Day 2 of In-Processing: Continuing to Make Progress

Today was my second day of in-processing, which is actually my official "day zero". It didn't make much sense to me, either.

After getting up early to make it to PT on time, I was again stuck in the "no decals" lane at the main gate, because I still don't have decals on my car (I now have a temporary pass, which is the best I can do until I have my Washington registration and plates, but that's another story). What nobody bothered to tell me, however, is that it takes about 45 minutes to get through the "no decals" lane around 0600. I didn't make it on base until 0630, half an hour after when I thought PT was supposed to start. Turns out, 0600 is the time for formation; PT itself doesn't start until 0645. So I didn't miss anything (except a good workout, because you can't get that at group PT 95% of the time).

I finished PT, showered, got dressed, and returned to the Marne Reception Center to find one of my classmates from my MPH sitting there. After the initial "What are you doing here?!?" greetings, I noticed he had the patch for the 85th CA Battalion on his arm (see Friday's post), and was able to put two and two together and realized that he's the environmental science officer for the battalion. So I do know someone at Ft. Stewart (and even in my battalion!) after all.

Since he was just signing in today, his "day one" is Wednesday, and since he's a major, he doesn't have to work at getting on the VIP list, so he's not even coming in tomorrow. For today, though, we stuck together to get our cars registered (which is where I got my temporary pass) and go to finance, where I turned in my paperwork to get paid for my partial do-it-yourself move (meaning I put a bunch of stuff in my car and drove it south). Then we grabbed lunch and he headed back home, I got official word that I'm a VIP (yay for no group PT tomorrow!), and then headed over to the hospital to do the in-processing that's not a part of the overall in-processing.

I won't be working at the hospital, since I'll be working in the battalion, but the hospital has to keep my credentials and give me access to the computer systems and whatnot. Turns out, though, that while we were able to get my credentials file started, Walter Reed still hasn't send over my residency file (let me put on my surprised face...). We got that going, but I won't be able to request access to the electronic medical records or my work email until I'm done in-processing to Ft. Stewart.

That taken care of, I headed home and got my paperwork ready for tomorrow, my "day one" of in-processing (only three work days into the process). What do I have to look forward to tomorrow? Endless lectures. Including one on preventive medicine. I wonder if they'll let me give that one.