Day the 14th at Fort McCoy

[aadler]

 

It felt like a really long day, but we were done early.

I had a dream during the night, a fantastic idea for a fanfic set in the world, and using the characters, of the All-Winners Squad, the 1940s Timely Comics (precursor to the Marvel Comics Group) periodic team-up of its most prominent heroes. Unfortunately, the idea didn’t look so great when I woke up. It wasn’t even an idea at all, in fact, just an intent and a general feeling. In the way of dreams, it made a deep impression on me, but there’s little to no chance of it ever coming to anything.

The promised five-mile run fell short. To begin with, there was an attempt to pull me out, along with people who had physical issues; I successfully protested that on the basis that I had been running five miles daily at home. Then, about the time we got good and warmed up and I was ready to settle in for the long haul, the run was cut off just past the three-mile mark. Too many stragglers, I suppose. This time, I wasn’t among them. Several people (primarily from my platoon) seemed to feel I had done something outstanding. I kept trying to make the point that this was how I always run: find a pace I can maintain, and maintain it indefinitely. Whether or not they ever got it, I did not find their approval objectionable.

After that, it was all graphics and overlays. Exercises, lessons, checks on learning, review. The further in I got, the more sense it made, but then an entirely new area would be opened and I’d have to integrate that into what I already had. Break for lunch, back for more … and suddenly it was 4:00 in the afternoon and we were done.

We test tomorrow. It’s supposed to be easier than the first test, and much easier than the exercises we’ve been doing. Nothing left after that but graduation.

We’re on stand-down tonight. Absolutely no alcohol (just like before our previous test), lights-out by 10:00 PM. No PT in the morning. Be in the classroom at 7:30, ready to test. I’ll be in earlier than that, to get in just a little more review.

We leave here Friday, no later than 9:45 AM. I already have my packing list for the National Training Center, the first week in August.

It occurs to me that I might not mind resting a bit in the interim.