James’ Ranting Blog

February 20, 2007

Week 6 and Beyond…..

Filed under: Deployment, Training at Fort Bragg — James Fleming @ 10:54 pm

Monday opened with training on the MK19 (Automatic Grenade Launcher) and the MK2 (.50 Caliber Heavy Machine Gun).  We were given familiarization training and then allowed to fire the weapons on the electronic simulator.  

Tuesday was another great day on the range, this time the M9, 9mm pistol range.  It was easy on, easy off the range with 100% of our team qualifying the first time on the firing line.  I scored a perfect 30/30.  The range was again with pop-ups and even a 12 round “walk up” firing sequence…very cool.  We returned to the FOB this afternoon to prepare for our move back to the FOB later this week.  We are going to be joining with our infantry platoon later this week so the entire Task Force is being rearranged on the FOB to accomplish this.  

19 February 

Well, this blog entry is way late.  I have had my ass kicked by walking pneumonia and a cold I can’t shake.  On top of that, I have developed an inner ear problem that has challenged me and required a visit to a hospital, something I don’t do easily.  It appears I will have to have some simple surgery to correct the problem before I leave. 

Our training has not slowed at all.  Our team is now at full strength, with a platoon of infantry.  Our infantry come from an Army Guard unit in Arizona; they are a world class fighting unit.  Everyone one of them is a true professional and highly motivated to provide our security.  A young PFC told me the other day he is ready to take a bullet for any of us.  After being here with so many men and women from the Air Force, Army, and Navy, it is perfectly clear that our nation is continuing to answer the call to serve.  Regardless of the media’s portrayal of our President’s agenda, we are all here so that our kids don’t have to do this.  It is clear to us that by sacrificing now, we are protecting our families today and our children’s future.  

Our training has been more and more intense.  Our live fire exercises have increased.  Yesterday we completed the Buddy Team Live fire.  In two man units we advanced 700 meters (uphill) against pop-up targets engaging them with live rounds.  It was exhausting, but I have to admit, it was pretty damn cool.  We have also conducted mounted patrols in four vehicle convoys with blank fire.  We have a live fire convoy range coming up soon.  We have also trained in MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain).  We learned how to clear a room and building using the same techniques you see on TV in 3, 4, or 5 man teams. 

We have only 24 more days of training.  Each day is more and more challenging, we are tired, no more like, exhausted.  My body is worn out, but we find the energy to push on and drive through each challenge with zeal.  Yesterday my weapon had several malfunctions on the range so I became rather frustrated and charged up the hill cursing like an old soldier.  It has been an interesting experience so far with more ahead of us.  We want to get out of there and get downrange and do the mission.  Before I left I explained to James Robert (then 5 y/o) that Daddy was leaving so he could help the little boys and girls of Afghanistan have a better life and keep the bad guys away.  I told him that the bad guys don’t want little kids to be happy and they want to hurt us.  Each time I talk to him he asks if I have helped any boys or girls yet, and I answer no, I’m in training.  His questions and clarity in understanding why I’m gone is what pushes me.  It is a shame that our nation as a whole has moved past the events of 9/11.  As a nation we take for granted our comfort and security and thus we can move past 9/11 and look forward.  We must not forget that the comfort and security we enjoy is only made possible by the thousands of men and women serving in uniform.  

I am but one of hundreds here, each of us have our reasons for doing this mission.  Most of us, whether we volunteered or not, have realized the full impact we will have during our year in Afghanistan.  We will be changing people’s lives, and the future of an entire nation.  President Bush specifically mentioned the success of the PRT in Afghanistan during his 2007 Sate of the Union speech and wants to model it in Iraq.  We are effective, much more so than the kinetic forces.  I cannot wait to get there and “do good things”.  

 

February 4, 2007

Week #5

Filed under: Deployment, Training at Fort Bragg — James Fleming @ 11:40 pm

Our week started with ISOPREP briefings; another attention getter.  Spending 6 hours being briefed on our status of being High Risk Capture and completing cards for friendly forces to use to validate or identity in case we are captured or our remains are found was sobering.  For the new Air Force arrivals, they were a little shaken by the bluntness and sometimes shocking information. 

On Tuesday we attended Land Navigation training using to use a map and compass (hurray Boy Scout Skills), along with 6 and 8 digit map coordinates.  The afternoon was finished on how to use the DOD’s handheld GPS system, good training again.  We were then shocked to learn that we were to redeploy back to the “rear” (Fort Bragg) for an unknown time due to severe weather.  We moved into what we call the “crack houses”.  These are condemned World War II era barracks, but to us it was simply paradise after the weeks at the FOB.  The showers were hot and high pressured so we’re as happy as can be. 

