Just like any other Thursday, my day started out at 0400-ish. Waking up to my alarm to begin a ruck march. The gear requirements weren't any different than the week before; IBA (flak jacket, or bulletproof vest) with all the fixings that make up "Marne Standard", ACH (better known as the kevlar or helmet), and a ruck sack packed with enough weight to make you not want to even crawl out of bed.
My crankiness of the early morning and the same routine caused me to be a little on the edge towards others, and I was not timid to put a lower-ranking soldier in check this morning; which I had to do quite early this morning. A little side note of myself, I do not feel the need to exercise my rank or authority. I am generally a very nice person, and could care less what shenanigans someone is pulling unless it directly affects me, or is blatantly disrespectful. Let's just say, this soldier did both. Surprisingly, I did not use any colorful words that a lady should not use, so I had some patience left in me.
Proceed with the ruck march. The weather today was much cooler than it has been, in the 70's. Makes a ruck march more tolerable. The ruck lasted probably around an hour and a half. And not to my surprise, we have the typical soldiers that have anything and everything wrong with them, so if they act up enough, they think they will get out of the training... wrong. Just made it last longer and was more annoying. Then there are the soldiers that claim they are so "high speed" but never showed up to preform the training. There was only a few of us that actually got through the ruck march with little to no complaints....
I had the complaints in my mind the whole time. My side plates were digging into my hips and I kept trying to rotate my torso to alleviate the pressure. My ruck sack was so tight my arms were falling asleep and one of my shoulders kept slipping out of socket and back in. My jacket/blouse kept bunching up under my gear and was chafing my back. My feet being already blistered were getting re-blistered. With the cool temperature, it only helped for a little while, I could feel my heart beating in every inch of my body, and my sweat was feeling more and more like a sauna with each step. But I pressed on, and did not say a word.... all things must come to an end.
Eventually it did. Where we wound up at a simulated range to get soldiers in the swing of weapons firing. (Like it'll help, the military likes to waste money on expensive video games like this). The EST range is a simulated weapons firinig range where the weapons we use on the ranges "for real" are connected to air hoses and electrical wires that act like Duck Hunt. It records the precision and accuracy the soldier shoots and if they zero correctly, they can qualify like they were on a real range. But video games, as I like to call it, are so much different than the real thing. Sure, the soldier is wearing gear while doing this computer game, but it's not the real deal. The sun is not beating down on them. There is no discrepancies with the terrain like there is, there is no overgrown grass blocking a target. It's just a screen. But SOMEHOW, soldiers still can't qualify on it. Beyond me.
While waiting for my turn to "shoot" at the screen... trying to stomach the military's version of a good meal, and MRE, I received a phone call....
SPC Barton, you are deploying.
Should it have come as a surprise? No, but it did. For almost two years I have been with this current unit, there was never once a mention of me deploying up until a week ago. However, that was squashed when the unit had the "brilliant" idea for me to train someone to do my job that didn't know the first thing about it. So, the higher ups had a meeting with my supervisors, and the decision was altered... and now I am writing this blog.
I've been in the military for four and a half years. I wasn't sure if I was ever going to have this opportunity to deploy. If everything goes as planned that I was informed today, I will be in another country in November.
What are my thoughts? Oh, I am nervous. I am asking so many questions in my mind, one of them is, "what the hell are you getting into, Alana!?". Which I still don't know after thinking about this for over twelve hours. I guess that goes with signing that contract... you do what you are told as long is it is lawful and moral. I'm scared in one aspect, knowing what is going on over there. The media only puts what America is able to handle as a whole, and also off of political affiliation to the network... but that's another story. There is a war going on, as much as people deny it. Soldiers are dying... four died last weekend.
Now I can tell myself I will be safer because of my job, but anything can change in a moment. So I am not going to be optimistic and unrealistic as to the danger over there, because I know I am much safer here in the United States.
I'm also trying to jumble around what I am going to bring. I know there will be a packing list, but it still hasn't hit me that I will not have the luxuries I have now. Hopefully when it comes time to pack in the next two weeks I'll be able to part with my "first world" necessities.
Tomorrow... I begin the SRP process, which includes the smallpox and anthrax shots, who knows what else I will be poked and prodded with. I will be constructing a will, power of attorney, etc. And ensure that I have all my checks in the box before I leave here.
Since I am new to the blog world, I will try to blog frequently, hopefully I will have subscribers or followers or whatever they call it. This was a suggestion from a friend to try while I am away. And I think this will help share some of my thoughts on everything, and hopefully get some advice. Thanks for reading.
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