Friday, April 04, 2008
Finally...a whole weekend to myself!
After being here at Fort Dix since March 29th my group is finally being let off the base for the weekend. Let me tell you they are really making sure our "i"'s are dotted and "t"s are crossed before we go.
Now if you know me you know I am not a person who goes out and parties down alot so I am going to enjoy the weekend with my family down in good old Stratford. I miss my family there and dont get to see them nearly as much as much as I would like.
So finally I am getting to get the Hell away from this damn base for but a weekend but it is my weekend and I plan to enjoy it.
Now if you know me you know I am not a person who goes out and parties down alot so I am going to enjoy the weekend with my family down in good old Stratford. I miss my family there and dont get to see them nearly as much as much as I would like.
So finally I am getting to get the Hell away from this damn base for but a weekend but it is my weekend and I plan to enjoy it.
Labels: Fort Dix, I/A, Iraq, Navy, Stratford
Monday, March 31, 2008
Don't blog angry
One thing I have learned about blogging is it isn't a good idea to do it angry. So that is why I haven't blogged over the last week or so.
My training here has been extended here another week and a half. Where this last Sunday was supposed to be my last week here at Fort Dix , we have been extended another week to do some training with gas masks.
Also we finally had the PAO training that brought us to Fort Dix specifically, this training took all of one day and was a waste of time!
I have been told I cannot go back to Ga. after the training is over. I really wanted to do this to see my family and install some parts I got for my VW.
Thank God I got Jacquie and Joe just down the road from here or I might really go crazy. So tomorrow I got some building clearing training then Wednesday I got our final gasmask training. Hopefully after that I am done. If not I might hurt someone.
In the week I did not update, we did compass training, that was neat after we figured out what we were doing.
We then spent three days having stuff blow up around us to teach us how to handle IED's in Iraq.
Good Times!
My training here has been extended here another week and a half. Where this last Sunday was supposed to be my last week here at Fort Dix , we have been extended another week to do some training with gas masks.
Also we finally had the PAO training that brought us to Fort Dix specifically, this training took all of one day and was a waste of time!
I have been told I cannot go back to Ga. after the training is over. I really wanted to do this to see my family and install some parts I got for my VW.
Thank God I got Jacquie and Joe just down the road from here or I might really go crazy. So tomorrow I got some building clearing training then Wednesday I got our final gasmask training. Hopefully after that I am done. If not I might hurt someone.
In the week I did not update, we did compass training, that was neat after we figured out what we were doing.
We then spent three days having stuff blow up around us to teach us how to handle IED's in Iraq.
Good Times!
Labels: Fort Dix, I/A, IED, Iraq, Iraqi Freedom, Navy, rob Kerns
Monday, March 17, 2008
Halfway Through Fort Dix
Well to say this last week has been full is an understatement. Not that I could not handle it...I have and I will continue to knock out what is put in front of me.
The week started out with me having to attend a four day class on combat lifesaving(My God even though it was only a week ago it seems like a month).
Since we were only four people in the class we got through all the material in two days and did our test and practical on Wednesday. I got a 86 on the test and successfully started an IV in one of our fellow classmates so I passed the class.
I had Thursday off so I went and hit the gym(kinda crappy here) and rested.
Friday was back in the mix hard.
We had a class on the M-16. Mainly how to break it down and the proper stance for firing it. Then we practiced on this Laser Tag type thing.
Saturday we were up with the chickens and had to "zero in" or calibrate our weapons. This took the whole day and we were up this morning at o500 to finish up.
Now one thing I am noticing is that the Army up here loves to change its schedule and isn't very keen on letting other people know. There have been three times that I can think of off the top of my head where we were at when we were told to be there and there was not another person there. When we asked about it we got the standard line from Office Space, "Did you get the memo?"
So today was spent qualifying in a number of different ways on the M-16. We had pop-up target shooting...we didn't all do too well in that one...and a number of us have to go back and shoot again at 1 pm on it.
Another qual we did was the "night fire."
Despite its name it is alot easier than the pop-up targets. This is one target you shoot at while it is at dusk. The same target over and over. You get 30 chances to shoot the thing...and you only need to hit it seven times.
I got 20 out of 30.
For the pop up targets you need to get 23 out of 40. I didn't get that...no I'm not saying my score.
Now it would be alot easier to shoot these damn targets if we weren't in full "battle rattle."
This is:
Helmet
Eye protection
Hearing protection
Knee and elbow pads
and about 60 pounds of body armor.
All in all it's alot of crap to heave around along with your M-16. However, you are alot safer with it than without.
So next week thrusts us through week three....Were half done this training!
Two weeks to go!
The week started out with me having to attend a four day class on combat lifesaving(My God even though it was only a week ago it seems like a month).
Since we were only four people in the class we got through all the material in two days and did our test and practical on Wednesday. I got a 86 on the test and successfully started an IV in one of our fellow classmates so I passed the class.
I had Thursday off so I went and hit the gym(kinda crappy here) and rested.
Friday was back in the mix hard.
