Another week is going by in beautiful “Funtown.” The training has required us to wear about 60 pounds of gear almost everyday and this has made my body start to ache as if I was an 80 year old woman. My competitiveness is a problem with me sometimes since I refuse to sit down and take a rest.
We were taken to do a “stress fire” range. Here, we were instructed to run ±100 meters with all of our gear, and weapons then, we had to low crawl in the mud for another 50 meters and finally start shooting at targets while we were dealing with absolute exhaustion. We shot from the prone position,—laying on your belly—from the kneeling position, then standing and finally walking towards our target. I did well but I could feel my legs and my arms giving up slowly as I kept pushing harder and harder to make it through.
Throughout the week, we have simulated attacks on our convoys and even when we walk around the compound. It is a nuisance at times but sometimes you end up learning a lesson and thinking about other possible actions to take if something like it would happen in reality. Our team seems to be coming together better with time. It is always challenging to group 10 people together 24/7 and force them to work together. It was rough in the beginning but it is getting easier with time.
Throughout the week, we have simulated attacks on our convoys and even when we walk around the compound. It is a nuisance at times but sometimes you end up learning a lesson and thinking about other possible actions to take if something like it would happen in reality. Our team seems to be coming together better with time. It is always challenging to group 10 people together 24/7 and force them to work together. It was rough in the beginning but it is getting easier with time.
Here I am just another soldier. The roles that I am used to—wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend—have no place in here. My name is just CPT Hill. It is like jumping into another universe and learning to be somebody completely different than what you used to be.
I listen to people talking—soldiers and civilians alike—and I can sense how some of them feel our leaders—all the way to the top—are pushing our limits and using us in disregard of the true meanings of our lives. Some think that the Congress is pulling the rug off the troops by wanting them to come home and others think that’s the right thing to do becaue we’ve had enough. My question is for those that think bringing the soldiers back home is not a sign of support: how can you think that saving more American soldiers lives is not supporting them? Does people really think that all of the Armed Forces are tickled to go and put their lives in danger for a situation that has not gotten better in four years? I wish I had the answer but unfortunaly those are the questions I will leave you guys with to think about and maybe you can post a comment or two and let me know what you think.
Until the next one….
