Knees hurt a lot during
Indian Death Run. Not tiring,
just hurt. By night knees
seemed much better. Noticed
muscle twinge in back.
Got to fire M-60 today.
Kick ass weapon. I loved it.
Shot up an M-114. Also shot
LAW sub-caliber rocket.
Hit T-55 squarely on turret.
Not as fun as M-60. Bivouac
Wednesday. Won 1st Sergeant inspection
today. CO inspection Saturday.
2 letters from [fiance] plus
one from [best man]. PT really getting
much easier. I don't look forward
to it but once we're doing it
I just exercise. I'm better than
most at keeping up it seems.
Many people still shocked that I'm
26. Think I'm 18 or so.
Got to see demo of new
84mm AT-4. Disposable
ATRL. Packs quite a punch.
Army has had it for only 2 months.
Can only be fired right handed.
M-60 too, but no problem.
[Fiance] wanted me to
write down impressions of
people. I really don't want
to here just in case something
gets out. I'll remember these
characters when I get out and
I'll write about them then.
For now, most are cool.
I like this platoon. A few
assholes. Some I just don't
talk to for the most part
because it's more trouble than it's
worth. I'll definitely remember
these guys. Most are in it for
some type of monetary compensation
but still they're doing their duty.
[Fiance] worried I'll change.
I don't think I have at all.
I know more things--like how
to kill--but I'm not a killer.
Peacetime basic training just doesn't do that
to a man. I still can't get
rid of my flab. I really don't
want to give up the sweets we can
eat. When we can I doubt I'll
eat candy bars. A Coke with dinner
will probably be my limit.
Fire watch tonight.
Inspections were keeping us busy. Our company commander would be looking at us next. We rarely saw our company commander. Or our platoon leader, for that matter. Did we have one? Sergeants we saw a lot.
Aches and pains continued but they were background noise. Exercise was easy, now. I'm amused as I recall having to show my picture ID to fellow trainees who didn't believe I was one of the old guys.
We had a lot of familiarization drills. We saw the new and larger infantry anti-tank rocket launcher based on a Swedish weapon (if I recall correctly). We also had a chance to fire medium machine guns. The drill sergeants tried to rush us through this since we weren't being tested on the M-60. But I took my time, firing short bursts and switching targets left and right and close and far. But I had particular fun just shooting at an old armored recon vehicle sitting on the range. I ignored the urging to hurry it up.
We practiced a lot with the older LAW. We had spent cases that we'd go through the drill of setting up for firing. Actually, I knew how to set it up from college days when someone I knew had one and I spent time reading the instructions and extending the tube and releasing the safety. One night I recall a car almost getting into an accident as the driver apparently watched me showing a friend on the corner how to set it up for firing. Thirty years ago that wasn't a police-response incident.
Yes, if I had to use one I would aim for the tracks and not the turret, but it was just a wooden silhouette so I aimed for the center of mass and that's what I hit.
As I've written before, it is unfair to say that people who join for the job or education aren't doing it for patriotic reasons. The fact is, everyone needs a job or education to get a job. But there are lots of people who would never, ever consider joining the military to get those things. The people I was with saw defending their country in the Army as an honorable choice in their life. If that isn't patriotic, I don't know what is.
Even the jerks. I recall one guy who was a real jerk. Late in basic training he got annoyed at someone and was quietly threatening to beat him up at some future time when he could. Which led me to jump in to defend the target by telling another troop in our group (I seem to think we were cleaning our M-16s for turn in. Were we dipping components in some cleaning fluid? That rings a bell but I can't remember for sure. Anyway, I jumped in by starting a mock argument with yet another trainee, telling him I was pissed at him and that I was going to kick his ass twelve weeks from now at 1500 hours. That started a back and forth between us as we started threatening each other with ass kickings at specific times in the future. The jerk just started muttering that he was going to kick our asses, too, but the laughter didn't prompt him to try anything then or after.
And again I can see the warning signs of my fiance actually worrying that I was being turned into a killer. Amazing. One, there really is a difference between killing an enemy and killing someone on the street. Two, I was going to be a radio guy with more need to know how to operate a coffee machine than my M-16. And three, what was she thinking, anyway?
It cracks me up that I was complaining about flab. I weighed less than 150 pounds then (less than I do now) yet had some idea that basic training would be like going to an expensive fitness camp where I'd get fit and trim. That was in Stripes, wasn't it? Why yes, it was. A lean, mean fighting machine! That's what we called the Army: the Green machine. The killing machine.
More important was the annoying reminders of being in the Army like losing sleep to be fire guard at night.
