The Michigan Partisan | About Me | Home | | Contact Me |

As far as first day goes, typical indoc, briefings, speeches and meeting my new friends for the next four months.

Had my first APFT, and surprisingly these stud Infantry types arent that hard core when it comes to PT. Of my group I was near the upper middle in the run. Funny thing is I got the same score as I did on my last apft at ocs. Before the run I went in front of bld 4 where my plt was to be but alas it wasnt there. Then someone said third was down the road so I run there, then someone says, no they are on the track so I run there, then they say third is down the track so I run half way around the track and realize they are all messing with me, haha good one. So I run across the wet grass of the track all the way to building 4 then march with another plt to the pt area where I rejoined my plt with a few other stragglers.

01/11/2005

Was told all were going to get a Ranger physical so all of use didn't eat nor drink after 2100 yesterday. Then we find out Guard and Reserve (me) wont go for the physical, we did PT instead. Don't need water for PT!

Had some free time went to Clothing Sales and lost my notebook there. I saw Drill Sergeant Prevost from 1/333 as I was walking out. He said I even look like an officer, I don't think he meant it as a compliment. At least he didn't call me "Spot" anymore. Oh yea, I remember...

Had urinalysis, I passed, although I suffered much not being able to perform on the spot. Had to go through the line twice.

Then we had a chaplain brief, it went like this, "I am the Chaplain, and this is my number, thank you."

Had first real PT with a 3.5 mile run or so. Then had brief by Col. Ritter, who is the definition of STUD. Then met our class sponsor. Then a couple short presentations from AUSA and an Infantry origination. They told us about the new National Infantry Museum which will span 200 acres and cost $70 million. The one now can only display a quarter of what they have.

At 1800 we had a social at the O'club. Finally I see what officers do. Commanding General Freakley was there, he also embodies the STUD role. Being an officer is a tremendous responsibility those two officers give an aura confidence that can only extend down to the lowliest private.

Yesterday had a good PT workout, then back to Building Four for many briefs, mostly financial, as in Thrift Savings Plan, therefore seemed interesting. Now I'm on a three day weekend. PT and read, is all they said we can do, not really but those were stressed.

01/16/05

The training never stops, after some good times at Mass, I spent a good six hours working on the FM 7-8 test. I felt it was a good way to familiarize myself with the ever important field manual for Infantry Leaders. For you future Ken Jennings out there, the answer is: "2.5 lbs." The correct question is: "What is the weight of E-Tool with carrier?"

Did five mile BN run. The fun part was standing in the 23 degree temperature for an hour. Spent the rest of the day going over TLPs, very rapidly I might add.

01/19/2005

Had test over some things covered yesterday, mostly things we looked up. I was quite surprised by the test seeing as how I do not recall the capt. saying we were having one. I got one out of four.

Still trying to get used to being an officer I had a interesting event happen to me today. Walking into the DFAC I past six or so PFCs, while dropping my salute, I realized the one in the back was saluting with his left hand because he was still talking on his cell with his right. I should've corrected him, at a minimum. However, I was quite surprised at what I saw and kept walking. I remember a time when I was in the Marines and was talking to some friends outside of the PX, an officer walked by, we saluted, then a second later my friend looks at his hand which is holding a pop and said, "Did I just salute with my left hand?" It was quite funny, and I am sure that PFC was thinking the same thing as they drove away. Still, I should've corrected him.

01/20/2005

Had more practice with tie downs and most of the day in Bld 4 with TLPs. Starting to warm a little here. We ran Downing Mile, which is a trail through the woods with obstacles, we just ran around the obstacles. Very efficient.

I had more practice with tie downs, apparently I don't know the difference between a granny and square knot. I'd like to thank Dailey for telling me I was good with my knots.

We did the Bolton Obstacle Course then ran the Downing Mile but in BDUs this time, heck of a workout and my hands are now totally destroyed. Although, most blisters are from burning the 550 cord. I'm spending today working on my OPRDR which is due Monday. First it seems quite daunting, but after a few hours going over it, it seems to be coming together in my head and page.

We spent about 30 minutes on combatives this morning. I can truthfully say I am not very good at this. Then we drew our M4s, which are baby M16s, plus optics, which make it "cool guy gear" as a former TAC officer at OCS would say. Then the entire day was at Bld 4 going over the ins and outs of the M4. Came home and packed my ruck for a day of shooting tomorrow, we even get some night firing in. I do not really know how much time this week I'll have to write here. I imagine any day spent sending lead at something cant be all that bad.

