Thanks for all the great responses! Reading the blog and email is what I look forward to at night, I'm sure that's not going to change once I leave here.
Lots of interest on the orienteering - we were supposed to go yesterday and then I thought perhaps today, both of which were really nice days to go out. Now I think we could go tomorrow when it should be raining. However, we have a heavy weapons shoot and a practical shooting exercise (what is called a reflexive shoot and a stress shoot) and then perhaps the land navigation in the late afternoon. Our company leadership seems a bit too disorganized to get all that done, so I really don't know when we are going to do it. To answer Donna, we use some of the basic techniques of the orienteering clubs, but would not run them the same way. For those of you who don't know, my first orienteering meet was with Donna and I carried my two year old nephew Jerry on my back in a special pack and she carried Stephanie in her tummy. Jerry called it going for a walk in the woods. Anyway, the maps we use will be smaller scale/larger area, not as much detail. Also, if it is combat conditions, one might avoid roads and other shortcuts if trying to evade. Hopefully, I'll be able to let everyone know how it goes.
I am back on my own computer after my fourth call to Dell. I finally got someone who was able to work through what ended up being a very complicated software problem. "Chuck" is my new hero.
Today was a classroom day, followed by a familiarization with the heavy weapons we'll shoot tomorrow (Rambo type stuff). One of the briefs today was cultural awareness. I learned a lot about Islam and the cultures that we'll see. Lots of do's and don'ts (e.g., don't go up to a table in a restaurant in a black suit and sunglasses and say, "How much for the women.") All very useful information, I wish we could have more of it. The brief was given by two army enlisted men who are Muslim, one born in Iraq, one in North Africa.
Our class is a little upset about our travel to Kuwait. We graduate on Wednesday, but don't leave until Saturday at 0400. That means we group up at around midnight to load everything and move on from there. We are a little upset that we aren't leaving earlier. Everyone just wants to get to their jobs and get the show moving.
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6 comments:
Ithan
Sound like you're getting quite a tour of heavy military equipment. You won't have to go see any Sly Stallone movies after this.
You're leaving for Kuwait on the ninth of Feb.? I guess they'll give you a direct flight. Are you training with any one you know? Is every body going to Kabul with you or does the group disperse?
I hope they've been treating you well. Sounds like it's been interesting.
Robert
Ithan:
The culture lessons sound fascinating. Another line to avoid as you approach their table would be:
'Mind if we dance with your dates'.
Hope you can keep the updates coming after you travel.
Ithan,
Thanks for all of the news and details. Stay safe. I must say that retirement is preferable; I will let you know when I am tired of staying home for an additional weekend per month and not going to the sandbox.
Leland
Boy how time flies. Jerry is a freshman at Penn State and Stephanie is a Sophmore at Exeter High in Pennsylvainia and a member of the very fine marching band there. As we know they both are very experienced in competitive orienteering. Maybe they can give you some tips!
Keep telling us all about your training. I know in some aspects you are having fun and you "are too learning" (family joke)
We do leave on the 9th or very late Friday night, depending on your point of view. We make stops in Bangor, ME and Shannon, Ireland, but just for refueling. We'll be lucky to see the inside of a terminal. Most everyone goes to Kuwait first for a week+ of additional/more advanced training. We then disperse to all places in Afghanistan, Iraq, Horn of Africa and some others.
I remember the line as Mind if we dance wiff your dates and I surely won't be using it.
Leland, good to hear retirement is treating you well, however, you can't really be retired until the first few drill weekends afterward.
Ithan:
You sound like you are getting the best of the training plan. We have been here in Kansas since Dec 1 and won't leave for another 3 weeks. I expect you will go lay the ground work for a warm and joyous celebration in Kabul.
It also sounds as if the Army is a bit disorganized all over (at least in the training commands). We receive little prior information and then are expected to train to a Field Manual which we haven't seen yet.
Ithan good luck on your flight and I hope you settle in quickly to your work.
Greg
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