02120720

Hey everyone,
     First off, thanks for all the letters! I wish I could write everyone back individually but I can't. We only have maybe an hour and a half a week to read and write letters or just chill. Every other time we are training. That's why I don't write very much. I wish I could write more to tell everyone what I'm doing. I guess I'll just have to have a party when I get back and I can tell stories and answer everyone's questions. So, funny story... :) This week is firing week, k. And so we go to the range everyday and shoot for half a day then come back and do other training. Well yesterday we came back to the squad bay and our DI found out we were locked out. So he called the smallest guy in our platoon over and put him through a wind so we could get in our squad bay. we literally had to break into our own squad bay. Our DI was looking around making sure no one was coming and while the buy was getting through the window, half the platoon was singing the mission impossible theme quietly.It was SOOOO funny!
     So we qualified on our rifle today. The highest rank you can get is expert. It's based  on a point scale. Marksman (lowest rank) is from 186-190, sharpshooter (middle) is 191-219, and Expert (highest rank) is from 220-250. You shoot from 200 meters. 5 rounds sitting, kneeling, and standing all in 20 minutes. Then also from 200 m 10 rounds sitting in 1 minute. From 300 m 5 rounds in 5 min and 10 rounds prone [laying down] in 1 minute. Then from 500 m 10 rounds in 10 minutes. Each shot is worth, at best, 5 points. The average for our platoon was 192. I got a ... 233! :) Surprising my favorite one to shoot was the 500 m.
     Also, this week we've been getting up at 4 instead of 5 and I like it! A LOT! I wish we could get it like that but no. I like partially because we get to go to bed at 2000 instead of 2100.
     The letters I'm getting are great. I can read everything fine. No, pencil doesn't smear. Write about whatever. If you could send the letters in smaller envelopes that would be nice.
     Thanks for the letters and prayers. I'm feeling great. Can't wait to be a US Marine!
                                          See everyone soon!- Rec. Chipman
P.S. Chhuth says hi to those who wrote him and tells Natalie good luck with her senior year. "It's the best year of school."