 2.

Meanwhile Monday (tomorrow for me), I will be on the range. I will be trying for my 2nd award Expert. But we also have a typhoon coming our way, and my Gunny says it's supposed to be a bad one. Could prove to be an interesting week.

Choices

2009-08-25T01:32:00.000-07:00

So today while talking to my training NCO, I found out of a program that would put Marines with 2 years of college into Officer Candidate School, and they would have until they picked up the rank of Major (O-4) to complete their bachelors. All I am missing is 2 years of active duty (which I will have in February) and my transcript from Lon Morris, TAMUCC, and SFA.

Also in January the MSG screeners come back, and there is no way I would be denied it this time.

So now I am put to a choice. Which to choose? I am leaning more to the Officer side, which will push me to get my degree, more pay, and more benefits. Plus, I may be put in an MOS that I actually want to do.

But MSG will do other things for me, it's closer to what I want to do in life.

I am going to talk to my Training NCO tomorrow for more on these. Wish me luck!

MSG

2009-07-27T17:29:00.000-07:00

So, after spending an hour on the phone, and getting yelled at by Staff Sergeants and Gunnys for "Not letting them do their job" I found out that I was denied for MSG...a month ago.

The reason being that I had not spent enough time at this duty station, which is waver-able. Fighting more and more for it, I found out that it wasn't even MSG that denied me, it was the screener for my job, that I currently have. So there is nothing anyone can really say about that.

Some festival out side of base.

2009-07-26T03:17:00.000-07:00

(Above)
Some of the foods include Fried rice, fried noodles, Japaneses pizza, octopus balls, and chicken and sausage on a stick.

Kids play this game where they are put in a pool about a foot deep, then the run around trying to catch an eel. If you catch it, you keep it. They do not let 23 year old marines do this.
(Below)

This guy was cooking something, when we walked by, it smelled so good, and when he got closer, we saw it was squid, never have I smelled squid that smelled that good.

This guy was writing on shirts in Japanese, in oil crayons.

Inside there was a bansi plant show, this little guy was about an inch and a half tall.

We waited around for Lance to ride by, but I think he was busy in France.

The opening to the festival.

The goon squad that came with me.

Solar Eclipse

2009-07-21T23:07:00.000-07:00

Today at 10:27:14 am there was a total solar eclipse, if it wasn't total, it was really close.

Mean while we had CS gas training. That's always fun. Still waiting on orders from MSG. I haven't heard anything about that in over 3 weeks.

Okuma

2009-07-06T06:41:00.000-07:00

Just around the beach, it rained a lot so picture taking was terrible.

But the beach was beautiful.

2009-06-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Section with whom I work, is going to Okuma beach for the night, I'll try to take some pictures.

Just a few things around where I live.

2009-06-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

These mountains are where EOD and Artillery do all of their blowing stuff up. They catch the mountain on fire a lot. On the other side of the mountains are where the ranges are.

This is where I live, my room is trashy right now, I'll take a picture of it later.

This is where I work.

This is my badge, it's impossible to keep clean.

Class: 1-10

2009-06-03T03:17:00.000-07:00

So I skipped half a day of work, just to sit in a theater for 4 hours, but it was worth it. My package is going up to higher powers. I will be recommended for Class 1-10 in October, so I will be coming home in September if it all works out right.

So by the end of this week, it will go to someone else, and by the end of the month, I should have my orders, and know exactly what's going on.

Embassy Duty

2009-06-02T00:53:00.000-07:00

I had a meeting with the Battalion Sergeant Major today.

Recently I have been putting together my package for MSG duty. The Sergeant Major looked at me and a few other marines, and signed his spot on the form.

That was the only spot in the package I was worried about, so it's looking like here very soon, I will be going to Quanico, Virgina for MSG school. It will probably be in September... I hope.

2009-05-20T19:57:00.000-07:00

My mouth is numb.

So, today I got my wisdom teeth taken out. All four. It was probably one of the most painful things I have ever done. The dentist kept asking me questions about my job and when I would answer, all that would come out is "Aaaahhh laaa bllllaaaaallalalalaaa". So I got laughed at a lot by him.

Sometime next week, we'll be doing "Spy-rigging" which consist of a couple of marines hanging from a helocopter. I WILL have pictures of that up when it happens. It should be fun.

Phone Number:

2009-04-16T03:19:00.000-07:00

Everyone, I have a phone number:
936-622-6603

If you call it, I may answer.

A couple of pics:

2009-04-07T18:06:00.000-07:00

Squid... Not much else to say about it...it had a horrible texture but an alright taste.

You know those shirts in America, that are so cool because they have oriental writing on them? Well, here they have really cool shirts with english writing on them. They say things like this.

EARTHQUAKE!

2009-03-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

So, the other day (Saturday), there was an earthquake. Nothing major... in fact, I slept through it. I didn't know it happened until I woke up.

2 Weeks Later.

2009-03-08T05:35:00.000-07:00

The last 2 weeks I have been out at the range. The first week was nice and sunny, the second week it rained and rained and rained. I thought gortex was water proof, but apparently is you soak it in water for 6 days, then it's not.

