We started the week at 0400 on Tuesday for a run in formation. That means all 115 of us run side by side, so there is no room for different paces or abilities. The cadre leading the run started us off at a 6.2 minute/mile pace. Crazy. (My normal pace is about 9 - 9:30/mile and I usually fall right about in the middle of the class!) People were dropping like flies. I dropped like a fly. The group that was able to keep up with the crazy pace took off and left all the wounded flies to fend for themselves. We, of course, got lost and had no idea how to get back home. Another LT and I rounded up the "wounded fly" group and did our best to keep them in formation and lead them home. Four miles later, we were back at the barracks getting yelled at for being so slow. Just another day with the Infantry. After a sprint through the showers and quick chow, we had a few hours of individual time to take care of the "ash & trash" we each needed to do on post (e.g., forms at the transportation office, ID issues, finance issues, etc.) The afternoon was spent learning combatives. It was a blast. I was paired with a 6'3" guy and thought I would be toast, but the methods they teach really work. We were flipping each other over and around in the grass. (OK, maybe he let me win a few, but I'm sticking with my story that I was able to flip him over my head and pin him on the ground!). By the way, Georgia Red Ants are angry and have huge fangs .... more than a few crawled up my pant legs and attacked while I was pinned to the ground.
After combatives, we were finally issued our weapons - M16A4. Holy crap! If this Army thing didn't feel real before, it sure as hell felt real with that thing in my hands!! The rest of the week focused on getting familiar with the weapon, learning how load, aim & handle, as well as take apart & put back together. No ammunition yet - just getting acquainted with our new "best friend" and practicing with dry fire. Throughout the week, we carried our weapons and completed the first 4 stages of our Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) training. We learned how to disassemble & assemble; how to zero (i.e., adjust our rife to our optic so the bullet hits where the optic says its going to hit); and how to get comfortable in the three main firing positions: prone (laying on your belly), kneeling, and standing. By Friday I was pretty comfortable and am almost ready to hit the range with some real ammunition. I'll get my chance to do that next week.
Tuesday morning we tackled the Army Obstacle Course. We were divided into squad teams and were racing for time against the other teams. Each team had to complete the same 14 obstacles. Some were easy (i.e., doing a low-crawl in sand underneath criss-crossing wires) and others were much more challenging. My squad was fantastic - everyone cheered each other on and provided that little push of moral support to get through some of the scary ones. I had a hard time physically on a few of them that required a lot of upper body strength, and froze for a few seconds on one really high one when I made the mistake of looking down, but in the end was able to complete all of the obstacles. There were two obstacles that required running full force into a log to hoist yourself up and over it to the next part of the obstacle. For those of us who are shorter, the log hit square-on in our sternum. Today, 5 days later, it still hurts to breathe, twist, strain, reach, or otherwise move. Its getting better as time goes by, but we were all beaten up pretty bad by that obstacle course.
Also this week, I was Squad Leader, which means I was the leader of 17 other students, and 2nd in command for our Platoon. While it was a lot of extra work, I loved every minute of it. It brought me back to the old days of being an RD or RA in student affairs. At the end of the week, the NCO (Non Commissioned Officer - a Staff Sergeant) assigned to my squad said "Ma'am, I'd work for you any day" That is one of the best compliments I think I've EVER received.
By Friday evening, after a week of 0300 and 0400 wake-ups and late nights, I was ready to come over to the campground that Doug & the pups call home and just crash. The only way I can describe the level of exhaustion is to compare it to the feeling I had the night after the 24-Hour of Great Glen mountain bike race each year. Its that level of total exhaustion, but day after day after day. I honestly do not know how these high-speed guys survive this level of training day in and day out, some for 20+ years. I am humbled by how difficult -- both physically and mentally -- it really is.
Next week: Land Navigation. I'm pysched. Thanks to Doug and many hours of his patient instruction the past six months, this is one area in which I may actually be above the curve. If there's no blog post from me next weekend, you'll know I was wrong and I'm still trying to find my way out of the pine forests of Ft. Benning. :)
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