Field Training Exercises - - Part 2

I decided rather than putting a plethora of pictures from the field exercises and have a really long post I would make it easier on you and break it up into a few posts. (Really, that makes me sound more noble than I am. This way... I spread my material for my posts out rather than blowing it all at one time ; )

On Thursday, we went to the Individual Movement Techniques range. Here we learned how to low crawl and high crawl in the event we ever have to maneuver under fire. The sun heated things up to blistering proportions that day, and then we crawled around in the sand in full battle rattle. To tell the truth...I loved it, and was anxious to go again.

Near the end of this course, we flop over from the low crawl where basically our whole bodies drag along the ground and our helmet plows sand to our backs where now our body armor is plowing the sand. The thing about that is when the helmet plows the sand it flows harmlessly to each side of your body. When your body armor plows the sand, it builds up and flows into your flak vest and down your back. It reminded me of my wedding day when I was digging bird seed out of places better left unmentioned!

After the low and high crawl course, we endeavored on a course that taught us to move under duress with our chaplain's assistant. We moved in teams of two (one assuming the role of the assistant and the other the chaplain) from barricade to barricade. We jumped up and ran to the next obstacle and hit our knees at a full run to dodge the the barrage of the would be attackers. And...oh yeah...this course was gravel...not sand. We were issued elbow pads and knee pads, but the palms of my hands still bruised up a little.

When we got back from Night Land Navigation on Wednesday night it was our platoon's turn for guard duty. My buddy, 2LT Dave and I got the shift from 0100 to 0200. That was after getting back from the land nav after midnight. Then to top it all off, since that was they day we were packing up to leave, we had to get up at 0400. So after being up for a very long day the day before, we both got a whopping 2 hours of sleep. That explains the "Major Tom to ground control" look in the eyes of my friend above. I snapped this picture after we had loaded our stuff and were waiting for time to move out. The time in the pic is somewhere around 0500.

I also have to say that yesterday was a very momentous day. It marked the 17th anniversary of the day I married my best friend and one of the most courageous women I know. Even though it brings with it a share of hardship, she has embraced God's calling to this new area of ministry. She is a great woman of faith with a great desire to follow and be used by God. Honey...your faith has made you stronger than you know. I love you. I look forward to the next 60 or 70 years!!