Well, we finally got internet in our room, and no one is here but me, so it's just me and the broadband.......it's all mine! (for a little while)
We keep being bused to classes and meals, so life is good. If you took 440 people from anywhere, made them all work together for a time you'd have a certain amount of attrition... no different here. We've had a handful of injuries to soldiers, nothing serious, even falling down some stairs. There are a couple of folks who will be sent back home for various reasons, we may lose a pilot too. So we are hoping we can get thru the rest of our "green training"(all the army stuff most of us forgot a long time ago), and start the "blue training", our flight stuff, mission specific, and we get to wear fight suits again!!(joy, joy)
We've had a Sw asia security brief, an introductory class on insects, poisonous critters, and a couple on heat related injuries, and how we will handle the intense heat there. Not uncommon to see a crew member give someone an IV, we'll be carrying around lots of saline in our CLS(combat lifesaver bags).
We're still working on PT(physical training), we have to do an official PT test about the 10th of may. Thats pushups, situps, 2 mile run. The Bn Cmdr has put out that evryone will get at least 70% in ea event. Well need to be in the best shape of our lives to survive the heat. So, I'm working on that sixpack in my abs, got about 3 cans so far, need some more work. My running really sucks right now......gee, I wonder why? Could it be that they bus us to the dining hall 3 times a day, we can't say no to the food? Nah, I'm personally only eating half of what they give me, even if I ask for a little, they still give alot. Must be geared for the 20 yr olds in the group(shutup).
Enough on that......one more thing, working so hard on our bodies as we are, it reminds me of a dream that all of us young outdoor men had after high school of getting that modeling job for Cabela's, where we could stand proudly smiling in nothing but brand new long underwear, holding a Cabela's coffee mug, leaning on the mantle over a heavily stoked fireplace........Oh well.
We'll be getting issued our IBA(individual body armor, and welcome to the world of a million acronyms) soon, it's the pixelated camo like our uni's are, and weighs about 65 lbs. We'll start out without the armor plates out, and work up to acclimating here as it gets warmer each day.I'll post a pic once I get mine. Speaking of photos, I sent a bunch to my son Adam to put on the blog for me, as my time is limited. There is one of a small scorpion, one of the local guys to watch out for, besides rattlesnakes and cottonmouth snakes.
Had a couple days of weapon training, on the M-16(M4 short stock model we carry in the aircraft for pilots), and the M9(9 mm semi auto pistol, also for pilots and crew chiefs), and the M249 SAW (m16 caliber machine gun), and the M240 (larger caliber machine gun for the helicopters). We go to the range next week to actually fire all these and get qualified. I can't wait to blow something up.
I got to fly last nite(yahoo) I got my local area orientation of the army reservation where we'll do our flight training. one lap around the place in the day and one lap around at nite under NVG's(nite vision goggles). A little smaller than flying up at Camp Ripley, which most of us know like the back of our hand. More restrictive, more ranges to avoid, and lots of artillery firing all the time. (artillery is the large noisy guns that shoot a 155mm projectile long distances on the battlefield, great for taking out enemy tanks, etc)
Sure felt strange to be flying in a whole new area, and it's got some neat things around here too. The Whicita Mtns wildlife refuge borders part of the north side of the reservation, and I'm told they have elk, bison, some kind of dall sheep , as well as lots of turkey, deer, etc. We flew by a large reservoir last nite and of course I wanted to go skiing, and was looking for a Malibu or a Mastercraft ski boat somewhere, but to no avail. ( not advisable to do while in formation with 3 other balckhawks). It only reminded me that we can't leave the post(base), and we can't wear civilian clothes. Ours is the first group they've restricted in that way, while getting ready to deploy. I'ts only about 90 more days, and we all know why we're here and we're o.k. with it all.
Moral is pretty good overall, there's a few people we'd like to send somewhere else, but they won't let us do that. As any soldier can tell you, it's difficult to be gone from loved ones, and seeing someone's eyes well up with tears can spread quickly, while sharing pictures of our beautiful chidren and families at home . I know I'll owe my 8 yr old Steffy lots of hugs and tickle time while home on block leave in late july.
I'm praying for you all at home to keep safe, be alert, and thanks for the thoughts and prayers.
If you would pray that I can get caught up with the academic stuff, I'm a little rusty. It's hard to find the time and a quiet way to memorize this stuff for the blackhawk. I'm just feeling a little dummer than I should be. I know it will all come together, but there's a lot to learn.
Sorry I got a little windy here, this took me about 50 min to think and pound out, so you see I'm not the fastest, but I'm willing. I actually got this done uninterupted......finally a little "me" time....... See ya.
