19840502 – 1st Letter From Boot Camp in which I relate my experience and expectations from my first couple of days in Navy boot camp in San Diego, CA.
19840517 – 2d Letter From Boot Camp in which I explain that I got a guaranteed school to learn Hebrew and work in intel at Fort Meade. I ask Dad not to sell my car.
19840529 – 3d Letter from Boot Camp in which I explain a bit more about how I got the school to learn Hebrew and the benefits of the position, go into more detail about daily life and the routine of boot camp, and request help getting the information I need to fill out the forms for my background investigation.
19840630 – Last Letter From Boot Camp in which I wrap up and comment on the boot camp experience and ponder the future trip up the coast to Monterey for language training at the Defense Language Institute which I was not expecting until two or three days before boot camp was to end.
19840709 – 1st Letter From the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterey, CA in which I recount what I have learned thus far about learning Korean and about Monterey and getting my affairs cleaned and wrapped up on the East Coast as well as the potential for sightseeing in California.
19840716 – 2d Letter From DLI in which I recount news of getting into the groove with studying and physical training and request a bunch of things, like warm clothes, to be gathered and shipped out to me. Thank God for my wonderful family for doing that for me!
19840730 – 3d Letter From DLI in which I tell of the sights of Cannery Row, a beach party with fellow sailors, and the results of my first Korean language module test…. 96%… yeah baby!
19840812 – 4th Letter From DLI in which I tell of visiting Army friends in Salinas, probably Ted Hoffer at least, a missed trip to LA and Disney, promotions, and paying off bills.
19840824 – 5th Letter from DLI in which I discuss plans for Labor Day weekend camping at Yosemite National Park and working the Vintage Car Races, featuring Ferrari, at Laguna Seca racetrack. It’s been two months since I left boot camp and started at DLI.
19840906 – 6th Letter from DLI in which I recount the story of our Labor Day weekend trip to Yosemite and discuss the weather in Monterey.
19840915 – 7th Letter from DLI in which I again discuss the weather but also finally mention some of the people I met in class and do things with outside of class. There are a couple of pictures of me in this one.
19840921 – 8th Letter from DLI in which I discuss continuing my class 96% average, joining the 100 Milers Club, Ft. Meade duty options, and my finances.