Training Completed and Time to Move North

At last we have completed the required training here in Kuwait. Today was our rezero M4 range, to ensure that our weapons were still zeroed from the last time we fired in Kansas. Wakeup at 0430 hrs for the third day in the row and on the road at 0615 hrs. We took a bus to the range which was about 3/4 of an hour outside of Camp. The usual morning fog and overcast skies surprisingly remained that way and of course we all know that it always rains in April in the middle of the Kuwaiti desert right? Yeah right, sure enough just about the time we laid down in the prone position to begin shooting our first rounds it starts to get real windy and the sand pickup and starts beating my face pretty good, then it starts raining and with so much sand and dust in the air when the drops hit the ground instead of being clear they are muddy so the goggles are full of mud splatter, the targets are flapping like crazy and the sudden realization that this will not be as easy as I thought and I might be here for awhile kicks into overdrive.

Sure enough I just couldn't get comfortable with the sandbags I was using for support and instead of the 9 shots it took to zero in Kansas it was 18 rounds before I finally got the shot group that I wanted. They it was time to rezero with our CCO (Close Combat Optics) and that was a 12 shot ordeal. Bottom line I am ready to go and I know that my trusty M4 will not let me down. We finished up at 1130 hrs and then had to clear the range. Before leaving a huge herd of camels swung by and we got a chance for some closeup shots with the camels. They decided not to get to close to me (must have been the uniform that was on it's fourth day of wearing since I sure wasn't about to put on a clean one to roll around in the sand with).

We got back and after lunch had our last Iraqi language class, finished up with that and the Soldiers were done for the day. I still had meetings to attend and get our flight info from the Ops folks, obviously can't say anything about when we are leaving, how many of us etc. I will definitely let you know after the fact. We also got issued our basic load (ammo that we will be carrying with us into Iraq) for our M4 and M9. Cleaning the M4 today was a bear besides the carbon from firing today, there was sand in every nick and cranny of the weapon and just when I thought I got it all, some more sand showed up in hard to get spots. I found out later this evening that instead of going to the additional training they have for us in a undisclosed location in Iraq that I have been redirected to the IZ so I can spend time with my soon to be boss, an active duty Colonel and after getting my marching orders from him as to what I will be doing and what he expects out of me will be joining my teammates at their location. Funny thing is that my 3 other duffle bags are already at that undisclosed location, so I guess I will have to make due with what's in my rucksack and other duffle bag, and rely on quick turnaround at the laundry.

Great to see line units out here and speak with the young Soldiers and Marines at the mess hall or at the rifle ranges, I forgot that once I was their age,and in our unit you just don't see those young Privates, Private First Class or Lance Corporals. When you see the 18-19 year old kids back home with their pants hanging half way down their asses and their baseball caps on sideways or backwards you tend to generalize and figure all are like that, but these Soldiers and Marines make you realize that there are still young adults who are serving with pride and doing a great job in very harsh and dangerous conditions! One of the Marine Units has been out in these parts (Kenya, Djibouiti and Kuwait) and will continue onward back to NC after training in a few more countries along the way.

I am looking forward to actually sleeping in tomorrow since we have no training and after those early wakeups it will be nice to just sleep for at least 7 hours! I got to go and get my haircut, call Carmen and then stop by the chow hall to grab a quick bite to eat before heading back to the tent and calling it a night.

Go Army!!