headed to Coronado...

[NavyMA1221]

I am half way there... everything is finally falling into place. :) i dont check into SERE's untill the 10th but i am going to drive down now and take some leave... My ear (ruptured ear drum) seems to be healing quite nice, i have fought the temptation to swim since it happend but i am sure i will pay for that once i get started... TS223 i'll meet you down there man.

[joshdupre]

Good luck man and please keep us posted, be safe.

MR2

[bigv123]

Best of luck MA. Keep us in the loop on how you're doing.

V

[TS_223]

Have a safe trip man, I'm headed that way in two short days.

I won't be checking in as soon as I get there either.

[SilentSnake]

Go get some! I'm sure you'll still swim as good as you need to.. Good luck!

[SeaSpectre]

Be sure to have a Guinness for me at the Palm.

[Blenk11]

Good luck bro and keep us updated on everything. Hooyah and keep your mind on the prize during S.E.R.E.!

STS2

[NavyMA1221]

Well I made it to Coronado, it is a very big base from what i saw, the navy lodge was full up, so i am staying at the Hotel Del Coronado... I wish i would have just slept in my car... this place is an arm and a leg for a closet sized room... oh well.

I must say though i had a huge smile when i pulled up to base and saw the big "Naval Base Coronado" sign... it feels good.

[SeaSpectre]

Damn----I wish I coulda lined you out. Imperial Beach is just right down the strand----cheaper hotels there.

[tvlr]

Are the Little Vienna and Plank still open ? Spent many a happy hour in those places. ( I think )

tvlr............

[NavyMA1221]

Have a safe trip man, I'm headed that way in two short days.

I won't be checking in as soon as I get there either.

well TS, if you are headed here today, you might as well leave your Jacket in the car, you are not going to need it :)

I drove around on base this morning for a little while (i was actually just completely lost), and now i know what everyone is talking about when they say its intimidating... it really is. Every one i saw wearing a brown shirt was running.

[joshdupre]

What did you bring with you as far as seabag goes? I'm missing my working whites, 2 sets of utilities, and a few other items. I have gaines several items though. I wear cammies all the time cause I'm with the Bee's so I don't even wear utilities. I'm just curious as to what others have brought and are bringing. Good luck, and have fun.

MR2

[TS_223]

Not going to be there today, but leaving for there tomorrow morning. Won't arrive for about a week. Did you check in yet? Will you be checking-in with dress blues?

I replaced everything that I was issued from boot except one pair of working whites. I currently have only one pair of CNT working whites, but everything else including the working blues. Bought new white hats because the others were fleet rolled. Pretty much ditches everything I accumulated except initial issue gear, and two extra pairs of 922s.

[Blenk11]

I heard you are supposed to have a FULL seabag. Everything from working blues to watch-cap to the required amount of webbed belts. Do you have to get your current rank on ALL your uniforms?

STS2/SS

[IT3IHateSand]

Don't worry too much about the full sea bag, no on is going to be checking. What your worried about is atleast one set of dress blues/whites, working blues/whites, utilities, and you should be good. Of course have your covers and dress shoes as well. Check-in with dress uniform and looking good.

P.S. have fun at SERE, haha good times!.........hint, if i could have i would have stashed some beef jerky, they do a pre-inspection right before you get on the bus, but lets say if you took it out of the package and put it in your pockets inside some small baggies, they're not going to be reaching their hands in ;).

[Kinnikinik]

Yeah, show up in your dress blues looking sharp! I'm not going to comment on what you should have in your sea bag, but I would suggest some utilities so you can burn those @#$%#ers when you graduate!

Some tips on the area,

The internet cafe on base requires you to sign up and get a card. Get it now so you can send emails without having to go to far.

Island pasta is open late and sells their pasta by the pound. I don't know how many times I went there at night for a little bit of extra carb loading.

Buy some Ensure (weight gain formula) for the mornings. I found pounding one of them kept the calories going until I got a chance to eat in the morning.

Don't go to Tijuana. Graduate, then go.

Get out and explore during the weekends. San Diego and Coronado are wonderful places.

Try the Carne Asada burritos and the rolled tacos. There is a great palce in IB just down the road from base. They are open late.

There is also a dry cleaners in IB. Give them one of your uniforms when you get them to press, and never wear that uniform except for inspections!
I can't remember the name, but they rock!

Mc P's is a good place to hang out when you graduate. Hold on until you do to hang out there.

Pitch in as a class to buy floor polish. You will all be using it (home depiot or Lowes)

Thats about it for now. I am so pumped for you guys, do me proud. And if you ever think about quitting, remember you have to email me first before you quit.

K

[Kinnikinik]

Hey, MA... throw me an email, I have a bit more to share with you.