I spent the past two days on the range shooting the M4 with M68 sight. I did fairly well, but didn't get a chance to reshoot because I was sent on a brass pick up detail for 3 hours. This morning we did combatives just like the past two days, then ran to the range. We ran back the past two days, but today we rucked, yet it felt like a run. The 1SG said we had more experts than any other company when it came to shooting. On the good news, the weather is great, at least today and I caught a bit of burn.

This week I'll combine all into one, which is fairly easy since it is Land Navigation. First day Bachlaani and I cleaned house together during the day lan-nav. Unlike OCS, I tried to use the compass as little as possible. During the night, we went for the minimum to ensure we made it back before the ran, which the cadre was able to tell and sent us back out for the rest of our points.

The next day it was raining when we woke up, I was happy I stayed dried, however, as I took down my hooch I heard water swooshing into my open sleeping bag. "Great," I thought. Then we moved to Yankee North range and did more lan-nav. Even though it was the same place as OCS, the weather was horrendous, the roads nearly impassible because of the clay they were reduced. I got lost, no surprise not using a compass, and ended in a swamp that took nearly an hour to get across. When I finished I was soaked, cold and muddy, so was everyone else. Cadre let us start bonfires, the OCSers there at Furman Range just looked like they wanted to cry, I know I sure did. The port-a-jons were a nice respite from the torrential onslot. After chow we were standing around the fire and were told a decision from on high came down and we were going home after the night land-nav, now tears of joy filled the company. I set out determined to get all my points since I knew I wasn't going to sleep in a wet bag that night. Still not using the compass, I turned the wrong way out of the starting point. About half hour later, I realized I was about 2 klicks away from where I was to be. I turned around and tried again. Got my minimum and headed straight south to the end and home.

After some great sleep, we headed out into the woods. Some points I knew from when I was at OCS, others I used terrain association on. Walking nearly 700 meters and walking straight upon a point is not to bad if I do say so myself. I got 7 of 9 and could've got the last two if they werent on the opposite of the map. During the night lan-nav I got my three and made it back in the middle of the pack.

Had all CATD classes this week, some were good, others a major bore. Best time of the week was when cadre called "zonk" at PT because of early classes. Wish I could write more about this week but it was such a bore.

This week was probably the best week at IOBC. It was STX lanes. Now, these are lanes composing of various scenarios. Clearing a trench, assaulting a bunker, near and far ambush and room clearing.

Assaulting a bunker was our first lane. The SQD walked in the woods, team leader sees the bunker, we drop and fire, first team comes on line to lay a base of fire while SQD LRD takes second team in a flank to assault. First SQD was a little shaky with the assaulting element but we did get better. When we had the far ambush we worked like clock work. Only problem was the 240B opened up about 150m away and it took nearly 5 minutes of IMTing before we could lay a base of fire. We got to watch as parts of our SQD played OPFOR, it was a riot watching the next SQD looking so lost, they really couldn't tell were the fire was coming from, Bretzik was jumping up and down taking pot shots which slowed their entire assault.

03/03/2005

Yesturday it was combat day, so to speak. We had bayonet training in the morning. An hour or so of thrusts and spin moves. Then pugil sticks. Which was on only two minutes but it was quite a chore to make it through. Then after some NBC classes, we had combatives. We did what we called "Braveheart" in OCS, two squads line up against each other and go for it. I was pinned under one guy expecting others from my sqad to help me, well, they were all out so the entire second squad was on top of my. For my part I still didn't tap out. The cadre called it, I guess it was a tap out by decision.

This morning we went to the Ranger Training Brigade to do the five mile run which we have to do at Ranger School. My ribs were killing me be I was able to bear the pain for 40 minutes.

I spent the week in the field doing SQD battle drills. Monday we had walk through the area where we were to do the live fire. Then they brought me back to the rear because I still needed to go to sick call for my xray follow up on Tuesday. That night it poured rain and hovered around freezing, plus the PLT was on 50% security. I, sadly, was in my room. Tuesday we had SQD blank fire then live fire, both iterations consisted of movement through the woods making contact with the "enemy." That night we conducted a raid. I got mixed up with another SQD and assaulted the OBJ with a SF guy and my team leader. It was fun but my NCO trainer yanked me and said, "What are you doing, sir?" I said assaulting through, and he just said yeah right, which it was hard to assault through with him hanging onto my harness. Next day he compared me to Elmer Fudd, which I was a close impersonation, NODs and bonfires are not a good combo. I also learned moving a PLT through the woods to a certain point to attack a position at a predetermined time is a lot harder than it sounds, well, it don't really sound to easy. Wednesday our PLT was OPFOR, I was a OPCASUALTY in a "helo crash" basically, that meant one team just racked out next to a beat up chopper until another PLT came by. Thursday we had a couple rehearsals. Then we had a 9 mile ruck march, but since I was light duty I had no ruck, this made me feel like the biggest jackass ever out there.