It's monsoon season, and that's what happens. But I still shot expert.

Something Big...

2009-02-11T21:46:00.001-08:00

Something big may be coming up.

I'll let you know if/when it's going to happen.

Code Blue:

2009-01-29T03:56:00.001-08:00

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...

2009-01-15T01:52:00.001-08:00

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

2009-01-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

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.

Belated Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T05:10:00.000-08:00

The past month has been boring. I went to the pistol range and did mediocre, but pretty good for my first try.

Work has just been that...work. Not much to go tell. People come, people go. It's like baby sitting a 4 year-old.

What do you do when you work Christmas eve? Why, you right out the 12 days of Christmas in the Brig.

The 12 days of Christmas, in the brig:
12 guards a sleeping
11 cameras filming
10 inmates running
9 cells a slamming
8 alarms a blaring
7 forks missing
6 riot calls
5 Detainees
4 coded notes
3 hard cards
2 O.R.s
An a razor blade in an inmates tea.

Merry Christmas every one, from me and my mustache (Pictures later).

I worked on Thanksgiving.

2008-11-27T15:45:00.000-08:00

It was the day before Thanksgiving, here, to all of you.

I hope all of yours was happy and all that good stuff.

Around the Island, the room, and the Ball

2008-11-20T14:14:00.000-08:00

2008-11-14T07:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry, my room was kind of a mess. It doesn't always look like that.

2008-11-11T03:23:00.000-08:00

I have pictures of the Marine Corps Ball, I'll post them as soon as I get my new power cable.

Good Day!

2008-11-02T16:54:00.000-08:00

The Marine Corps Ball is tonight. I'm going in my dress blues. With freshly sewn on Lance Corporal Chevrons.

Oorah 80 dollar pay raise.

¡Success!

2008-10-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

After different websites and coming up with the same thing, I finally got a cable on it's way, I'll have in a week-ish.

Power cords for the WIN!

Dooms Day

2008-10-30T03:16:00.000-07:00

My computer's power cable has been torn, I need a new one, so I may be off line and out of touch for a few days at a time.

I went to the apple store on line and found an adapter....for 80 bucks, but Apple does not send directly to an APO or FPO, directly. So, it looks like I am out of luck, unless they have an adapter at one of the other bases. Looks like I'll be off longer than I thought.

PFT tomorrow, wish me luck.

Iwo Jima

2008-10-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

My sponsor, the Marine that kind of put Day and I in the swing of things. She got the opportunity to go to Iwo Jima. She got back sometime today, and during our motivating field day, she came up to me and asked for Day. Day's on duty, and she said she had something for me. So I followed her out side, and she had this big bag of sand. At this point I had no clue where she had been. So she starts pouring me this small bag of sand. I didn't really know what it was, but the sand is black. She then told me about what she had done, and told me about how it's sand from Iwo Jima.

So I have a small bag of sand from the beach that was the sight of one of the bloodiest battles in Marine history. Kind of a big thing. I'll be sending it home, I don't want anything to happen to it.

This Sunday, she invited Day and I to some festival at some castle on the island, it should be a good time. If we go, I'll take pictures.

2008-10-19T03:11:00.000-07:00

Nothing interesting has been going on.

Our Master Gunnery Sergeant (The Brig Supervisor who has probably been in longer than I have been alive) Complemented me and a buddy to my Sergeant on how well we were doing things.

I'm not going to be home for thanks giving or Christmas, but I'm going to try to make it home for my friends Wedding. But I'm 22 days in the hole with leave right now... So it's unlikely, but I'll give it a shot.

We haven't done much, just setting up our room and making it more like home. We got a George Forman Grill and a Microwave, so now it's more like a college dorm. So things could be worse.

2008-10-07T19:59:00.001-07:00

Nothing new going on, but while walking from the PX (store) today, saw something cool going on in the field near the brig.

Some Pictures (1 of 3):

2008-09-30T04:29:00.000-07:00

Random Street

Me eating Tacorice

For some reason this didn't make any sense... Well, maybe.

Some house, we thought it looked cool.

THAT.....is a big tire. We didn't understand.

Some Pictures (2 of 3):

2008-09-30T04:20:00.000-07:00

Day and some ocean.

Day and I just sitting on the beach.

Me and some Ocean

This guy looked worried for our safety, we still don't under stand why.

Some Pictures (3 of 3):

2008-09-30T04:11:00.001-07:00

Day, eating Tacorice

Some Random Streets, it just looks different from America, this is the area around the Base

Day....... AND THE OCEAN

What's the difference between an 8 year old and an inmate?

2008-09-23T01:34:00.000-07:00

The inmate isn't 8.

I bought a camera, so I'll try to get pictures up here soon.

