I only have a minute.

Masterchief,

I gotcha, but us Army slugs still use "Left" and "Right."

What a goat rope here at wonderful Camp Robinson California. It can only get better.

Thanks for the support guys, I am truly grateful. I should have better access next month at Ft. Stewart Georgia, however we'll see.

Eri

Hi guys,

It's a little before 0600, I got up at 0430 to open the BN HQ for my new unit. So far I'm an Operations NCO for 1/186 Infantry out of Ashland Oregon. That means I stand by to run errands, make coffee and keep the place neat. Whoop de do. However today I'll be tasked to document the training for the troops. That is important as Big Army has gotten all "A" type about training as some Congressman has leaned on them about insuring that every soldier is fully trained. Apparently some poor guy got killed and his parents complained that he wasn't fully trained (and maybe more than one) so documentation, digital records, etc, etc must be in triplicate.

My issued weapons are the M-9 Beretta (qualified expert) and the M-4 Carbine (qualified Marksman as I had forgotten that there are multiple targets on the "pop-up" range) with all sorts of widgets attached. ACOG Reflex sight, laser sight, combination forward pistol grip/bi-pod for starters. I hadn't shot a range like that since 1973 and had shot 5 targets before I realized that two were standing. Tunnel vision. Crap. Also still getting used to the IBA (individual body armor) and knee and elbow pads. Shooting with that stuff sucks big time. I signed out a flash light thingy last night (which I refuse to put on) and a AN/PVS 14 night vision device. The day before we were issued all new gear, which is really sweet. I'll have to read the directions this time, there is WAY TOO MUCH stuff in that bag!

Any way, things appear to be settling down and training appears to be progressing O.K.

Take care friends.

Eric

I'm up early again today, most of my new unit was up late last night shooting the night qualification course for the M-4. I did it on the 3rd so I'm good. Whoa, I made the coffee strong enough to peel paint this morning. Ummm good.

Hey M.D.,

I myself have never had an issue with the M-9's magazines, though I've run into a bad one or two when running the 9mm range in the past. Every magazine I've ever used for my weapons has been a good one with several exceptions and those were a result of damaged feed lips. Not saying they are all good, but all products produce a lemon once in a while. The IBA weighs about 25 pounds by itself, then you have the helmet, pads, water, blah. blah, blah. We carry more than a Roman soldier carried, and he carried a weeks rations besides his armor and kit.

Eli,

I'll look at your link when I get a chance. I'm using a military computer (the BN S-2 ain't in yet) and even if it wasn't the military Internet will not let you look at a good amount of web sites. I'm fortunate really that I can come here still. Maybe at Ft. Stewart next month. No personnal weapons, period. They even frown on knives over 3 inches, can you believe that? What has happened to the Army? We're killers, but only with precision munitions and aircraft. What a load of horse dung.

Flapjack,

Don't need no stinking "Kung Fu grip!" Though I've never liked hanging stuff on my rifle before, I gotta say that the ACOG (which is a four power) and laser sight are pretty cool working. I qualified with a CCO (Aimpoint) which has no magnification and my laser wasn't issued yet. I had to turn in that rifle and get a new one when I changed units. Now that I have all the cool stuff all I got to do is re-zero. The Sergeant Major say's "you don't need to re-qualify and I need you here." Grumble, grumble. The 26 out of 40 got me qualified, but it sticks in my craw. I've never shot less than 38 out of 40 ,except the other year when kneeling became one of the "new" positions again and I missed "Expert by one shot.

There is a chance Big Army may try to send me home from Ft. Stewart, I've been fighting like hell to deal with the "old broken down man issue." Only a fool wants to go to war, but I think all of us want to know that we can do the job we trained for when it counts. My back's been a little sore and I've been getting about 4/5 hours sleep a night, but this old fart won't give up.

"You can beat me and you can kill me, but you can't make me quit. Only I can make me quit and I won't."

Wish me luck guys.

Eric