"If I don't leave on the day I graduate, I'm gonna go postal." I blogged a little while ago about how I've (re?)started overusing this phrase (I'm gonna go postal) at this command, and used the above quote as an example.

Along with the quote, "If we get punished even more for another dumb kid going out and doing something stupid again, I'm gonna go postal."

If I had meant it, I'd've gone postal a long time ago.

Not only have we, indeed, had several new policies or events put into action because of dumb kids (both in my specific class/school, and base-wide), but I also will not, it appears, be leaving on October 7th.

I so wanted to be home the weekend of the garlic festival. I can TASTE the garlic chicken meal I usually have there, and the cheeseballs/dips/dessert balls from this one stand that are just incredible; the wine from some of the best vineyards in VA (including some that are only sold at this festival each year), and some other country-made or hard-to-find treats from our beautiful Appalachian region.

But I'll be here, instead.

I still haven't gotten any orders. There was an opening (not set to start for another 6 or 9 months, but I figured maybe I could get a head start) in Nashville, TN at their Reserve Center, but it's already got someone penciled in and they couldn't send me there so early anyway. There were other billets, which have already been filled by the most jacked up of my classmates. All the fleeters (anyone that's been in the fleet, which is outside of bootcamp and training schools), as their fleeter priviledge, got their orders several weeks ago and have all gotten their hard copies (the official paperwork saying it's really happening, how, and when) since. So of the booters (those of us that came straight from bootcamp), there are eight of us that still don't have our orders less than a week before graduation. Of the eight, three of us are in the TAR/FTS program.

"There simply aren't any open billets. We simply don't have anywhere to send you."

In this "overmanned" Navy, when there are such threats of impending downsizing (and worse if *shudder* Kerry is elected) and of merging all the rates (jobs) together, it just doesn't make sense that they still have the recruiting quotas and pressure they have when they can't even give real jobs to those of us they already hired.

And why are such wretched examples of fleeters (such as certain classmates or schoolmates of mine) allowed to stay in when they don't do their jobs well and they're even worse social influences?

And why is the class coming up behind us so full of really bad booters AND fleeters? Why are people able to get through bootcamp so easily, that they can come out as jacked up as these kids? I had the same frustration in my division, watching fellow recruits mess around all the time, knowing they'll end up killing someone (or accidentally killing themselves) someday because they can't settle down or ever take anything seriously. Ever. And there was always the promised statement from the RDC's that the fleet would take care of them, they'd be out of the Navy within a couple of years. But why are they allowed to stay in 'til then? And looking at my classmates, I don't think the fleet really DOES take care of them, anyway.

I mean, seriously, when our tax money is going to pay these people's checks, why are they allowed to be so jacked up?

Again, in a civilian company, this would never fly.

I'm really disappointed about not getting to go home for that weekend. Even if I were to surprisingly get orders on Monday morning (they won't even be talking to the detailer 'til Monday afternoon, but let's ignore that fact for now), it would take long enough to do all the paperwork that I still wouldn't be out of here for a while.

And Holding Company (where people go either between indoc and starting their real classes or after they finish their class and 'til they leave) is over 150 sailors right now. 150!!

One of my classmates, who has become a very good friend, is also without her orders so far and the two of us will likely be joining Holding Company together.

The fact such a thing has to exist is silley enough in and of itself, but the fact that it's this large is rediculous.

So, hoorah no billets.. Hoorah Holding Company. Hoorah I'm on a new medication now (after another visit to medical yesterday morning and then an ambulance ride there in the afternoon) and may it's helping, because I didn't have any significant trouble breathing today apart from my now-normal being winded after climbing the stairs.

Hoorah Navy.