Entry #1

I started my deployment process at the Norfolk Naval Station on 29 June 08. Nothing much to say about the few days I spent there since I was basically ready to go. However, I did get issued a seabag with my gas mask and four sets of Army Combat Uniforms with boots and the works.

On 5 July, I was bused from Norfolk to Camp McCrady in FT Jackson, SC. I was assigned to open bay barracks with 16 other commanders headed to Iraq, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Pakistan and other interesting places. Here we were issued three more seabags with everything from body armor; Kevlar helmet, medical kits; ballistic day and night eyewear; gloves and all kinds of neat soldiering stuff. We were also issued our M16 and M9 weapons.

So the last 10 days, we have been learning from our Army Instructors what to expect in theater and how to use our gear; travel in convoys; and most importantly, how to effectively use our weapons to neutralize the enemy. In fact, today we got up at 2:00 a.m., donned our body armor, Kevlar helmet, camel backs, with M16 and M9 for live fire, night exercises. After allowing our eyes to adjust to the darkness, we walked onto the range with our M16 and three 6 round magazines. As targets popped up here and there on the range, we took them out. When dawn approached, we went into another similar scenario, but this time, with the M9 (9mm Beretta).

After the night and low light exercises, we had a warm breakfast which was promptly followed by firing some of the larger weapons we have in theater (50 cal, M19 grenade launcher, and the M249) which make for some wicked fire power. This was followed by some quick response firing exercises which tested our ability to engage and take out targets as they popped up left, right or behind us.

Finally, we closed the day with a scenario in which we sat in a Humvee until we received the signal to exit. Upon exiting the Humvee, we knelt, locked and loaded our M16, and ran to a high barricade from which we fired at pop up targets in the standing position. From there we ran to the next barricade and fired from the crouching position, then ran to another obstacle and shot at the targets from a kneeling position. The course ended with a sprint to a low barricade which we used as cover to fire from the prone position.

After running through my course and taking out my assigned targets, I went in search of some real estate to give my body a well deserved rest while the other folks in my platoon tested their skills on the same coarse. See attached pic.