1
22-09
We finished up two long and difficult days today by spending it out at the woods again. We all had to pass tests on the material we've been taught, such as First Aid, gas mask usage and decontamination, reading maps, using a compass, and how to assemble and use an Army radio (and send a communication using the phoenetic alphabet when necessary -- that's alpha, bravo, charlie, delta, etc.). It was kind of stressful. Then we learned how to crawl in the dirt under barbed-wire, because they took us to the Night Infiltration Course and actually had us crawl across a 100 yard sand pit while instructors actuallt fired live machine guns over our heads. The bullets were probably 12 feet up, so even if you stood up you'd be safe, but they strongly encouraged us to stay low. It was cool. Explosions were going off and they fired flares into the air to help us all see. We were at this range with a squad of new recruits (Privates), and we followed them into the sand. Their drill instructors were not very nice to them, I can tell you that, and the language was a little more colorful that we had been used to with our instructors! And those poor soldiers had to crawl with their rifles up in their hands -- try that one the next time you go to the beach! That's not easy. I felt sorry for those guys (and glad it was not me). And just like a day at the beach, you come home with sand everywhere. I have to clean my gear this weekend, and I'm sure the sand will be the major issue to deal with.
The first picture is not me, by the way, but this guy found a way to stay warm. The second picture is of a memorial to the "Four Chaplains" who died together on a troop transport ship in WWII. They each gave up their life vests for Soldiers after their ship was hit by a German torpedo. These four Chaplains have been awarded the highest medal a Chaplain can receive, and so their story is a big deal around here.
This coming weekend will mark three completed weeks! It's moving faster than I thought (and yet not fast enough).
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