OCS Phase 0: 2nd Drill of 3

The physical fitness test went well.  I did the same number of push ups but did significantly more sit ups and took more than a minute off of my run time (I actually finished third in class, 15 or so seconds behind first).  I imagine that I'm near the top of the class in physical fitness.  This is much better than I thought I'd do, since I haven't really been pushing myself between drills.  There are almost five weeks until next drill, so perhaps I can push hard and score the maximum of 300 on the next test.  I'd really like to come in first on that run! I showed up Friday evening, though we were required to report on Saturday by 0700.  On Saturday this meant that we didn't get breakfast and started off with the physical fitness test.  Of course, after the test there was no time to shower, and we went right into the packing list inspection and then classes in troop leading procedures and land navigation.  Before lights out we could have showered, but as a group decided against it so that we'd have less to clean the next day.  In anticipation of forced hydration, our platoon leader made us drink a canteen, but then our training officer made us drink a canteen right before lights out anyway.  We always do forced hydration the night before a ruck march, but the initiative taken by the platoon leader doomed me to a sleepless night.:  between lights out at 2200 and wake up at 0300, I got up about ten times to use the latrine.  People were constantly going to and from the latrine, most of the time slamming the door.  A number of us went without sleep. Warrant officer candidates led us on the four mile ruck march.  I didn't suffer any blisters, but I really need to toughen up my feet.  I suppose I could load up my pack, put on the boots, and walk out the door, but I live in the city and that would look ridiculous.  I'll have to think about that.  Anyway, after the march, we did land navigation.  The first point we searched for wasn't even marked, so we went all over the map--up and down hills, through swamps, across rivers.  We were so lost that we decided to walk the azimuth straight from a known location on the map.  This actually required us to wade across a river.  When I crossed, I fell in.  Since I wore the gore-tex boots, they kept the water in while we continued our journey in the woods.  We must have stumbled across more than five kilometers of difficult terrain.  I think that my fall in the river started my descent into misery.  Here I was, tired, hungry, dirty, my boots making a sucking sound each time I took a step, my feet in ruin--I did not want to be there--and being filthy with that swamp muck really made the experience memorable.  We have a four-hour obligation on Memorial Day.  I think that  we will be participating in a parade.  Additionally, some of us will meet at Stone's Ranch before next drill to practice land navigation.  OCS really does require more of a soldier than the weekend each month.  At least next drill is a ways off.