Locked and Loaded

Howdy folks! Well, it is Week 2 at sunny (and humid) Fort Jackson, South Carolina. We got issued a ton of stuff, to include a rifle (M16A2) and enough body armor to flatten a gorilla (How much? Oh... about forty or fifty pounds-worth...). Training is coming at us fast and furiously. This week we are going to the range to fire weapons (you name it, and we will probably be putting it on target). So, we are a large group of Sailors, being trained by the Army, wearing mostly Army gear, and doing an Army mission. Wow. It doesn't get any more surreal than this, believe me. Next week we wrap up our training, then we all break up and head off to our individual assignments (that is why they call us Individual Augmentees...). I miss my family and friends, but we are so busy that I usually can only get misty-eyed in the few minutes before conking out in my bunk (oh, the barracks is an open-bay, World War 2 building where me and fifty of my newest bestest friends live in wide-open splendor). Did I mention the Drill Sergeants? Yup, Round Browns (I never thought I would ever - EVER - be in a training environment again with Army Drill Sergeants). Luckily, they aren't in full DS-mode, but occasionally they slip, and then they start referring to us as "Soldiers" (there is one who really doesn't appear to like the Navy, but who cares?). The funny thing is that most of the Navy folks are NCOs and Officers, so the Drills have to be careful (on the other hand, we are all in "Student" staus, so we have to follow the DS commands - no matter what our rank might be). If all goes well, I will finish training next week, and fly to Florida on the 15th to report to my parent command. There I will learn when and how I will head to Theater. That is when my "Boots on Ground" counter starts (while in training, we are in Limbo - whatever our time for mobilization says, that clock doesn't start clicking until we finish all our in-processing and training). The sooner we get this Army-stuff finished, the sooner we can start our jobs, and eventually get home! Hoo Ah!!