Monday, April 11, 2016

Day 68-70/194 - Intro to EVOC & Skid Pan!

Friday  Week 10!
The pace and study at the academy is about to pick up again! Not only that, but we are officially starting EVOC! Everyone starting the academy hears the horror stories of attrition as a direct correlation to EVOC training and more specifically, the skid pan. The skid pan is a part of the driving course that has slick concrete and sprinklers that spray water on the course. This is where the cadets learn to safely steer and control a vehicle out of a skid. On Friday, Kev and his company had their official introduction to EVOC and the skid pan! After an introductory class to EVOC and driving verbiage, the cadets went out to the skid pan to really experience EVOC! The instructors packed them into the squad cars 4 at a time, had them buckle up, and took them out on the course. Kev said everyone in his car was screaming and smiling as they spun out and the instructor slid the car around the course. They took turns as passengers and Kev was eventually able to sneak into the front seat for a 'shot gun' view! He said the wet course makes for a musty smelling car, so the windows were down for air the whole time to let air in. He said they were all a little wet at the end of the demonstration, but it was well worth it. The intro really pumped him up and regardless of the skid pan horror stories, he can't wait to jump in the drivers seat!! There will be a few more days of training and the first 'skid pan' test is at the end of this week! The cadets will only be going 25 miles an hour, but it will come down to mastering and demonstrating the techniques they are taught. The other company in the junior class lost 2 cadets to EVOC so far. They started a week earlier than Kev.

Saturday and Sunday!
Saturday we finally got Kev set back up at our local gym and we had a great workout! We followed our workout with amazing salads from Tender Greens and spent the rest of the afternoon with Kev's family. His youngest brother, wife and new baby nephew were in town for the night so we all had dinner together, including his mom and dad, and spent the rest of the night playing with his adorable nephew:)

On Sunday, we woke up and had another great workout together. Kev has another PT test in about two weeks, so he wants to keep training and preparing on the weekends when possible. We tried to catch a yoga class for a good stretch too but unfortunately I slept in a little too long. Even though Kev has to wake up before the sun at the academy, he is awake pretty early at home too. You would think he would want to sleep in as much as possible, but he says he doesn't want to waste the day as opposed to just habit. When I opened my eyes on Sunday, he was laying there next to me already studying.

We are on to WEEK 11 now! This week will have 4 tests in addition to the SKID PAN test. I have complete faith in Kev's success but it is going to be a tough week ahead! I appreciate and admire his confidence and determination so much. I know that he wants to succeed to achieve his own dream as much as he wants to make our future dreams possible and I can never thank him enough. Even though the academy life isn't ideal because we give up a lot of our time together, I wouldn't trade it for the world and I am still so happy I met him when I did. I can't wait to watch the love of my life receive his badge and see the look in his eyes when his hard work makes his dream a reality. Every day and every Sunday goodbye is a step closer!

- Mimi

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