Things have been alright here. I've been settling into my job nicely and just been trying not to get yelled at. I have today and tomorrow off before I work on Thursday (here), then I have 3 more days, so I really only work one day this week. Now that I have been there a day or two, the inmates are starting to know me, and i caught myself the other day going "Man, this is a really nice guy." But then it hit me HE'S IN PRISON. So, maybe outside of the murder charge, he's an alright guy. Anyways, now that I've been there inmates are doing their little test to see how much I can take, or seeing how strict I am. One detainee (in for horrible things, I don't understand why he's in general population) was doing his cleaning because he's in the DWF (Detainee work force) which means he cleans the brig, I don't care, it saves the trouble of me having to do it. But I was working the Central Wing Round House, the board that opens and locks doors for 3 pods, 2 of which are in use. He was dusting the bars obviously trying to look busy, and he was in front of the window looking into the Female Special Quarters (Hints at why he's there). So I pounded on the plexy glass window, behind a set of bars, and told him to move on. So he got all mad but moved on, The Next duty day, I was, again, working Central wing, and I had just gotten relieved for "down time". The Detainee was out cleaning at that time so I told the person that relieved me to keep an eye on him. So as I was walking out of the wing into the guard lounge, I hear "Why does he need to keep an eye out on me?" I calmly told him not to worry about it. But he kept on going on and on about how he doesn't deserve that kind of disrespect. I get back 2 hours later from my down time and find that he had been written up 4 times in the 2 hours I had been asleep. Impressive. Apparently he had been throwing a fit until taps and interfered with count at the end of the day. So he written up for:
Failure to use rank
Disrespect
Disobedience
and Interfering with count

This past Sunday, I was working West wing (same as Central only with more inmates) I had to do Inmate Trainee Work Evaluations, for everyone in that wing, minus Special Quarters. So I had to evaluate around 27 people. In the middle of all of this I look at the paper work and find that one prisoner's evaluation that I had to fill out. So I filled it out the best I could with the short time I had been there, and sent the papers to all of the pods (3 of them) to have the inmates sign. I get them all back and all of them are signed except that one detainee... My Sergeant wanted them by taps, so I spent about 2 hours trying to get this one guy to sign it. Now it looks bad on him because he didn't sign it. We'll see how the this plays out, because I have a feeling I'm not done hearing about him, yet. Kind of a let down ending, but this is the kind of people with whom I interact on a daily basis.

Side note:
A Pod is a series of 18 Cells, 1 cell for one person. Central wing has 3 prisoners in 2 pods, one's a female, so she's naturally in a pod of her own. Male SQ has 15 inmates, around 10 are Maximum security. Plus the remaining 25 inmates in the other three pods.

Now I know what my mom felt like after teaching pre-k for all of those years.

But all-in-all, the job isn't that bad, it's just getting used to not being able to call anyone when ever I want, because right now it's 3:41 am, here. I think you all would get kind of mad if I called right now.

I had sushi for the first time out side of America here about a week ago, and I have to say t was a big let down. If you want to try sushi, try it wherever you are, it all taste the same. In other words, raw fish taste the same no matter where you go.

So I was issued these awesome goggles

2008-09-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

Settling in...

2008-09-12T01:23:00.000-07:00

My Address:
PFC Wells, William, H.
MCB Brig/Hansen
Unit 35024
FPO AP 96373-5024

I start my first 24 hour shift tomorrow, after PT at 5:30am. Wish me luck!

It Starts....

2008-09-11T07:42:00.000-07:00

After we did all of the checking in we could do today, we (my buddy Day and I) kind of got started on our jobs.

First they split us up and had us doing different things. I went into Special quarters. That's where all of the prisoners that have special needs (such as restrictions on their daily routine) go.When I got there it was shower call. There were 12 prisoners there, and all had to be taken to the shower individually. So the other marine would open the shower and radio the control to open the assigned door. The prisoners would stick their hands through the feed tray, and I would hand cuff them, they would step back and the door would open, and I would escort them to the shower.

Before that the prisoners and detainees were on their chow time, after chow they would show one knife, one fork, and one spoon, after that they would line up on a wall and frisk them. While frisking them, one of them laughed, and a guard quickly corrected this.

Then we learned how to buff a 25 foot hall way.....for around 4 hours.

First day, being a weekend!

2008-09-06T00:45:00.000-07:00

So my buddy, Day, and I arrived in Okinawa around 12:00 in the A.M. We waited around to see if we could find a cab to bass, no one understood English until they saw our credit cards and cash, then all of a sudden, they were understanding everything we were saying. So we called the base, and someone came and picked us up.

We got to Base around 1:30am and got our sheets and checked in. Come to find out some of the permanent personnel have a wireless connection and we have been mooching off of them, since we've been here. We got up for formation around 8:00am and they made an announcement about a Sargent that had just checked in from the Marine Corps Recruiting Depot in San Diego. I didn't think anything of it. So we had to go talk to another Sargent about other stuff, and sure enough the Sargent that had checked in was the Drill Instructor from my Platoon back in boot camp. (The one that was switched into another platoon for being "malicious".

All in all, things are looking ok, I miss home a little, and so does Day. We'll start checking in on Monday, after we take a million hours of Japanese customs and what-not, classes.

More to come.