We had a class on the M-16. Mainly how to break it down and the proper stance for firing it. Then we practiced on this Laser Tag type thing.
Saturday we were up with the chickens and had to "zero in" or calibrate our weapons. This took the whole day and we were up this morning at o500 to finish up.
Now one thing I am noticing is that the Army up here loves to change its schedule and isn't very keen on letting other people know. There have been three times that I can think of off the top of my head where we were at when we were told to be there and there was not another person there. When we asked about it we got the standard line from Office Space, "Did you get the memo?"
So today was spent qualifying in a number of different ways on the M-16. We had pop-up target shooting...we didn't all do too well in that one...and a number of us have to go back and shoot again at 1 pm on it.
Another qual we did was the "night fire."
Despite its name it is alot easier than the pop-up targets. This is one target you shoot at while it is at dusk. The same target over and over. You get 30 chances to shoot the thing...and you only need to hit it seven times.
I got 20 out of 30.
For the pop up targets you need to get 23 out of 40. I didn't get that...no I'm not saying my score.
Now it would be alot easier to shoot these damn targets if we weren't in full "battle rattle."
This is:
Helmet
Eye protection
Hearing protection
Knee and elbow pads
and about 60 pounds of body armor.
All in all it's alot of crap to heave around along with your M-16. However, you are alot safer with it than without.
So next week thrusts us through week three....Were half done this training!
Two weeks to go!
Labels: Fort Dix, I/A, Iraq, Iraqi Freedom, Navy, rob Kerns
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
The Story of I/A training...so far
So on Sunday me and the five others in my group board a plane to Philadelphia. The flight is only an hour as we flew direct from Norfolk to Philly. This in itself is a testament to how Norfolk is growing.
Anyway, get to Philly and call the Raid Rover Cab. We call this cab company because our orders say to. We are told the cabbie would be there in about an hour and a half. The lady at the counter is kind enough to give us one of the pager coaster things like you get when you go to Longhorn or a place like that. So we all go eat and then we are paged to head to the base.
After some misadventures we finally get to where we are going to stay and are put up into this temporary room.
The following day we are welcomed to the base and told mainly what we are not allowed to do. We were also put into our permanent room. That is all we did yesterday.
This morning we got up at 5 am so we could go get more gear issued to us. That was done in an hour. I now have three full bags of gear that has been issued to me in the last week.
So here it is 9 a.m. Eastern Time and I have nothing to do until 5 p.m. this afternoon, when we have a class to attend.
No wonder this training takes 45 days
Anyway, get to Philly and call the Raid Rover Cab. We call this cab company because our orders say to. We are told the cabbie would be there in about an hour and a half. The lady at the counter is kind enough to give us one of the pager coaster things like you get when you go to Longhorn or a place like that. So we all go eat and then we are paged to head to the base.
After some misadventures we finally get to where we are going to stay and are put up into this temporary room.
The following day we are welcomed to the base and told mainly what we are not allowed to do. We were also put into our permanent room. That is all we did yesterday.
This morning we got up at 5 am so we could go get more gear issued to us. That was done in an hour. I now have three full bags of gear that has been issued to me in the last week.
So here it is 9 a.m. Eastern Time and I have nothing to do until 5 p.m. this afternoon, when we have a class to attend.
No wonder this training takes 45 days
Labels: Army, Fort Dix, I/A, Iraq, Navy, training
Friday, February 29, 2008
Don't Put a Bag Over Your Head
I remember when I was a kid, one of the many lessons my mom taught me was never, ever put a plastic bag over your head.
This lesson I have taken to heart and have put a bag anywhere above my neck.
Until today...
As part of our processing you have to be issued a gas mask that you will carry with you throughout your time in theater.
The main way they test this mask is first you are fitted for it, then they issue you a mask and put it on you. They then add the canister and put a bag over your head. The bag resembles something like a small tent. The bag is being fed air and you sit there and breath deep turn your head in different directions and chew(like you are chewing gum).
After 10 minutes they take the bag over your head...much to my relief I might add.
That was my whole day...Well I did go to the internet cafe and played WoW for a few hours.
Tomorrow is my last full day in Norfolk before I fly up to N.J.
Getting nervous
This lesson I have taken to heart and have put a bag anywhere above my neck.
Until today...
As part of our processing you have to be issued a gas mask that you will carry with you throughout your time in theater.
The main way they test this mask is first you are fitted for it, then they issue you a mask and put it on you. They then add the canister and put a bag over your head. The bag resembles something like a small tent. The bag is being fed air and you sit there and breath deep turn your head in different directions and chew(like you are chewing gum).
After 10 minutes they take the bag over your head...much to my relief I might add.
That was my whole day...Well I did go to the internet cafe and played WoW for a few hours.
Tomorrow is my last full day in Norfolk before I fly up to N.J.
Getting nervous
Labels: Fort Dix, Gas Mask, Iraq, Iraqi Freedom, Navy, NMPS, NMPS Norfolk, OIF, rob Kerns
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