Just wanted to give everyone an update. I am in a physical therapy unit at Fort Jackson called P.T.R.P. (Physical Training Recovery Program). I had multiple stress injuries from road marches (several miles long) wearing an IVA (armor vest), assualt pack and gear, as well as from running everywhere, including up and down stairs. I’ll probably be here for at least a couple of months if not longer until I am able to train again. I have to be able to pass the APFT (Army Physical Fitness Test) before I am released to finish training. I see the therapist on Friday, Oct. 31 and he may recommend me for Con Leave for two weeks up to 45 days (I think 30 days is the norm). If so, I will get to come home for a little while.
While I am in P.T.R.P., I get to use the internet, watch television and use a cell phone on weekends.
I got to fire the M249 SAW, M203, and modified AT4(it shot out dummy rounds and not an actual rocket). One rocket for the AT4 costs $1,500 so that explains why we didn’t fire the actual AT4. The AT4 is a fire and forget weapon, one time use anti tank weapon. It wasn’t that difficult to fire and it’s virtually recoilless.
We got to fire 25 rounds from the fully atuomatic SAW.
The M203 attaches to the M16 or M4 carbine. It’s a grenade launcher. We shot 2 “paintball” grenades at old disabled tanks downrange. Not much recoil with the M203, but you had to really arch the weapon to fire a long distance.
The four best shooters in the company (all experts) were all allowed to fire their weapons of choice, according to their score which we were able to watch. Two of them fired the M203 grenaded launcher and the best two shooters were able to fire the AT4 rocket launcher at old tanks. It was a heck of an explosion. The back blast from the weapon was almost as loud as the actual explosion down range. A beautiful sight indeed.
We watched a demonstration of a live claymore mine. We had tons of bags of ice that was supposed to be placed in the tanks of water we drank from. Instead we voted to drink the water without the ice and blow them to kingdom come.
All in all, it’s been pretty fun except for the smokings (actually those can be pretty fun at times too).
I’ll try to keep in touch as time allows.
Your friend,
Street
Count Cadence, Delay Cadence
Count Cadence
Delay Cadence
Skip Cadence
Count
(”One!”) Airborne Soldier
(”Two!”) Better do your best
(”Three!”) Before you find my boot
(”Four!”) Buried in your chest.
(”One!”) Hit it
(”Two!”) Hit it
(”Three!”) Hit it
(”Four!”) Hit it
One, two, three, four we’re not the d**n Marine Corps
We like it here, we love it here we’ve finally found a home
(a what) a home (a what) a home
A home away from home. YEAH!
Sorry to hear about your getting “dropped back” in training, but it sounds like you’ve had a helluva month and a half. Good on ya, amigo!