Wednesday was the start of our weapons training.  We attended Laser Marksmanship Training and basic small arms training.  Our M-4 rifles come with a Close Combat Optic system that simply allows the shooter to place a red dot on his target and pull the trigger.  The beam is contained within the scope, all technical, but very cool.  The weather is already beginning to turn ugly; there is talk of ice, snow and freezing rain. 

Well, the forecasters weren’t kidding!  We had ½” of snow this morning, of course on our day to attend the range.  Conditions were at best, miserable.  Our troops were hearty and remained dedicated to firing and getting off the range.  We were soaked to the bone, our Gortex outerwear could not keep up with the constant wet weather and heavy protective gear.  The Army’s system of zeroing in a weapon is very detailed and time consuming.  We were on the firing points for several hours in the cold wet weather.  To say we were miserable was an understatement.  Most of us were able to zero our weapons, the remaining we will complete tomorrow.  Hopefully we can all qualify on the rifles tomorrow without delays. 

We returned to the ranges today, thankfully it was no longer raining but the bitter cold remained.  Qualification was difficult.  The Army has some awesome ranges, electronic scoring with pop up targets at 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 meters.  You must score hits on 23 out of 40 rounds from the prone-supported, prone-unsupported, and kneeling positions.  It took me 200 rounds (5 attempts) to qualify finally.  Our team was only able to qualify about half our members.  At night we fired night qualification using our close combat optics and strobe lighted targets at 50 meters, this was much easier, I scored an 18 out of 20 hits. 

We had Warrior Task Training today covering claymore mines, combat field medicine, and mounted land navigation.  The claymore mine training was intense, learning to set up, arm, and fire the mines with a limited amount of time was tough.  Again, this was training we all hope we never have to use, but in case of contact with the enemy they are nasty little buggers to have on your side.  We are now using HUMVEES to transport our team to every training event, so every movement is a convoy operation.  Our team requires the use of 8 HUMVEES so we look pretty cool driving down the road with gunners in the hatches.  Our mounted land navigation course was the most fun we’ve had so far, they let us loose on the ranges and we went off-roading looking for the navigation points.  Of course, we were “forced” to look for all of the mud pits and difficult climbs in order to get to the objectives.  Riding in a HUMVEE with full battle rattle and Kevlar helmet is certainly a new way to off road.  We did lose one HUMVEE to poor guestimation of the depth of a “puddle”.  It got buried to its axel in mud, but nothing a little tow rope and second HUMVEE couldn’t fix. 

We once again returned to the range today to finish qualifying our team members.  We finished early and had most of the day to clean our weapons and perform barracks details.  We were able to get the troops to the base rec center to watch the Super Bowl so everyone was happy.  We are expecting to return to the FOB this week after the artic weather moves in…..we will miss our “plush” temp quarters…the hot water and daily showers will be sorely missed.

Week #4

Filed under: Deployment, Training at Fort Bragg — James Fleming @ 11:39 pm

My busiest week yet has started.  The main body of the team arrived yesterday and today the staff provided them briefings on our mission, FOB life, and staff functions.  The Team is highly motivated and seems eager to get started.  Most of the remaining team is junior enlisted personnel, but they are all volunteers and sought out this mission.  As each day passes, I find myself swelling with pride at how the world’s most powerful Air and Space Force handles the In Lieu of Taskings (ILO).  The ILO taskings are the deployments we are performing in place of Army personnel.  Nearly every single Airmen here not only volunteered for this mission, but many, like myself sought out the challenge.  We are by far the most highly motivated warriors on the ground here.  Am I biased, yes, but I would invite anyone to come and see for himself/herself. 

The weather is much improved; the days are warmer, about 50F and the lows remaining in the upper 30’s. We went through RFI, Rapid Fielding Initiative.  This is the equipment that the Army is fielding to the frontline troops.  We received the most modern combat helmet, body armor, and field gear.  Much to my chagrin however, we were issued several sets of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU).  The uniforms are awesome for the battlefield.  They wear nicely and the pockets are placed where we will need them. 

Wow, it’s the end of the 4th week here and it was a blur.  Our S-3 (Operations Officer) and S-4 (Supply Officer arrived) so we are quickly forming our staff team with their arrival.  Our main body force has conducted training in Drivers Training and Combat Lifesaver Skills, so we are ready to begin training as a team this coming week.  The Team’s NCOIC is an active duty Sergeant First Class (E7) who is a combat veteran from Iraq assigned to a Stryker Brigade.  He’s a top notch NCO and has a real common sense approach to the training methods of our joint team. 

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