(no subject)
Aug. 7th, 2006 05:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
aadler– – – – – –
Weekend is over. Five days till departure for Alaska.
The drill (they call them ‘battle assemblies’ now) covers most of the events since last posting. I’m now a full-fledged team chief, which is definitely new to me. Four years with the Army, two combat deployments, three years as an NCO, and I’ve never had anyone under my direct authority before. Either I was away at school, or operating at the detachment level under an officer and a senior NCO. Now I’m at the team level, where things really get down to basics, and I have a subordinate. So now I have to lead, motivate, and develop someone who has previously shown a lot of willingness but not much evidence of talent, with the outcome factoring into how I’m rated by those above me. Had to happen, and I’ve been seeking it, but still new.
The SERE training on the island went a lot easier for me than I had thought it might; I was put in the opposing forces, responsible for hunting and harrying the teams trying to make it from one end of the island to the other. We in the OPFOR had airsoft guns, the teams had none. These things are a lot of fun when the other guys can’t shoot back. I was partnered with a higher-ranking NCO; after only one contact in the first couple of hours, my partner had us relocate to a different area, and that turned out to be a natural lane of travel. I laid waste to teams passing through; the ones I missed, my partner picked off most of them as they ran to get away from me. I even shot the company commanding officer and the captain in charge of my section; they were traveling together, it only took a couple of seconds, and they were both very good-humored about it.
That was Saturday. Sunday, we did the swim test: you go into the water in full uniform, with a rifle slung across your back, and then show how far you can go. Less than 25 meters, non-swimmer. Between 25 and 50 meters, poor swimmer. Between 50 and 75 meters, swimmer. Once you reach 75 meters, it’s “good swimmer” and you can get out. I am now officially a poor swimmer; I passed the test before, but this time through I discovered that the desert boots get waterlogged a lot faster than the black leather boots. Also, I need to learn how to do a breast-stroke, as the basic dog-paddle just uses up too much energy.
I still don’t have a solid sense of my chances of getting into the Defense Language Institute; it all depends on two things, the first being whether any slots open up, and the second being where stand on the list of candidates. My language scores are highest; everyone knows I’m extremely willing, and ready to pack and be on my way with three days’ notice; I did well in the shorter class for Persian Farsi at the Special Forces academic facility; and the ‘language officer’ (actually another NCO) is solidly on my side. (On top of that, in order to go to Afghanistan with the rest of the unit, I passed up a DLI slot when it was offered to me, with the understanding that my having done so — put the good of the unit ahead of my own immediate wishes — would be remembered when I got back.) Those are factors, but not the only ones. The people who will be making the actual decision are new to the unit, and while they have no reason to be unfavorably disposed toward me, it’s always possible that someone else made a really good impression on them, enough to shift the ratings slightly.
Meanwhile, I’m almost within the one-year window for the end of my current enlistment. As a Reservist, I’m able to re-enlist within that year — don’t have to wait until it expires — and it appears that I’ll be able to collect the entire $15,000 bonus for taking on another six years. That’ll carry me past the twenty-year mark (and most of the way to mandatory retirement due to age-limits), and I’m pretty sure I can manage another six years before it stops being fun.
Of course, since my latest physical fitness test (just before we deployed) is over a year old, I’ll have to have current scores before I can re-up. I have two months before I have to do the APFT, giving me ample time to finish training back up. As I’ve mentioned before, the run is always hardest for me, and unless I run at least three times a week — which I didn’t do during the majority of my time in Afghanistan — it takes considerable time for me to recover the necessary speed and stamina. I’ve cut four minutes off my run time since returning from deployment, and this with me just running for conditioning rather than specifically aiming for time; I still need to trim another thirty seconds (better a minute, for some margin) and be able to do that consistently. The push-ups and sit-ups have never been a problem for me; I haven’t done any in weeks, and when I checked myself today I found that I was correct in not worrying about them. The Army demands that you pass at the 60% level or above, and my unit strongly prefers that you meet 70% for SOF (special operations forces) validation. For push-ups, I did two under the 70% mark; for sit-ups, two over. And that’s without any conditioning at all. As always, it’s the run that calls for my maximum effort.
With the drill weekend out of the way, most of my focus is going to be on preparing for the Alaska cruise. I have three days to shop and pack. I need a few new clothes, not much of anything else.
I did start the first of the re-writes I promised![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sroni. This was before drill, so I only got through the first chapter. I may not do much more in the next several days; as noted, I have things to do before cruise time, and then the cruise itself will occupy most of my attention. But at least I’ve begun.
Right now, as I pull things together, I’m fasting for a few days to add a boost to my continuing weight-loss goals. Slimming down is another thing I need to do to meet Army standards, and the single best way to cut my run times. I definitely need to drop twenty-five pounds, and I could go thirty-five without beginning to approach skinny.
And so I remain, as always, a work in progress.
Weekend is over. Five days till departure for Alaska.
