Well, the last two weeks and a half here at Fort Jackson have been interesting to say the least... and we all know brevity is my middle name, so the least is what I will say...
Training has progressed at breakneck speed (think of your neck being broken really, really, really slowly--that's just what it is like). We have covered all the appropriate "going to war" topics: basic rifle marksmanship, first aid (at least that is what they called the class... I think it may have been a not so subtle attempt at disinformation), road marching (yippee!), physical fitness (I have never seen so many smokers as in the Army... maybe it's just the Army in South Carolina), the Code of Conduct (so that in the case of capture by signatories to the Geneva convention we know how to behave--that'll happen), land navigation and convoy operations (neither of which are things one--at least myself--plans on doing in Iraq, but one never knows; all the convoy drivers/gunners could get hurt and they might call on a PM doc to "man up". In which case, we are all in a world of hurt).
However, there are a couple of valuable tidbits that I have learned here that are worth sharing with you:
*A Navy individual augmentee (IA) to the Army is said to be in the Narmy... cute...
*Brown Gravy--seems that anything even remotely resembling food can be made tastier and "nutritionier" by the addition of this wonderful sauce--elixir of the gods (note, even better with a dash of hot pepper sauce)
*Some colors of MREs are worse than others: I had heard tell of "cheap" MREs but had no idea... Normal MREs come with a little heater to warm up the unpalatable food and a small bottle of Tabasco Sauce to mask the unpalatableness. The MREs that the Navy bought us in order to indoctrinate us to the Army have less; less food (that's OK), no heater, and no Tabasco! And the flavors/choices are truly remarkable; to wit, "Imitation Pork Rib, Boneless, Chunked, Formed with imitation Caramel and Smoke Flavor"--who wouldn't want to eat that!?!?! The Mexican Enchilada with Beef and Textured Vegetable Protein was exceptionally memorable--I didn't feel right for days... Needless to say, we cannot wait to get to Iraq where the food will be significantly better...
*the GAO is everywhere, making sure our tax dollars are well spent. Two young ladies (from the GAO--"that nice man from the government said he would help us" is now the "that nice lady from the government") came to ask us if our training was what we "needed to get our jobs done in Iraq or Afghanistan?" Of course, the answer for all of the IAs, most selected for deployment because of special skills was "No, that's not what this training is for. It is useless for my highly skilled day to day job in Iraq, but it is good to know just in case I find myself in a convoy in the middle of nowhere that comes under attack and I get separated from everyone else." That's a pretty big IF. (note: I didn't get a chance to mention the tax dollars wasted on he MREs mentioned above--drat!!)
*practice does help with shooting--after innumerable attempts over many years I am finally an EXPERT with my M9 pistol--will wonders never cease (or is that will wonders ever cease? I think the question is "will wonders ever cease?" and the answer is "wonders will never cease." but that's just my shoot-from-the-hip [something else we learned to do with a rifle!] opinion).
OK, I fly to Kuwait on Saturday morning (0400!?!?! aaack!?!?). A week of training with little/no internet access. Then onto Iraq. So, I will catch you all on the flip side.
Monday, February 04, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Surrounded!
So, today was a relatively easy day--all classroom work--whereas the last few days this week have been very physically demanding--so much so that upon getting back to the barracks, eating chow and taking a shower, I was out like a light...
But, today was just sitting in class and then going outside and learning about some of the heavy weapons we will shoot tomorrow (50 cal, 240Bravo, M2 grenade launcher--very exciting!). Oh yeah, we picked up our chem-bio suits too--protection from the omnipresent WMD. And then, at the end of the day, the drill instructors decide we have to have another formation and yell at us about the state of r barracks--not clean enough! Just part of the military game, no big deal, but the point is: no time for a run before dinner...
Couple of good e-mails from work and home (exciting happenings in the world of influenza surveillance and the kids grades--exciting, but not in a good way...). And then (Finally!!!), someone in the barracks wanted to play chess--not easy to find a chess partner--intellectual stimulation!! Next thing I know it is 2200--lights out!! I have to grope my way through the darkness to bed and set the alarm (early day tomorrow on the range shooting those heavy weapons) and get to bed.
