"I'm just separating"
The flight actually left a little bit early than scheduled. It was very crowded and by far the worst flight I've ever been on. There were only three children on the plane and they were sitting right next to me, right behind me and right across the aisle from me. I was stuck in the window seat the whole way with no chance of changing seats. The plane was a 757 with virtually no leg room. All the overhead lockers were stuffed so even though I was on row 16 I had to stow my camera bag all the way back in row 31. The kicked sitting behind me kept kicking my seat and that went on for pretty much the entire flight. To make things worse, we had a stopover in Shannon, Ireland and then one for refueling only in Bangor, Maine. By the time I got off the plane I thought I was just gonna kill somebody.
I went through immigration, collected my bags (that took effort), went through customs and then outside. It was hailing and freaking freezing. There was a shuttle I was supposed to wait for to take me to where I needed to go on the base but it was too cold to wait so I just got a cab. Getting my bags in the trunk was no easy task. As a matter of fact, the trunk didn't actually close and we drove like that to my destination.
When I arrived at TPU they asked for my orders, ID card, service, medical and dental records then gave me a piece of paper and sent me down the street to get a barracks room. I got there and I thought that's where the room would be but instead they gave me a room in the barracks right across from TPU. I was given linen and a few more forms to sign. TPU's main job is not to separate people like me from the Navy because that is done in their commands if they are in the US. The people that usually go there are people right out from the brig awaiting discharge, pregnant girls from ships waiting to get an apartment, people that have been awol or deserters, etc, so not exactly the cream of the crop. When I walked into my assigned room the first thing i noticed was that there were 2 bunk beds. Then a voice came from one of the beds.... "What are YOU here for?".....I was stunned and sorta mumbled...."I'm just separating" I felt like the Birdman walking into D block at Alcatraz or something. Not exactly the best first impression or what is gonna be home for the next few days.
I walked around the barracks for a bit to see what it was like and let me tell you, it's not pretty. First there's the fact that there are four girls to a room. The bathrooms and toilets are outside, not in the rooms. Only two of the toilet work and two out of the four sinks are taped off because they are broken. I took a shower and water went cold on me halfway through. The only thing that we have to cook anything is a microwave, which is of no use really. The room is cold and I can't figure out the heating, on top of that, they didn't give me a blanket because they didn't have any. I guess my honorably discharged ass can freeze to death. The galley is too far to walk and so is the main food store. Just on the next block there is a little store with absolutely nothing low carb and an attached food court with Subway, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and a Chinese place. I guess I better start eating carbs again or I'll starve.
In general, I hate this place already. I think it was the oh so welcoming question that did it. I realize that I have been somewhat spoiled by my living situation in Naples and that this is more like the real Navy but still. The guy at the front desk must think I'm some spoiled brat because I've been acting like a prima donna....rofl.... The pillow case he gave me smelled dirty, like someone's head, so I asked him to give me another one. He gave me a new one. Matt suggested I look into a hotel to stay at and I asked the guy where the Navy Lodge was and after answering my question he said "These barracks are just fine!" Hhhmmm........maybe...... if you just got out of the brig!
I went through immigration, collected my bags (that took effort), went through customs and then outside. It was hailing and freaking freezing. There was a shuttle I was supposed to wait for to take me to where I needed to go on the base but it was too cold to wait so I just got a cab. Getting my bags in the trunk was no easy task. As a matter of fact, the trunk didn't actually close and we drove like that to my destination.
When I arrived at TPU they asked for my orders, ID card, service, medical and dental records then gave me a piece of paper and sent me down the street to get a barracks room. I got there and I thought that's where the room would be but instead they gave me a room in the barracks right across from TPU. I was given linen and a few more forms to sign. TPU's main job is not to separate people like me from the Navy because that is done in their commands if they are in the US. The people that usually go there are people right out from the brig awaiting discharge, pregnant girls from ships waiting to get an apartment, people that have been awol or deserters, etc, so not exactly the cream of the crop. When I walked into my assigned room the first thing i noticed was that there were 2 bunk beds. Then a voice came from one of the beds.... "What are YOU here for?".....I was stunned and sorta mumbled...."I'm just separating" I felt like the Birdman walking into D block at Alcatraz or something. Not exactly the best first impression or what is gonna be home for the next few days.
I walked around the barracks for a bit to see what it was like and let me tell you, it's not pretty. First there's the fact that there are four girls to a room. The bathrooms and toilets are outside, not in the rooms. Only two of the toilet work and two out of the four sinks are taped off because they are broken. I took a shower and water went cold on me halfway through. The only thing that we have to cook anything is a microwave, which is of no use really. The room is cold and I can't figure out the heating, on top of that, they didn't give me a blanket because they didn't have any. I guess my honorably discharged ass can freeze to death. The galley is too far to walk and so is the main food store. Just on the next block there is a little store with absolutely nothing low carb and an attached food court with Subway, KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and a Chinese place. I guess I better start eating carbs again or I'll starve.
In general, I hate this place already. I think it was the oh so welcoming question that did it. I realize that I have been somewhat spoiled by my living situation in Naples and that this is more like the real Navy but still. The guy at the front desk must think I'm some spoiled brat because I've been acting like a prima donna....rofl.... The pillow case he gave me smelled dirty, like someone's head, so I asked him to give me another one. He gave me a new one. Matt suggested I look into a hotel to stay at and I asked the guy where the Navy Lodge was and after answering my question he said "These barracks are just fine!" Hhhmmm........maybe...... if you just got out of the brig!
posted by June at 9:06 PM
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