The drill (they call them ‘battle assemblies’ now) covers most of the events since last posting. I’m now a full-fledged team chief, which is definitely new to me. Four years with the Army, two combat deployments, three years as an NCO, and I’ve never had anyone under my direct authority before. Either I was away at school, or operating at the detachment level under an officer and a senior NCO. Now I’m at the team level, where things really get down to basics, and I have a subordinate. So now I have to lead, motivate, and develop someone who has previously shown a lot of willingness but not much evidence of talent, with the outcome factoring into how I’m rated by those above me. Had to happen, and I’ve been seeking it, but still new.
The SERE training on the island went a lot easier for me than I had thought it might; I was put in the opposing forces, responsible for hunting and harrying the teams trying to make it from one end of the island to the other. We in the OPFOR had airsoft guns, the teams had none. These things are a lot of fun when the other guys can’t shoot back. I was partnered with a higher-ranking NCO; after only one contact in the first couple of hours, my partner had us relocate to a different area, and that turned out to be a natural lane of travel. I laid waste to teams passing through; the ones I missed, my partner picked off most of them as they ran to get away from me. I even shot the company commanding officer and the captain in charge of my section; they were traveling together, it only took a couple of seconds, and they were both very good-humored about it.
That was Saturday. Sunday, we did the swim test: you go into the water in full uniform, with a rifle slung across your back, and then show how far you can go. Less than 25 meters, non-swimmer. Between 25 and 50 meters, poor swimmer. Between 50 and 75 meters, swimmer. Once you reach 75 meters, it’s “good swimmer” and you can get out. I am now officially a poor swimmer; I passed the test before, but this time through I discovered that the desert boots get waterlogged a lot faster than the black leather boots. Also, I need to learn how to do a breast-stroke, as the basic dog-paddle just uses up too much energy.
I still don’t have a solid sense of my chances of getting into the Defense Language Institute; it all depends on two things, the first being whether any slots open up, and the second being where stand on the list of candidates. My language scores are highest; everyone knows I’m extremely willing, and ready to pack and be on my way with three days’ notice; I did well in the shorter class for Persian Farsi at the Special Forces academic facility; and the ‘language officer’ (actually another NCO) is solidly on my side. (On top of that, in order to go to Afghanistan with the rest of the unit, I passed up a DLI slot when it was offered to me, with the understanding that my having done so — put the good of the unit ahead of my own immediate wishes — would be remembered when I got back.) Those are factors, but not the only ones. The people who will be making the actual decision are new to the unit, and while they have no reason to be unfavorably disposed toward me, it’s always possible that someone else made a really good impression on them, enough to shift the ratings slightly.
Meanwhile, I’m almost within the one-year window for the end of my current enlistment. As a Reservist, I’m able to re-enlist within that year — don’t have to wait until it expires — and it appears that I’ll be able to collect the entire $15,000 bonus for taking on another six years. That’ll carry me past the twenty-year mark (and most of the way to mandatory retirement due to age-limits), and I’m pretty sure I can manage another six years before it stops being fun.
Of course, since my latest physical fitness test (just before we deployed) is over a year old, I’ll have to have current scores before I can re-up. I have two months before I have to do the APFT, giving me ample time to finish training back up. As I’ve mentioned before, the run is always hardest for me, and unless I run at least three times a week — which I didn’t do during the majority of my time in Afghanistan — it takes considerable time for me to recover the necessary speed and stamina. I’ve cut four minutes off my run time since returning from deployment, and this with me just running for conditioning rather than specifically aiming for time; I still need to trim another thirty seconds (better a minute, for some margin) and be able to do that consistently. The push-ups and sit-ups have never been a problem for me; I haven’t done any in weeks, and when I checked myself today I found that I was correct in not worrying about them. The Army demands that you pass at the 60% level or above, and my unit strongly prefers that you meet 70% for SOF (special operations forces) validation. For push-ups, I did two under the 70% mark; for sit-ups, two over. And that’s without any conditioning at all. As always, it’s the run that calls for my maximum effort.
With the drill weekend out of the way, most of my focus is going to be on preparing for the Alaska cruise. I have three days to shop and pack. I need a few new clothes, not much of anything else.
I did start the first of the re-writes I promised
sroni. This was before drill, so I only got through the first chapter. I may not do much more in the next several days; as noted, I have things to do before cruise time, and then the cruise itself will occupy most of my attention. But at least I’ve begun.Right now, as I pull things together, I’m fasting for a few days to add a boost to my continuing weight-loss goals. Slimming down is another thing I need to do to meet Army standards, and the single best way to cut my run times. I definitely need to drop twenty-five pounds, and I could go thirty-five without beginning to approach skinny.
And so I remain, as always, a work in progress.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-07 11:04 pm (UTC)And no fasting, please. JMHO, but no, just no. Us aged ones can't do that anymore :)
no subject
Date: 2006-08-07 11:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-08-08 12:10 am (UTC)Sounds like the drill was a mixed bag. I hope the swimming thing will not adversely effect your standing for anything you want.
I wish you luck on the DLI. Is there a date by which you will definitely know the decision? I must admit, the uncertainty would drive me bonkers.
Enjoy your cruise! My pastor and his family took an Alaska cruise last Summer and I understand the scenery is spectacular.