If I recollect correctly, there is a certain type of middle-aged man that pays a company an exceptional amount of money for a one-week "vacation" during which he is immersed in quasi-realistic military scenarios, complete with live ammunition, vast desert landscapes, indigenous wildlife, exotic insect encounters, and spartan accommodations. What a fool...he needn't pay anybody a single cent. In fact, if he would only join the US Army, he could actually get PAID to participate in such experiences! This is exactly what my dear colleagues and I were able to experience this past week...this and so much more!
I have no intention of complaining about any of the above-mentioned activities or conditions, especially considering each one was designed to teach us some facet of Army doctrine. Each one was developed because of past experiences or current conditions faced by our comrades. Many, many soldiers, airmen, Marines, and sailors are dealing with the real-life repercussions of these lessons learned. So please do not think this post is a rant on the "sacrifices" we have to make during our field training. Rather, this is just a tongue-in-cheek retrospective of a rather adventurous week.
On Monday evening at 5:30pm, the entire company (including 110 additional short-course reservists, for a total of 501 personnel) boarded "air conditioned" buses (ha!) and rode out to the site of our field training exercises (FTXs), Camp Bullis. For the duration of our three week-long FTXs, we would be housed on the FOB (Forward Operating Base). We were very fortunate to be housed in "hooches" with air conditioning (with the caveat that it could not be turned on until the training day was over at 5:00pm). MREs were usually the order of the day for our lunches, with a hot breakfast and dinner shipped in from the dining facility 5 miles away. Admittedly, I was more excited about the MREs than te hot meals for two reasons: one, they tasted better, and two, they all were made by the Wornick Co. in Cincinnati. I made sure everyone on the FOB knew that these were not true representations of Cincinnati cuisine, but I'm not sure they really cared at that point!
The main activities for the week consisted of learning several of the skills which will be tested in the FTX beginning tomorrow morning. These included land navigation, medevac requests, movement training, and weapons familiarization and qualification. I am happy to report that I was able to successfully zero my M-16 and qualifiy as a Marksman with a score of 23 out of 40 targets hit (this doesn't sound terribly impressive, but I assure you it was not as easy as it sounds! We can discuss at another time...)
A word on the M-16: you never, ever, ever go anywhere without it! On the grounds of a major safety violation, your M-16 goes with you everywhere: to the rifle range, to the chow line, to class, to bed, even to the latrine (which, in the case of the FOB consists of 40 Port-o-Potties for 501 people for 1 week...smells great in the Texas sun!!). When we finally locked up our weapons for the weekend and returned to Ft. Sam, I had a moment of panic when I used the toilet in my room and didn't have my M-16 next to me! Even worse, I forgot to flush the can...at least for a moment! Taking an armed dump in a honeypot for a week really messes up your sense of personal decency!!
The week went pretty well, and except for an almost exclusive sense of isolation (due to very poor cell phone reception), was pretty enjoyable. I consumed, on average, 1.5 to 2 gallons of water and Gatorade per day, and usually only peed twice. I was able to text the ladies for a few minutes in the evening, and even got in a few workouts in the extemporary gym on the FOB. I haven't weighed myself yet, but I'm certain there was some serious weight loss that took place last week...more on the when I'm able to post again next weekend.
Well my dear friends, I bid you all adieu for now. I have to repack my duffle and ruck sack for our 0500 departure back to the FOB tomorrow morning. I look forward to posting again next weekend. In the meantime, keep my girlies in your thoughts, plans, and prayers, and know that I'm doing the same for all of you. Take care, God Bless, and as always...
Peace.
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