CORTRAMID overall.

05 JULY 2012
1732

FINALLY finished blogging about my entire CORTRAMID experience. I know this post is a little late, but for all future CORTRAMID attendants and their moms and dads who read and any random stumblers who happened on to this blog, I'll go ahead and finish with this last post.

I had an awesome experience at CORTRAMID and wouldn't have traded that month for a lazy month of summer in a million years. Coming into the whole thing, I thought we'd be living in barracks and hate our lives for the next 4 weeks. I imaged 30 second communal showers and having my hair glued to my head in a bun 24/7. But it turned out to be so much BETTER!

The highlights of my month included:
Marine week: shooting mortars, the IIT, and sleeping in the field.
SWO week: shooting the .50 cal and M240, the roller coaster room, pretty much all the mischief we got into.
Sub week: the wet trainer and all the food.
Aviation week: the helo ride and the T-34 flight! The SEAL O-course was a great way to end the week too.

And in general, all the friends I made, the mandatory fun, the lazy beach days... I truly enjoyed it all. In fact, today I finally vacuumed out my truck and there was so much sand in there. I actually found it depressing because it just made me miss the beach.

One thing I did speculate though, was the extreme difference in the enlisted and the officers. The enlisted are the ones who actually do all the work and I admired them for how intelligent and dedicated I found many of the sailors that I encountered to be. Hearing their sea stories and learning about their jobs was definitely something that humbled me. Especially after being treated like officers during SWO week in the wardroom. Right now, as MIDN, we're nothings. We go to college and occasionally have to wake up early. That's nothing compared to what the sailors are doing out in the fleet, yet we come on their ship/sub and are waited on hand and foot like officers are. We're 'future' officers, we don't deserve that yet. I guess that was something I found difficult to wrap my mind around... I also found the amount of opportunities within the Navy to be greater to enlisted than officers. I don't want to get into my rant about that, but I did reevaluate why I chose the officer path over just enlisting.

I also learned what kind of officer I respect and do not respect. Those who unnecessarily yell, talk down to their subordinates, and demand respect simply because they're wearing gold, will NEVER earn my respect. There were multiple officers I encountered that were flat out rude. I am a firm believer in by earning respect you must give respect. And yes, while I will always honor an officer and properly salute him/her, because yes, they have put in their time to be where they are, I will only respect their rank and not them as a person. A young Marine answered to the question "Do you have any advice to us as future officers?" during Marine week, "Earn respect as a person. Do not demand it simply because of your rank." That's definitely something that will stick with me throughout my career.


I was also told that CORTRAMID would help me choose a community that I really want to go into. But really, it just confused me more. Going into the month, I thought I wanted to go into the SWO Nuc community and now I'm not so sure. Contrary to a lot of MIDN's, I really enjoyed SWO week and would be happy being on a ship, preferably a destroyer and/or carrier. However, now, I'm interested in the aviation community, specifically helo's... Aviation had never really been under my radar because I've never been exposed to it. I loved it though and wouldn't mind researching the community to learn more about it all. Except I also seriously enjoyed Marine week and would I consider being on an Amphib? Maybe. Actually, hmm, no. I don't know where I'm going with that one. Except I admire the Marine Corp in a whole new light and if I could find a way to work with them but still be in the Navy, I would.

Plus, if you knew me and knew my desires to work my way into the Pentagon and all that I want to do there... that might have an affect on the course of my career as well. But that's getting to know me on a whole new level and I don't want to share my entire life goals on here. Story for another day.


So as you can tell, I have options and am probably too "open-minded." I have 3/4 years left to decide though and am in no rush. I'll enjoy college in the mean time, cross things off my bucket list that I won't be able to do once in the fleet, and spend as much time with my family and friends back home as possible.

If this is the first post you're reading because it's at the top, or the last one you're reading because you've read my blog from the beginning, thank you. To the MIDN's on future CORTRAMID experiences, bring lots of civi clothes with you, don't go crazy spending all your money the first couple of weeks, volunteer, make friends, and make the most of every opportunity given to you. The month goes by so fast and you'll soon find yourself bored at home wishing you were back in San Diego with something to do. Bring books, your laptop, stuff to occupy your self with in the down time too! There's LOTS of down time. Trust me.


Now that CORTRAMID is over, I'm traveling, spending time with my family, and crossing things off my summer time bucket list. This includes lots of concerts, outdoorsy activities like hiking in Yosemite and exploring the Calaveras Big Trees, going to 3 different theme parks (crossed out 1 already!), cooking dinner for my family, and trying at least 3 new baking recipes. School starts in about 6 weeks and I am in no rush to get back to business but I look forward to my sophomore year as a 3/c. I look forward to my cruise next summer too... who knows what that has in store for me!

Oh, and I miss all my CORTRAMID friends, but I'll see them one day in the fleet! :)