K

[swcc-wife]

There is also a dry cleaners in IB. Give them one of your uniforms when you get them to press, and never wear that uniform except for inspections!
I can't remember the name, but they rock!



AB Brights is the dry cleaners that all the guys I know use. Not sure if this is the one in Imperial Beach that you were talking about, but they do a REALLY good job from what I've heard.

My twopence :)

[jmason]

I figure since everyone else around there will be running, when I check in to bud/s with dress blues you think it would be wise to run to the quarterdeck and to the barracks? Haha. Hopefully not scuffing the dress shoes!

[Blenk11]

Aren't you in the wrong forum John? JK man, I'll see you at the pool this week.

STS2/SS

[NavyMA1221]

Thanks for the advice IT3 and Kinnikinik.

Email has been sent Kinnikinik

I am on leave now (i just wanted to get to coronado before i left) so i dont have internet access every day but i will try and check in later this week.

[jmason]

Aren't you in the wrong forum John? JK man, I'll see you at the pool this week.

STS2/SS

Yeah man ill see you at the pool, though i think you would perform so much better if you could keep those single women off of you at the gym... you need to show me your secret since your married and dont need those powers anymore. Whats wrong with a bald smurf splashin around the pool with butt hugging udt trunks on?

[ddssdv]

Good mex grinds...Jalisco's in IB.

[jmason]

Hey MA3 are you going to be checking in with your MA badge on your cracker jacks? I figure the best is not to try and look like authority when theres instructors around....

[jhulk406]

check in with your ****. you need to be in the proper unifrom. they well hold an inspection and ask what your rate is. how good does it look if you are hiding things when you first check in?

[jmason]

check in with your ****. you need to be in the proper unifrom. they well hold an inspection and ask what your rate is. how good does it look if you are hiding things when you first check in?

Your 100% right, I am defenately proud to be an MA and deserve to wear the badge having almost 2 years of experience as one.

[NavyMA1221]

I will be checking into SERE on North Island NAS this Saturday. I am checking in in my Dress Blues (even though it seems pretty warm in CA to wear them lol) and yes i am going to wear my MA badge, I don't see why i wouldn't, i did earn it.

I am a little unsure as to where i am checking into though. I looked on the Naval Base Coronado web site and it says the OOD if it is after working hours, and since its a weekend, I would assume the OOD is where i should go. I am hoping the Gate guard will be able to assist me in finding him. Am i correct in my assumptions?

[NavyMA1221]

Also Kinnikinik, did you get my E-mail? I am not to sure if it worked or not.

[TS_223]

If you check with the BUD/S quarterdeck on NAB, I'm sure that they well direct you.

[NavyMA1221]

Well i am officially Checked in for SERE i start on monday. but i still have 2 questions that i couldnt get answered by the quater deck... There was a sign there about checking in for SERE, and on that sign it said i have to report with my Complete SERE medical form, and NATOPS Jacket, but this is the first i have heard of either of them. Is the medical from something in my Dive Physical?

Well its time to explore and head to the beach.

Thanks in advanced for any info you may have.

[mikev]

I was in North Island with my dad last spring for a change of comand...He flipped off the SERE building everytime we went by hahaha have fun man

Also, he was telling me a story about a SEAL he was in there with that escaped twice after being "captured", said he was right next to him and never heard him leave or knew how he got out hahaha

[NavyMA1221]

Thats pretty kick *** man.

I just got back from my self given tour... and my goodness this base is like a resort. There is a Golf course, a miniature golf course, 2 beaches, a fishing pier, and the NEX is like a small mall.

I tested out the water at the beach, Yes Sir its cold... But I am changing into my swimsuit now and am gonna go make peace with that cold...

[NavyMA1221]

Well i am back from the beach and i gotta say... theres no making peace with that water lol. I went out about waist deep in the water, which was deep enough for the waves to meet me at my chest, and after about 20 min of standing around in it i finally just kicked my legs out from underneth me and went for a short swim... a very short swim. But it is Cold...

Any one know about the NAVTOP jacket or SERE medical form?

[TS_223]

Just pulled this off Google.

SERE Medical Form (http://www.faso.navy.mil/MedicalScreeningForm.pdf)

Not sure what a NAVTOP jacket is though.

[NavyMA1221]

thanks TS, i dont know why i didnt think of google... slight problem in the fact that this is the first time i have ever seen this form...

[TS_223]

This may be a dumb question, but why didn't you ask about it when you checked in?

[NavyMA1221]

I did, i checked in at the Quater Deck this morning (to day was my "No Earlier than date") and when i asked them about it they had no Idea

[surfinghawaii]

Natops is for aircrew, so don't worry about it.

[maofaseal]

My Son also starts SERES training tomorrow!! Good Luck too you guys!