21 Days of Deployment Training - Mission Complete
Back home for a time
I returned from from RTC-West this past Wednesday night and I must admit that I really enjoyed the training, and the time my unit had to really bond throughout while in California. My first sergeant and commander are really funny and down-to-earth people, which set the tone for the NCOs and the lower enlisted to feel a sense of comfort with our leadership. I always desire to have superiors who are approachable and that's exactly what we have. My squad leader is a very squared away soldier and has helped me build a solid path for my Army career. So I can confidently say that I feel more secure and trusting of my leaders as we finally prepare to fly to our mobilization station and from there to Afghanistan. I'm not really looking forward to the long flight, jetlag and drastic time zone adjustment, but I do welcome the money this deployment will bring! ;)
Training
My unit received some great pre-deployment training that will soon become a thing of the past because the Army is no longer going to operate as it has during these two long wars. But I digress... Yes, the training was great. We learned how to clear, load, fire, disassemble and reassemble several weapons (M16/M4, M9, M249 SAW, M240B and the MK19). Besides my own weapon (M16), I wound up liking the M249 and the MK19. We even did the "video game" training, actually called the EST (Engagement Skills Trainer) 2000. It is a big virtual weapons engagement simulator that allows soldiers to practice grouping and zeroing on actual weapons and then qualifing on a simulated pop-up target qualifcation range. It also has video scenarios for learning Rules of Engagement (ROE). I however, had prior experience with this system when I went through Basic Combat Training in 2010 and also during the Best Warrior Competition in 2011.
We spent about four days at the firing range to group, zero and qualify on our respective weapons. However, this qualification had an addition of firing with our pro mask on as if there were a chemical or biological attack. My mask was fogging, but I hit all the targets during this portion of the qualification range. To back up a bit, when I started the qualifications live fire I was doing great, hitting all my targets, but then my weapon jammed. I quickly did immediate action (SPORTS), but no effect. So I switched my magazine as fast as possible, but about two or three iterations of multiple pop-up targets came and went in the time that I performed SPORTS and swtiched magazines. So this caused me to earn a skill level of marksman. Quite honestly I thought I had failed by the time the final cease fire was called. I am still bummed about it, but on a positive note were it real combat, I am happy that I resolved the weapon jam and still put rounds down range to suppress my enemy. Bottom line!
In accordance with some unwritten army regulation we were required to be subjected to some days of death-by-PowerPoint in a few of our classes. Staying awake was tough, but I still grasped some of the information in between several micronaps that I found myself taking involuntarily. Blessedly, I was never caught sleeping! lol And might I add that the vast majority of all the RTC instructors were drill sergeants. Most of them were pretty laid back, while some seemed to not care less about rank or position and barked orders at us. At any rate...
We did a good deal of convoy training, as we are a transportation unit after all and also had to do some training in mock villages with UTM rounds (rounds that actually fire from your weapon leaving a colored mark on you or your enemy). There was also a lot of glass house training, which is where we practiced stacking in teams outside rooms in a building and entering to clear them. Eventually we had to put our practice into action in what was aptly nicknamed the "shoot house" because it is a house with no ceiling with scaffolding above it for the instructors to watch from above as we clear rooms to find the high value target somewhere in the house. It was very fun and gave quite an adrenaline rush because there was loud sounds played as if we were actually in country overseas. A lot was happening, and yet we had to work as a team without shooting the crap out of each other (fratricide). Sadly, I was shot in the arm by a private on the other team that was clearing the house with us. lol Not cool! Anyway, we did get the high value target in 7 minutes, as the event was timed where we could not exceed 10 minutes otherwise the instructor would blow the whistle and we fail the mission.
By the way, I'm not stating all the trainings we had, but glossing over some to hit the things that are most memorable.
On the last day we got to do a second convoy, but with live fire this time around. I was the gunner on the M249 (SAW) and it was pretty awesome! I hit the targets while moving through a convoy live firing range. Totally cool experience, except for the waiting part prior to firing.
In short, we also did land navigation with a DAGR (Defense Advanced GPS Receiver) and then the traditional way--map, protractor, grid coordinates, a compass and acres and acres of open rolling hills to make our lives miserable. I jest, but it was truly good and realistic land nav training.
All in all, I am satisfied with the training we received this month. And as already stated, I'm more confident and prepared to move out and complete our year-long mission in Afghanistan.
It is my deepest prayer that we come home safe and that our mission overseas goes off without any major hitches. Difficulty, stress, strain, clashing personalities, cold and hot days are expected already in my mind. In fact, I know these things are coming my way, but I count my blessings and prepare for anything--always locked, cocked and ready to rock should you-know-what hit the fan at any point.
To quote a line from the Soldier's Creed, "I stand ready to deployment, engage and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat." EVERY last soldier will likely taste some form of combat at least once in their military career. I know there are exceptions, and I suppose that can be considered a blessing for them. But even with that said, enlisting without the expectation of combat is foolhardy to say the least. I am prepared to face the decision I made when I took the oath of enlistment. I am not fearless by any means, but I am courageous.