Today we did our community service cleaning up the highway, normally the inmates did this, and someone forgot to tell the drivers we were not inmates, because they treated us as such. Keep going was the nicest thing our driver said, other SQDs almost got into fights with their drivers. Ah, to serve the public and be appreciated. Plus we did this for 4 hours. Just as an aside, we had a PLT contest going where the coolest piece of trash found won the pool. Well, 50m into my walk I found a dildo. Needless to say I won the cash, which went into the pizza fund. I said it before and I'll say it again, "The highway is where you find the cool stuff."

03/14/2005

Today is my Birthday, yea for me. We had classes on maintenance and supply, oh yes, how can I possibly top that for a Birthday? On the plus side, most of the material was exactly what I did in the Marines.

Finished the week at the motor pool dealing with maintenance and supply. It was as fun as you can imagine. Was able to spend some time in a Bradley. I thought the coolest thing in that was the MRW heater. The didnt let the International students go and study our supply procedures, could this be how America retains her combat excellence?

Today we "test drove" a computer sim that is intended to help us with the PLT live fire next week. It was difficult to control and my men ran out of bullets and were yet to keep firing. Tonight we have our Dining In. Which is a military tradition that stretches back to...er, well I'm not sure.

03/19/2005

I found out the Dining In tradition dates back to 1716, pretty impressive...

03/20/2005

I found out today that Drill Sergeants MSG Balinski and SFC Tucker died Thursday night in an auto accident near FT. Benning. They were both from my battalion, 1/333, and MSG Balinski was once in my company. Both were here doing a year-plus deployment training new soldiers. They were both good men and great NCOs. I found this article from last year quoting MSG Balinski They shall be missed.

03/25/2005

I finished a week of PLT operations. Monday was terrain walk. We did an ambush and I was next to the 240 when it opened up, needless to say I didn't think my pathetic little M4 could be heard over that beast.

Tuesday we where on a raid and I was SQD LRD. I was on the Leaders Recon when we were spotted by their OPLP. I brought the security element online as the PL radioed for the PLT to advance. When they got there 1st and 2nd SQDs flanked out, boldly. We ran a couple hundred meters it seemed. I pushed 1st through and we quickly breached the gate and Bravo team fell right in to clear the building. Amazingly, eventhough the plan when out the window with the first shot, everything went off according to plan, if that makes sense. On the way back to the LD we were ambushed a second time, in a swamp, so as I went from member to member in my SQD I was in water or mud. Most my guys were out of ammo so I had to reload mags usecond The other SQDs started assaulting through, at this time I lost coms... Then Bretzik said, "Prepare for LOD." I told my men, then he said, "We have a dismounted reinforcements, PLT sized... prepare for withdrawal." I was like WTF is going on, then another PLT walks right through our support by fire lines. Capt Jones calls it off, apparently, the PLT that fired on us had been there all day waiting for a PLT to walk by, we happened to get there before the other PLT did, by mistake. Then another PLT was just unloading on the road, we thought they were reinforcements, they thought we were ambush, ah, the fog of war is quite funny. Later some of us were OPFOR and we spread out so much on the OBJ it took 2nd PLT forever to clear it. My weapon had a double feed on the second shot so I just died dramatically.

Thursday we did a raid on the site of our OPFOR from Tuesday. 1st SQD, being on the far left never fired a shot. This assault was ok but support by fire was too far away. Had a few hours to ready for the 12 mile road march. I got to carry the skidco (is that how it's spelled?) the whole way, plus I forgot my lift for my boot so my knee is killing me.

I came home this morning and attended SFC Tucker's funeral. The turnout was very large and emotional. I wish I could've went to the brunch at the American Legion. However, my week in the field and lack of sleep last night and plane ride hit my hard and at once. I'm proud my unit is as close as it is.

