Monday 10 May 2010

Today was the first day of training with the Army Drill Sargeants. It was not as bad as I expected – and we were told they had instructor “hats”on vice “Drill Sargeant” hats on.. which is good considering we have about 3 CAPTs, 5 LCDRS and about 35 LTs. Unbelieveable how many LTs we have here.. most of our female berthing is LTs. Very few junior enlisted and 3 chiefs. Anyhow, we started at 0600 this morning on the grinder. We were talked to by the Army OIC of the base and then sent to our “C” Company Classroom. (I’m Charlie Company, Platoon 3).. Anyhow, we listened to about 6 Drill Sargeants give us their gouge on the training and actually, they all seemed pretty down to earth. From there we left on buses to go to the main base for gear issue. As the hours wore on, so did the heat, and the lines (as there are about 200 of us going through the training). We got all our Kevlar gear, our winter uniforms and a bunch of other misc items such as an Alice Pak.. OMG.. we had to stuff our Kevlar helmets and vests in the pak and carry it.. I would have rather had on the gear.. atleast the weight is distributed evenly.. lol about 40 pounds of steel in the jackets, padding and bullet proof materials. It will be hot as hell in them, tho.. especially in 130 degree temps of summer Afghanistan! Anyhow, we spent most of the day getting issued the gear before heading back to the training camp. So it was a long day of lines, sun and inventorying everything we got, stuffing some in to sea bags and other stuff in our Alice Packs. Woohoo… After we got back we mustered on the grinder for a little preview of tomorrows PT schedule and the fitness test tomorrow. It’s a bunch of different warm ups and then a mile run. Not too big of a deal. We finished about 5pm tonight and had to wait until 6 for the galley to open for us. Needless to say most of us are tired and hungry. Chow here is not soo bad.. compared to Navy ship cooking, its good. We are not lacking for anything, that’s for sure! Now, I am laying in my rack, listening to some girls talk on their phones to their friends, family, and others just chilling out or already sleeping. I have a feeling the long days in the sun will be extremely tiring from this point on. Tomorrow is weapons issue. I still don’t know what weapon I will be issued, but I am betting is a 9mm. We will see. Either way we will be shooting the 9mm and M16. From tomorrow on, the Drill Sargeants informed us our weapons will be our battle buddys… 24/7. Everywhere we go, our weapon will be with us. Train like we fight. We were already warned that Saturday is our first gun shoot and will be the longest Saturday of our lives in full gear shooting for quals in 95 degree temps. Can’t tell you how excited I am for that. We also have some Convoy training – where we will be rolled – and taught how to exit and defend ourselves as necessary – as well as the dessert time where we will be dropped off and have to find our way back through the woods via our map and compass only. I am – seriously – looking forward to those.. I guess this training is the training we were supposed to get in Kuwait – but.. they are doing it here now, which should shorten the time I spend in Kuwait. We shall see. : ) Anyhow, that is enough for tonight. I am tired and need to get some other stuff done before I sleep. My body hurts, and its only just began…  where we will be as the dessert time where we will be dropped off and have to find our way back through the woods via our map and compass only. I am – seriously – looking forward to those.. I guess this training is the training we were supposed to get in Kuwait – but.. they are doing it here now, which should shorten the time I spend in Kuwait. We shall see. : ) Anyhow, that is enough for tonight. I am tired and need to get some other stuff done before I sleep. My body hurts, and its only just began…
More tomorrow...