The Ghost of Him |WWII Frerard AU|

-15-

As the beginning of February approaches, the end of our basic training grows ever closer.

"We're looking at the end of February for your final days of basic training, boys,"  Sergeant Gioia had told us the other day, but when we all started to shout and cheer, he cut us off.  "But that means you'll go right into advanced training."

Believe me when I say our cries of joy instantly ended there.

From what I've heard, advanced training is just like basic training, except a thousand times worse.  Intense physical combat training.  Melee training.  Vigorous obstacle courses and exercises.  And eventually, gun training.  That's right.  In over a few weeks, Delta Company will be handling and learning how to shoot real guns.  That thought is only slightly terrifying.  Brendon with a gun?  Pete with a gun?  Who thought this would be a good idea?

Other than my crippling fear of gun training, everyone else has been doing rather well.  Ryan is excelling in his medic training.  He's one of the best in the camp from what I've heard.  I don't see him much anymore, but the next time I do, I want to tell him how proud I am of him.  He was absolutely petrified to ask Sergeant Gioia if he could be a medic instead, but look at where it's gotten him.  He's much happier, and he'll be saving lives soon enough.  I'm overjoyed for the kid.  He deserves it.

Even more people I'm insanely proud of are Tyler, Josh, and Patrick.  They were so soft-spoken and hesitant to start basic training back in December, but they're much more confident now.  Tyler received the fastest time in our most recent obstacle course run.  Josh is slowly but surely becoming an excellent fighter.  Patrick, although still rather shy, has become one of Delta Company's biggest anchors.  When we run a brutal obstacle course, or when Sergeant Gioia forces us to repeat exercise after exercise, Patrick is always the one keeping us sane and grounded.  Whether it's witty comments or soft-spoken remarks, he reminds us that we've become a family over the last couple of months.  We've been through so much together, and it's only just the beginning.

Delta Company is a broken, disjointed family, but it's a loving family nonetheless.  I'm so grateful I got stuck with these guys.

In the meantime, though, before the end of February arrives, we still have work to do.  We still have miles to run.  We still have endurance to build.  We still have muscles to develop and strengthen, and most importantly, we still have our minds to prepare and ready for the war we're training to fight.  War is just as much mental as it is physical.

One day I remember walking into the mess hall after a taxing day of stamina training to see Brendon cradling a potted plant.  When I asked him what the hell he was doing, he said that Sergeant Gioia had forced him to carry it around to, and I quote, "replace the oxygen he was wasting."  No, I'm not kidding.  These are the kinds of things that go on at basic training sometimes.  When we're not gasping for air or complaining about our sore muscles, Sergeant Gioia is undoubtedly making the place feel like a circus.  It's terrifying but incredibly amusing all rolled up into one.  I suppose it helps make the brutal training a little bit more worthwhile.

That reminds me of yet another time when I nearly pulled a muscle laughing at Pete and Jon.  It was late in the night.  We were all sleeping, but I woke up to someone whispering rather loudly.

"So, what do you guys really think about Sergeant Gioia?"  a voice I didn't entirely recognize had whispered.

Of course Pete had been the first to answer.  "Oh, he drives me nuts.  He's a complete lunatic.  Who enjoys running ten miles a day and never showers afterwards?"

Then Jon had been next.  "No kidding.  I mean, he's funny sometimes, but Jesus fucking Christ.  I can't stand running every goddamn day and then going through strength training.  Sometimes I think he ain't even human."