03/29/2005

Did OPRDR brief today. This week is directed at defensive operations.

03/31/2005

After breakfast, we went and did a terrain walk of where our defensive OPODR will take place. Huge building preventing us from seeing the OBJ, I guess that is why they make engineers. This afternoon we had an OPRDR brief that helped in laying out the overall aspect of the operation. Was going to go to a movie, but my truck is in the shop.

On Friday, the CADRE made us roll around in the water for PT then run, Iron Mikes, then over head claps, then more fun stuff then run back. I don't mind being Infantry so much if I didn't have to get wet. We had more computer time at the JANUS building. This building is used to enact battles without all the explosions and men. A network of computers are tied into each other, allowing each commander only to see what he should be able to see, barring smoke and obstacles. The graphics were a little Commodore 64 but overall it was rather fun. I ran a Bradley out in front of our lines during a smoke attack, which my Captain didn't not like at all, "He who dares wins."

The foreign students are giving briefs about their countries. Bachaalani had a pleasant video about Lebanon. It seems like a quaint country, it did touch briefly on the Civil War that is now over. Then KC had his video about Nepal. It was entirely about the Maoist Terrorists. They felt the need to video tape every case of terrorism no matter how morbid. It was 25 minutes of Faces of Death. Example, voice over: "Terrorists beheaded three police on this date..." Then cut to three unlucky headless bodies. So on and so forth, for 25 minutes. Here all I thought Nepal had was Mt. Everest and a slick reference in "There's Something About Mary" I'll never think of "All I got are these damn Nepalese coins!" again without feeling a little lightheaded. KC tried to reassure us that gringos are welcomed there because none are attacked, well, with tourism videos like that how many go?

04/04/2005

Today we had a defensive TEWT (Tactical Exercise Without Troops) or sometimes known as a PENIS (Practical Exercise Not Including Soldiers). We went to the Infantry Museum, Hospital, and Water Treatment Facility to see how we would defend all places if we were tasked to do such a thing in Iraq or Afghanistan. Basically, it all depends on what you have and supporting assets. Although we learned more by doing this than by sitting in some brief in the classroom which would've induced attacks from the Z-Monster sleepiness.

I want to reprint the Army Times' write up of the first Medal of Honor awarded since Somalia:

April 04, 2005

Soldier's family accepts posthumous Medal of Honor

By John J. Lumpkin Associated Press

Outnumbered and exposed, Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Ray Smith stayed at his gun, beating back an advancing Iraqi force until a bullet took his life. Smith is credited with protecting the lives of scores of lightly armed American soldiers who were beyond his position in the battle, on April 4, 2003, near the gates of Baghdad International Airport.

On Monday, exactly two years after Smith's death, President Bush is awarding Smith the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor. His widow, Birgit, decided that the couple's 11-year-old son, David, will accept the medal on his father's behalf.

"It was a very easy decision for me because, after all, he's the man of the house now," she said Monday. She said she often hears from the men her husband saved, as well as their families. "They're so grateful for what Paul did that day," she said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

It is only the third Medal of Honor given for actions since the Vietnam War, and the first from the Iraq war.

Smith, 33, was the senior sergeant in a platoon of engineers during the 3rd Infantry Division's northward sprint toward Baghdad.

By the morning of April 4, elements of the division had reached Baghdad and captured Baghdad International Airport, a key objective. Encircled Iraqi militiamen and Special Republican Guard forces inside launched counterattacks.

Near the eastern edge of the airport, Smith, a veteran of the first Gulf War, had been put in charge of his unit - 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 11th Engineer Battalion - while his lieutenant went on a scouting mission. Smith's mission was mundane enough - turn a courtyard into a holding pen for Iraqi prisoners of war. The courtyard, just north of the main road between Baghdad and the airport, was near an Iraqi military compound.

Soon after Smith and some of his platoon began work, records show, one trooper spotted dozens of armed Iraqis approaching from beyond the gated walls of the courtyard. Another group of Iraqis occupied a nearby tower. Smith summoned a Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and he and his troops gathered near the courtyard gate to fight the counterattack. An M113 armored personnel carrier joined the fray. The Iraqis, perhaps as many as 100, attacked with rifles, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, or RPGs. Smith threw a grenade over a wall to drive back some of the Iraqis, then fired a rocket.

