We did DNC marching today, it’s a 60 men platoon formation marching competition within our company amongst the 4 platoons. Then the best goes on competition against the best of the other 5 companies in our battalion. We lost, but we know we’re the best. One squad leader messed up, the first sergeant called us to attention when the squad leader just kept marching in place instead of coming to attention herself, and so all of us stopped. And since there were 57 of us, that meant since all of us had to stop and not go through a proper dress right dress procedure, we lost 57 points. When competition is usually decided by a few points, 57 is a lot. Without that one mistake, we would have won by more than a dozen points. Even the first sergeant said we were the best. One mistake cost us a victory banner with our guide-on. Instead, some second rate platoon got the banner. Well we were all glad to have that over with, we were all tense and everything. Afterwards we went to hand to hand combat training, which I thought was pretty stupid. Then some practical exercises on setting up our tents with our buddies, and we left for the concert at 1900 hours. Some band we don’t know played some cool songs, but all of us were there for the same reason: pizza, soda and candy. Damn, they tasted so good. 4 weeks without them really killed me, and I just realized how much I missed them. So used to army food, I mean they taste good and all, it’s just that it’s the same old food. Some people get almost no mail, and every night when we have mail call, all of us are waiting to hear our name like some kids waiting to receive Christmas gifts. I mean seriously, some of us get way too much mail, some of us don’t get any. Today, or Saturday actually, the drill sergeant made us do 10 pushups for every mail, 50 for packages, and double that if you’re squad leader. Someone owes 140 pushups. A squad leader got a package, but he couldn’t really receive it. It was cookies. So the drill sergeant asked if he wanted to keep the box, and if he wanted her to secure his cookies till graduation on August 30th. The answer was no, and she took a cookie out and ate it in front of us. That was torture, some people started crying. At least he didn’t get gummi bears, pringles, gummi worms, large packages of cookies, M&Ms like other guy did 2 days ago. Our good old drill sergeant Parker she took that home too. Some people told me one time it’s not training that kills you, it’s the people. Dealing with freaks and people with attitude problems. And those people telling everyone else what to do but they get in trouble the most. But they still give you attitude.