Hey there!

Today wasn't too bad. Crew served weapons was the topic of the day. Crew servced weapons are the big rifles usually carried by the gunner on a HUMVEE. We were familiarized with the M2(50 caliber bullet), the M249 (5.56mm bullet, same as the M16) and the M240B (7.62mm bullet). The M249 and the M240B are very similar in how they are loaded and handled, just a different bullet size. The pictures below are of me handling the M240B. The other pic is of the M2. After the familiarization class, we went to a simulator to fire the weapons. Its really just a big video game, with targets popping up or moving around. The weapons connected are very life-like in feel. They use compressed air and a sound system to give you the feel of the recoil and sound. I was a good shot with the smaller rifles, but couldn't hit a thing with the 50 cal. It has a difficult site to use, or at least I think so.

I didn't mention it before, but yesterday our class was called DARWARS. Its a computer software package where we were able to virtually move around, drive vehicles and shoot in response to being attacked in a convoy. Exactly like those first-person role playing games that are so popular. The graphics were pretty incredible and we were able to complete many scenarios and then discuss our response. I was the driver for our vehicle, so I had to use a video game steering wheel and foot pedals to drive. I used to fancy myself a video gamer, but I had a real hard time keeping the HUMVEE on the road. I kept oversteering. I also hit what looked like a donkey, which must have ticked off the locals because they started firing on us. After the teaching scenarios were complete, they let us run around in a "compound", firing at each other. Have to admit that was fun.

All in all, things are going well. The weather broke on yesterday and now its in the 70s and breezy - a far cry from the 90s and humidity we had during last week's training. The team is getting along fine and we we are looking forward to finishing this training so that we can get to our location and get to doing our job.

Until next time, take care and keep in touch!

Later,

-Dave

Just a quick FYI as I pass thru the computer lab. Yesterday after our Combatives class, I saw a scale in the classroom. With everyting on, the total weight was 250 pounds! We figure all the gear weighs around 65 pounds. No wonder my legs hurt. Lots of bruises this morning; felt like I got hit by a truck.

Send e-mail or comment here as you wish. It great to hear from everybody.

Later,

-Dave

Hello viewers!

No pictures today (Saturday), just my ramblings. Today was Combatives, which is hand-to-hand combat. Not like the good old days with rubber knives and pugil sticks. Today's combatives focuses on submissive positions and choke holds. Cool stuff, but exhausting. The class lasted about three hours and everybody was gassed when it was over. As usual with the training here, lots of good info. The down sde to today's training is that it requires a lot of mat time to get the moves down right. We practiced for a while then "battled" each other for a while. We traded off opponents after each round to get a fee for different body types and weights. All the work was on our knees or lower. Once on the ground, with the proper leverage, it really doesn't matter how large/small the opponent is. Everyone got bruised - egos included - but all agreed it was the best class to date.

That's it today from Wisconsin. Stay tuned for more excitement!

-Dave

Hello everybody!

All is well here in Wisconsin. Actually, its damn hot and humid. Seems summer is starting early here. High 80s with what feels like 90% humidity. Take a look at the pics to get an idea of what I look like every day now. The group pic was taken before the haircut. The cut was my choice, but it was a great idea.

I am starting this blog late into the training, but will try to get you caught up here. Lots of great training finised; lots more to go. On Wednesday, we finished four days of Combat Life Saver (CLS), which teaches how to treat a serious casualty on the field of battle. It is not so much a first aid class as it is a “slap a bandage on them and move them out” class. (It was realized after Vietnam that a large percentage of KIAs were a result of bleeding out or airway issues.) This class teaches the basics of tourniquets, nasoesophageal tubes and IVs. And, yes I stuck a needle in my friends arm and started a saline IV. Pretty cool, actually. Wednesday was our test exercise where we simulated treating wounded soldiers. First we had to grab them from the fire zone and drag them to a safe place for treatment. Once there, we laid them out, assessed the damage and treated accordingly while waiting for medevac (simulated, of course). It was hot and we had to wear the full battle-rattle (as seen in the picture).

We also went through HEAT training the other night which is HUMVEE Evacuation Assistance Training. There we sat in a HUMVEE mock-up (see picture) that rolled to simulate a roll-over. After an orientation class, we went in as teams of four (no gunner) and they rolled us over four times. Then we had to egress the vehicle, remembering to take our weapons (fake foam rifles) and other sensitive items, such as a laptop. What a trip! Felt like an amusement ride at first, but once upside down, all hell broke loose. (On the second or third time around a foam ammo can smacked me in the head and bounced my helmet off the window. Thank God it was foam! If it were a real ammo can; I’d be dead.) I was in the front passenger seat as the troop commander. As good as I like to think I am at puzzles, I was completely disoriented once upside down. As always, we had our full gear on, so we weighed about 40 more than usual. I found the seatbelt clasp easy enough, but it wouldn’t let go. So I gave a little pelvic thrust and immediately fell on my head. Imagine a headstand with a child strapped to your chest. Plus, my feet were stuck in the foot well. Not comfortable; amusement ride definitely over. Once I extricated myself from that mess, I had to find my fake rifle and fake laptop. Remember that there were three other guys attempting the same feat, with an Army Sergeant yelling “Egress! Egress! Egress!” at us the whole time. Felt like quite an accomplishment once it was over. Then we got a chance to watch the other victims go through it.

Today (Friday), we had vehicle training. Basically we had HUMVEE driver refresher training. It is a up-armored HUMVEE, so it weighs a ton. (Six tons, actually.) For its size, it drives rather easily. But it is large and the windows are small. You have to use your gunner as your eyes for anything past your side windows. Everybody got a chance to drive and sit inthe gunner hatch. (The pic is not of me, but of friend of mine during the same drivers class.)

So as you can tell, I’m having a blast! (Ha-ha.) Access to a computer with an internet connection is spotty. There is one community center with lots of computers, but also lots of folks waiting to use them. So, accordingly, updates to this blog will be spotty. Comments are welcome, though, so come along for the ride!

Later,

-Dave