Incoming RPGs battered the Bradley, which retreated. Then a mortar struck the M113, wounding the three soldiers inside and leaving its heavy machine gun unmanned. After directing another soldier to pull the wounded M113 crewmen to safety, Smith climbed into the machine gun position and began firing at the tower and at the Iraqis trying to rush the compound. His upper torso and head were exposed as he manned the gun.

"This wasn't a John Wayne move," said Command Sgt. Maj. Gary J. Coker, the top enlisted man in the 11th Battalion, who was near the battle. "He was very methodical. He knew he had the gate and he wasn't going to leave it and nobody was going to make him leave it." Still, Coker said, "it was absolutely amazing to stand up in that volume of fire." During a stretch of 15 minutes or longer, Smith fired more than 300 rounds as Pvt. Michael Seaman, protected inside the M113, passed him ammunition.

Then he was struck by enemy fire and mortally wounded. At almost the same time, 1st Sgt. Timothy Campbell ended the threat from the tower with a grenade, and the surviving Iraqis withdrew. Medics tried to save Smith, and he died about 30 minutes later. He and his comrades are credited with killing between 20 and 50 Iraqi soldiers. Beyond his position were American medics, scouts, a mortar unit and a command post - all lightly armed and vulnerable.

"Sgt. 1st Class Smith's actions saved the lives of at least 100 soldiers," according to an Army narrative. Smith was born in El Paso, Texas, and moved to Tampa, Fla., when he was 9. He enlisted in the Army in 1989. He was known for being tough on the men under his command, Coker, who has returned to Iraq with the 3rd Infantry Division, said in a weekend telephone interview.

But Smith held himself to the same standard, Coker said, and he took care of his young soldiers when they needed it. Back in the United States, when one private's wife fell seriously ill, Smith drove four hours to bring toys to their children. When Smith died, Coker said, his soldiers had trouble believing it. "Superman just went down, was the attitude," he said. Then came a realization born in the intensity of the firefight: "Now they understand all of the sudden why he was such a pain in the butt with them."

The other two post-Vietnam Medals of Honor went to Army Master Sgt. Gary I. Gordon and Army Sgt. 1st Class Randall D. Shughart, two Delta Force troopers who died defending the crew of a helicopter that was shot down in Mogadishu, Somalia, in events depicted in the book and movie "Black Hawk Down."

More than 3,400 Medals of Honor have been awarded since the decoration was created in 1861, of which more than 600 have been given posthumously.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to top

For PT we did field drills by Olsen Hall, typical sprints with litters and fireman carries, the worst was lying flat on the back with hands around someone pulling me. What craziness, shirt filled with ants and dirt and neck is pinched all day.

Then we went to the demo range. Then didn't have enough claymores for everyone to set one up, but we all could watch it go off from behind a berm. Then we set up a didn't, which had a big bang, but we were stuck in a Hobbit hole for that one. Then we set off C4 and TNT, and we were in the Hobbit hole for that too. Then it was 1200 and we were done for the day but busses still didn't get there until 1430. Got to love the civilians in charge of the busses. Fun day, just wish transportation was handled differently.

04/06/2005

Today we started with a ruck march to Cardiac Hill, then proceeded to go up and down nine to ten times, let's face it, after six or so it is easy to lose count.

04/07/2005

Had convey ops today. After a morning of classes on IEDs and checkpoints, we got down to business. I was platoon sergeant so while I was getting all things set, the PL was coming up with the OPRDR. At the OPRDR brief, he had a lot to mention which he didn't. The CADRE gave us an additional 20 minutes to come up with a good plan and courses of action when hit. That done we took off. I was in the last vehicle and when our first vehicle made contact I couldn't really tell what was going on, just made sure the 240 was in place. We went a little ways then turned around and was my truck passed a park car a "IED" went off with a small ambush, I jumped out just in time to hear SFC Eastabrooks say I was died. So the PL is on the net telling me to fight through, which I can't answer because I'm dead and the team leader took off without the radio. After a loooong time, the weapon's team fought around and come through the ambush, no thanks to the rest of the PLT. By then though, the 240 had dried up. Then just before we came into the parking lot the lead truck saw an IED. So we get out and establish security. About 6 minutes go by then I hear on the CADRE's radio, "Detonate two IEDs at the rear." Ah, ok then. So SFC Eastabrooks blows off two sims and says I'm dead again, but since I'm already died I can live but my gun crew is dead. I get a team from the truck infront to come back and man the guns just as a car pulls up. Oh, it is Maj Besterman, so Norton is yelling at him to get out and do this and do that and the major is just laughing. What was I to tell Norton? Shoot? May have been tempted, but I haven't graduated quite yet. After that we loaded all the casualties and headed back.