We keep being bused to classes and meals, so life is good. If you took 440 people from anywhere, made them all work together for a time you'd have a certain amount of attrition... no different here. We've had a handful of injuries to soldiers, nothing serious, even falling down some stairs. There are a couple of folks who will be sent back home for various reasons, we may lose a pilot too. So we are hoping we can get thru the rest of our "green training"(all the army stuff most of us forgot a long time ago), and start the "blue training", our flight stuff, mission specific, and we get to wear fight suits again!!(joy, joy)
We've had a Sw asia security brief, an introductory class on insects, poisonous critters, and a couple on heat related injuries, and how we will handle the intense heat there. Not uncommon to see a crew member give someone an IV, we'll be carrying around lots of saline in our CLS(combat lifesaver bags).
We're still working on PT(physical training), we have to do an official PT test about the 10th of may. Thats pushups, situps, 2 mile run. The Bn Cmdr has put out that evryone will get at least 70% in ea event. Well need to be in the best shape of our lives to survive the heat. So, I'm working on that sixpack in my abs, got about 3 cans so far, need some more work. My running really sucks right now......gee, I wonder why? Could it be that they bus us to the dining hall 3 times a day, we can't say no to the food? Nah, I'm personally only eating half of what they give me, even if I ask for a little, they still give alot. Must be geared for the 20 yr olds in the group(shutup).
Enough on that......one more thing, working so hard on our bodies as we are, it reminds me of a dream that all of us young outdoor men had after high school of getting that modeling job for Cabela's, where we could stand proudly smiling in nothing but brand new long underwear, holding a Cabela's coffee mug, leaning on the mantle over a heavily stoked fireplace........Oh well.We'll be getting issued our IBA(individual body armor, and welcome to the world of a million acronyms) soon, it's the pixelated camo like our uni's are, and weighs about 65 lbs. We'll start out without the armor plates out, and work up to acclimating here as it gets warmer each day.I'll post a pic once I get mine. Speaking of photos, I sent a bunch to my son Adam to put on the blog for me, as my time is limited. There is one of a small scorpion, one of the local guys to watch out for, besides rattlesnakes and cottonmouth snakes.
Had a couple days of weapon training, on the M-16(M4 short stock model we carry in the aircraft for pilots), and the M9(9 mm semi auto pistol, also for pilots and crew chiefs), and the M249 SAW (m16 caliber machine gun), and the M240 (larger caliber machine gun for the helicopters). We go to the range next week to actually fire all these and get qualified. I can't wait to blow something up.
I got to fly last nite(yahoo) I got my local area orientation of the army reservation where we'll do our flight training. one lap around the place in the day and one lap around at nite under NVG's(nite vision goggles). A little smaller than flying up at Camp Ripley, which most of us know like the back of our hand. More restrictive, more ranges to avoid, and lots of artillery firing all the time. (artillery is the large noisy guns that shoot a 155mm projectile long distances on the battlefield, great for taking out enemy tanks, etc)
Sure felt strange to be flying in a whole new area, and it's got some neat things around here too. The Whicita Mtns wildlife refuge borders part of the north side of the reservation, and I'm told they have elk, bison, some kind of dall sheep , as well as lots of turkey, deer, etc. We flew by a large reservoir last nite and of course I wanted to go skiing, and was looking for a Malibu or a Mastercraft ski boat somewhere, but to no avail. ( not advisable to do while in formation with 3 other balckhawks). It only reminded me that we can't leave the post(base), and we can't wear civilian clothes. Ours is the first group they've restricted in that way, while getting ready to deploy. I'ts only about 90 more days, and we all know why we're here and we're o.k. with it all.Moral is pretty good overall, there's a few people we'd like to send somewhere else, but they won't let us do that. As any soldier can tell you, it's difficult to be gone from loved ones, and seeing someone's eyes well up with tears can spread quickly, while sharing pictures of our beautiful chidren and families at home . I know I'll owe my 8 yr old Steffy lots of hugs and tickle time while home on block leave in late july.
I'm praying for you all at home to keep safe, be alert, and thanks for the thoughts and prayers.
If you would pray that I can get caught up with the academic stuff, I'm a little rusty. It's hard to find the time and a quiet way to memorize this stuff for the blackhawk. I'm just feeling a little dummer than I should be. I know it will all come together, but there's a lot to learn.
Sorry I got a little windy here, this took me about 50 min to think and pound out, so you see I'm not the fastest, but I'm willing. I actually got this done uninterupted......finally a little "me" time....... See ya.