As soon as the head hits the pillow, there is no chance of sleeping--no exercise, exciting info from NHRC and home to ponder, and my brain amped up on chess... As these things slosh about my brain, slowly seeps in the sound of snoring... I am surrounded by it--weird thing is there are only racks to my left and across from me--I am at the end of the room. But, the sonorous snoring sounds are coming from all around--Dolby Digital chainsaws--echoes galore... I put fingers in my ears, put a pillow over my head and am about to put earplugs in.... but thought I would write this first...
goodnight...
But, today was just sitting in class and then going outside and learning about some of the heavy weapons we will shoot tomorrow (50 cal, 240Bravo, M2 grenade launcher--very exciting!). Oh yeah, we picked up our chem-bio suits too--protection from the omnipresent WMD. And then, at the end of the day, the drill instructors decide we have to have another formation and yell at us about the state of r barracks--not clean enough! Just part of the military game, no big deal, but the point is: no time for a run before dinner...
Couple of good e-mails from work and home (exciting happenings in the world of influenza surveillance and the kids grades--exciting, but not in a good way...). And then (Finally!!!), someone in the barracks wanted to play chess--not easy to find a chess partner--intellectual stimulation!! Next thing I know it is 2200--lights out!! I have to grope my way through the darkness to bed and set the alarm (early day tomorrow on the range shooting those heavy weapons) and get to bed.
As soon as the head hits the pillow, there is no chance of sleeping--no exercise, exciting info from NHRC and home to ponder, and my brain amped up on chess... As these things slosh about my brain, slowly seeps in the sound of snoring... I am surrounded by it--weird thing is there are only racks to my left and across from me--I am at the end of the room. But, the sonorous snoring sounds are coming from all around--Dolby Digital chainsaws--echoes galore... I put fingers in my ears, put a pillow over my head and am about to put earplugs in.... but thought I would write this first...
goodnight...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Big Swooping Mahalo...
Thanks to the Yen's for bringing dinner over to my family last Friday night--in fact, I believe one or two of the Faix kids weren't there because they were out at various school/social events. But, the fact that Peg was driving during her standard "cooking time" makes the dinner that much more valuable.
Anyway, guess we'll keep them on the Christmas list!! ;-)
Anyway, guess we'll keep them on the Christmas list!! ;-)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
1 AM...
Watch standing is great... for young sailors and soldiers that need to learn responsibility. But, I am sure that I have learned that lesson many times over (although some may disagree!). Anyway, it is 1AM right now, and as part of this wonderful Army training I am standing the watch in our barracks--because we have M9 Beretta pistols and M16 rifles.
Let me digress...
As promised, we left Norfolk at 0800 Saturday on four chartered Greyhound buses heading out for Fort Jackson--we drove through rain, sleet and snow... slowly, because the bus I was on had a speed regulator on it that made the engine cut off every time the driver went over 69 mph. So the other buses took off and then waited for us at the Burger King half way down (we were about 45 minutes behind). all in all, the trip took almost ten hours--I don't think I had been on a Greyhound bus since I left for college--I hadn't forgotten why, but this was affirmation.
Upon arrival we filled out paperwork and were assigned to barracks. I was assigned to an open squad bay barracks with about thirty other O4s (mostly Navy lieutenant commanders and one Air Force major). The next day was Sunday, and we didn't have to muster until 1230, so I went for a nice long run on the sand trails that meander through the woods here on the camp--there is some nice running here!
But, on Monday we were assigned weapons and lots of other gear; the process consists of waiting in many different lines all day long--each line adds to the burden of equipment you are expected to carry around until you finally collapse under the weight of it all (sleeping bag, Gortex suit, long under wear, boots--two pairs, knee pads, M16 rifle, M9 pistol, jacket, rain suit--different than Gortex suit, camelback, knee pads, helmet, helmet covers, body armor and plates, gloves, socks, and a hundred other things that I cannot recall). All OD green (olive drab) and/or the new Army digital cammo pattern.
Most of the stuff I won't use in theater at all (from experience!), but we have to sign for it and are responsible for turning in the gear in Kuwait in our way home--the idea that I might be held up returning home is anathema to me--so, take the gear, keep it in a bag and return it I will. I just hope my back can handle carrying the stuff from here to there and back again!
Yesterday we learned how to field strip the M16 rifle and the basics of shooting the rifle and pistol.
Today we practiced firing the weapons (all with no bullets) and moving about tactically with 75 pounds (!!!) of armor on your back/shoulders and trying to carry a weapon and look scary to whoever wants to shoot you. It is tough, tiring work. I don't know how the guys that really do this for a living are able to manage... awe inspiring.