Almost forgot, the sergeant explained how at a checkpoint you search the male then have him be the one patting down his wife. Then Rambo asks the question, "So first you do the husband then you make him do his wife while you watch?"

Played flickerball with flack vests on. Flickerball is sort of like football, only not much forward running. THe vests were especially condusive to movement.

04/20/2005

I've spent the past two weeks doing Urban Ops and Culmination. Therefore, I'll try to some them up together.

We arrived at McKenna MOUNT site Monday night. I as Platoon Sergeant (PSG) had nothing but a massive headache for the next few days. That night, like every time in the field it rained. The next day we had a Demo class plus some walk throughs concerning clearing rooms and patrolling urban environments. During the week we had a few missions with sims. These are basically paint balls fired from the M4, and unlike MILES, you know when you are hit. However, you have to wear so much protective gear the enjoyment is sometimes limited. My SQD did one clearing of a building with OPFOR present, we cleared the two front rooms then headed to the back, was taking fire with upper floor of the next building, two of us returned fire. Then Bachalaani said, "I'm hit." He was standing in the back of the room, I said to myself, "Hell of a shot." After a minute or two I walked to him and could hear the paint balls hit around me, apparently we failed to clear the ceiling and Subash was up there, shooting poorly. We finished him off.

I did one OPFOR mission with my fire team. After waiting for over an hour I ran to the latrine, when I came back we were under attack. The smoke my PLT put out was so good I couldn't see anything out side my window except smoke. I yelled to Brokaw we had to fall back, and turned to the other room and only no Brokaw, D'OH! Members of the PLT ran in and I shot, they shot, it was all over very quickly.

We had a Captain from the Captian's Career Course to act as Company Commander. We did the whole kitten-kaboodle when it came to OPRDR. Rehearsals you name it we did it for near five hours. Dark approached. The company was to attack from the West and sweep East. It's purpose was to clear a Platoon of insurgents that had occupied the village. My Platoon was to go second after the breach platoon and secure the two closest buildings after our LCC (Last Cover, Concealment, I think). We, of course did all this with NODs on which gives a weird green aspect to everything. All I wanted was Gailey, if not for shits and giggles if anything. Being a SAW gunner, and not being very particle to room clearing, I was to stay on the second floor of the first building and pull security for the street below shooting targets of opportunity. We advanced as a company while OPFOR shot star clusters over us. Watching from the tree line we could see the breach platoon was having a hell of a time trying to get in, plus OPFOR were running throughout the city taking pot shots at them. One guy was running from the trees and hit a trip wire OPFOR planted and flew a good 2 meters before he stopped.

Near this time another SQD went into the church to clear it. Index was called and the battle of McKenna was over. I shot 200 rounds but no Gailey. He said later hat he was in the tree next to the church, which if I had known I could've got him from the other room. The CO said we took quite a few casualties in the company trying to clear the first two buildings, we lost something like 25-30 people. Still I lived, and my SQD made it through unscaved. Chilton said he heard Gailey and knew he was in some sneaky place just waiting. Some PLTs did better than others. Some people just went through the motions, most of those in the breach team on the second floor stopped firing after ten minutes or so. Still most of us in 3rd PLT had fun. During the AAR, Capt Jones said he had to put out a fire that started by a star cluster that OPFOR shot over our AA. The funny part was it landed right on a ruck sack and burned half of it. This poor dude showed the company a few days later and that got quite a laugh. When Capt. Jones told us, Gailey said, "See, indirect does work!"

The next night we had our 16 mile ruck march to the airport, God forbid we go the extra mile back to the barracks. Evans and Gailey led the way. I mean the ran the lead for three miles which we did a hair over 20 minutes. The pace slowed and five hours or so we made it to the airport. I had an uncomfortable night's sleep on the cold concrete. My doggies were hurting I tell you what.

Now for Culmination.

After a truly grueling planning process, thanks to our student leadership, we left around 2000 on Black Hawks to the staging base. My SQD was split in two helos so when we reached the initial staging area I, of course, couldn't find my second gun team. Then I found out that our PL lost his ICOM radio and was fired, putting me as PSG. I then moved my ruck to the center of the AA. The former PL was now in charge of my SQD and proceeded to move my gun teams around. The Company Commander found the ICOM so we got our jobs back. Now I couldn't find either gun time or my ruck sack which I moved. After spending a good 20 minutes in our small perimeter I found my missing teams and ruck. We waited there for nearly an hour more then moved out.

Our hit time approached and we moved out with rucks and IBA (flack vests). Add the night and the worse terrain on Ft. Benning and you have a fun time of tripping and, for me, falling, multiple times. My PLT was breach team and other PLTs were to assault the OBJ, I had to lay down a base of fire with my gun teams. Our approach was too close and OPFOR opened up on use with a 240, we moved the guns down to the left and quickly got a base of fire going. IOBC being IOBC we only had 400 rounds for each gun for this assault, week before we got nearly that many for covering room clearing OPS. It took awhile for 5th PLT to get to the OBJ, but they made it and we prevailed.

All the missions after that fed off each other. I had fun at the OPFOR mission. 1st SQD went to a "training area" and set up and fell asleep waiting for 2nd PLT to attack. I woke up and went for a stretch and heard the trucks coming so I ran around waking everyone up, then was planning on running out a hole in the fence to sneak around on them, so I fly out this hole and get caught in concertina wire. I was stuck like in a spider web until I would untangle myself. I ran to the top of a Conex container and waited and could hear the stupid PLT taking time to line up and get off the trucks. Brokaw and Dullenty started shooting, then it took forever for the PLT to work it's way into the area. I peeked over and shot four then a SAW was shooting so I said, heck I guess I'm dead, though doubt it. This PLT was quite ate up, arguing over who was going first in a stack, or not clearing the backs of the buildings. I'd say we got 15 or more of them. Of course, none of the MILES works. Then we all went inside and had a good hour sleep.

We waited until dark then moved by trucks to the FOB and set up a company perimeter. I was glad I was no longer SQD leader. We were probed by OPFOR a couple times, they actually reached the CP and killed the Maj and CO. D'OH!! Plus the 240 I had was nonfunctional, but it looked cool. Just prior to daylight a bunch of us were picked to BFV assault McKenna. The ride is only a couple clicks but it took 44 minutes. Kerksick asked a driver and he said, "Our GPS was down, all we had was a map and compass." Go Mech!! I surprised myself by falling asleep through most of the bumpy loud ride. Being the last Bradley, we got off and pulled an admin rear security. Basically we watched the assault, which was pretty confusing as I had no idea what the OBJ was.

We got ready to go and they asked for volunteers for OPFOR for the company attack on McKenna. I quickly volunteered. About 7 from each PLT chipped in OPFOR. Our scenario was to make Kerksick a High Valuable Target holed up in the jail with his militia protecting him. Then we had a Shake running through the streets inciting anti-Americanism. We had a pro-US mayor and civilians who would turn into insurgents after the company attacked the jail and then insurgents that would attack any company elements. I was a civie turned insurgent. We rehearsed three times how it was to plan out. I remember reading in the base paper about my buddies in A Company doing this and it took all day for the town to give up the HVT.

We indexed right after that then spent many hours cleaning the OBJs. We bussed back to the airfield then had some pizza and subs and another night of restless sleep. I awoke at 1 am and a quarter of the company was snoring in this hanger and created one of the craziest sounds I've every heard.

04/27/2005

It has been a busy, busy week. On Monday, we had our last APFT, I did good until the run, which upon the start I was feeling quite sick. Our slowest allowed time is 15:12, I got a 15:12, oh yea, super stud I am. Capt. Powell said, "15:12, everyone else is a no-go." I can say it's all in the pacing. I thought I was going to do well, I added nearly a minute from the mid-cycle APFT. Then we stayed up until 1 am cleaning weapons. We then had a test on Tuesday, which I can say I am more of a "Big Picture" kind of guy. We had a list of nearly 20 acronyms, all pretty similar, and all confusing for me to keep straight. Yesterday we were released around 2300. Today I spend the first half of the day at TMC for poison ivy. I think I'm going to reward myself with a Ranger Burger tonight.

04/29/2005

Last few days were spent turning in gear. CIF had a problem with the new canteens I bought at Ranger Joes, apparently, they were not "standard issue." We have many rehearsals today then blue cord ceremony tonight.

05/04/2005

It's my first full day home in Flint, and just as an aside, my first full day of unemployment. The hardest part of military life is saying bye to those with whom I have grown close. I wish all my fellow Infantry Officers the best and hope I can make it to the sand box and join them once again.