Me in full battle rattle...
Anyway, part of the joy of having these weapons is that we have to be responsible for them, so we need to buddy up and always be watching them. At night, this means one person in the barracks has to be awake to make sure no "bad guys" come and take our weapons while we are sleeping. we have decided to rotate on one hour shifts during the night... thus, at 1AM I am up writing this... hope you enjoy it!!
the barracks at Camp McCrady, Fort Jackson
Let me digress...
As promised, we left Norfolk at 0800 Saturday on four chartered Greyhound buses heading out for Fort Jackson--we drove through rain, sleet and snow... slowly, because the bus I was on had a speed regulator on it that made the engine cut off every time the driver went over 69 mph. So the other buses took off and then waited for us at the Burger King half way down (we were about 45 minutes behind). all in all, the trip took almost ten hours--I don't think I had been on a Greyhound bus since I left for college--I hadn't forgotten why, but this was affirmation.
Upon arrival we filled out paperwork and were assigned to barracks. I was assigned to an open squad bay barracks with about thirty other O4s (mostly Navy lieutenant commanders and one Air Force major). The next day was Sunday, and we didn't have to muster until 1230, so I went for a nice long run on the sand trails that meander through the woods here on the camp--there is some nice running here!
But, on Monday we were assigned weapons and lots of other gear; the process consists of waiting in many different lines all day long--each line adds to the burden of equipment you are expected to carry around until you finally collapse under the weight of it all (sleeping bag, Gortex suit, long under wear, boots--two pairs, knee pads, M16 rifle, M9 pistol, jacket, rain suit--different than Gortex suit, camelback, knee pads, helmet, helmet covers, body armor and plates, gloves, socks, and a hundred other things that I cannot recall). All OD green (olive drab) and/or the new Army digital cammo pattern.
Most of the stuff I won't use in theater at all (from experience!), but we have to sign for it and are responsible for turning in the gear in Kuwait in our way home--the idea that I might be held up returning home is anathema to me--so, take the gear, keep it in a bag and return it I will. I just hope my back can handle carrying the stuff from here to there and back again!
Yesterday we learned how to field strip the M16 rifle and the basics of shooting the rifle and pistol.
Today we practiced firing the weapons (all with no bullets) and moving about tactically with 75 pounds (!!!) of armor on your back/shoulders and trying to carry a weapon and look scary to whoever wants to shoot you. It is tough, tiring work. I don't know how the guys that really do this for a living are able to manage... awe inspiring.
Me in full battle rattle...
Anyway, part of the joy of having these weapons is that we have to be responsible for them, so we need to buddy up and always be watching them. At night, this means one person in the barracks has to be awake to make sure no "bad guys" come and take our weapons while we are sleeping. we have decided to rotate on one hour shifts during the night... thus, at 1AM I am up writing this... hope you enjoy it!!
the barracks at Camp McCrady, Fort Jackson
Monday, January 14, 2008
Processing...
I am pretty sure the military invented the concept of "hurry up and wait"...
So, as I tried to leave San Diego early Sunday morning I wasn't surprised that my plane was two hours delayed...
The layover in Chicago was supposed to be two hours, but even with my plane being late it ended up being 4 hours...
This sets the right tone for the coming weeks; one week of processing in Norfolk (medical, dental, administrative preparation to deploy)--one day of activity stuffed into 5 days; three weeks of Army training... just like Stripes!! Good news is that it looks like I will still be in the country for the Superbowl!!
And that wasn't the only good news today-- I found out that this weekend we get to take a bus from Norfolk, VA all the way to Columbia, SC for the Army Training... that's something to look forward to... nothing but the best for those about to deploy!!
So, as I tried to leave San Diego early Sunday morning I wasn't surprised that my plane was two hours delayed...
The layover in Chicago was supposed to be two hours, but even with my plane being late it ended up being 4 hours...
This sets the right tone for the coming weeks; one week of processing in Norfolk (medical, dental, administrative preparation to deploy)--one day of activity stuffed into 5 days; three weeks of Army training... just like Stripes!! Good news is that it looks like I will still be in the country for the Superbowl!!
And that wasn't the only good news today-- I found out that this weekend we get to take a bus from Norfolk, VA all the way to Columbia, SC for the Army Training... that's something to look forward to... nothing but the best for those about to deploy!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
