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A Walk in the Woods

1 hour ago
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Lately, everything has been on cruise control. I live in the FOB during the even regiments and work the first night of the odd regiments. It seems like we get more and more VIPs with their entourage of lackeys every day. It started with a few full colonels and has snowballed to three-star generals, which puts some of the cadre on edge and has us doing lots of police calls and cleaning/maintenance details.

Besides work in the FOB, I've become quite the field gourmet. Since I don't typically crave MREs unless they're my only option, I've been bringing food out to the FOB and cooking it in my Jet Boil. My staples for the field have become peanut butter, oatmeal, Easy Mac, Annie Chun's noodle bowls, canned soup, fruit and Powerbar Energize Fruit Smoothie Bars. I'll typically cook up some food with the Jet Boil and throw in a few ingredients to put my own little spin on my meal. Peanut butter, hot sauce and some stir-fry vegetables give a home cooked twist to the Annie Chun's noodle bowls. Also, canned chicken or tuna turn Easy Mac into a FOB-made "noodle casserole." The only downside is that I seem to singe the hair on my hands whenever I turn the Jet Boil on...

Yesterday I finished up the bulk of my Lieutenant supplementary/refresher training with some land navigation. The training was split into two iterations with a 5 hour day course and a 3.5 hour night course. During the day we were given eight points and had to find a minimum five. At night we had five points for a minimum of three. I wasn't sure how well I would do since land navigation is a perishable skill and I hadn't done any land nav since coming to Fort Lewis last year.

I felt relatively confident during the day and found most of my points easily. With nearly five thousand cadets on the ground over the course of the summer, there were plenty of "cadet trails" leading to the points. My biggest hang-up was a bit of confusion and disorientation around an intersection of a bunch of roads that wasn't displayed all too well on the map. I did have some difficulty, too, on a point that was only about a hundred meters off the road in some super thick woods. Once in the forest, it gets really dense and difficult to keep an accurate pace count and steady azimuth. I walked a ton, as I had a point in every corner of the course, but ended up getting eight for eight. I was happy with my result but didn't feel all too confident on my performance for the day.

Night is typically harder and requires that your pace and azimuth be a lot more precise. When I was plotting my points, I felt pretty confident that I could find my points without too much difficulty. I had some points earlier in the day that were in the vicinity and felt pretty good about my plan. I got my first point in about fifteen minutes. I screwed myself on the second point by again getting disoriented at an intersection of about six different roads. I ended up on a wrong road and tried to compensate by taking a small dirt trail to get back on the road. I ended up wasting about an hour trying to correct myself. I should have realized my error immediately and gone back to the intersection, but I am a retard and decided to drive on. Eventually I gave up on the point and went and got three other points within about thirty minutes of each other. I had some time to get the other point but didn't want to go through the trouble of finding the road again. When I turned my score card in, I was sweating bullets. I had gotten the correct points but the debacle earlier in the evening didn't do a whole lot for my confidence. I ended up getting four of five points.

We got back to the hotel at 230 where I made a massive PBJ and washed it down with a delicious Pyramid Apricot Ale.

Running Around

6 days ago
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Once again, I'm going all over the place to find internet. Currently, I'm sitting in a parking lot, enjoying some wireless. I've had the past few days off and I've actually been a lot more productive than I originally thought. I'm almost done with setting up an apartment for when I get down to Benning, which will relieve a whole lot of trouble once I get there. The complex has been described as a lieutenant "frat house," though this isn't always a bad thing. Hopefully I can get everything squared-away in the next few days and have a nice, little roof waiting for me.

I've also been able to get a whole lot of running and riding in lately. For the past three/four days I've been able to get in an hour of solid riding on the trainer and format my workouts per the day's Tour de France stage. It makes the trainer a lot more interesting and the time fly. I've also been able to get in a 45-60min run each day. Still haven't made it out to the pool but, then again, I'm not really missing the water. The leg hair has grown back and my training doesn't really have any specific goals. I'm beginning to like the whole idea of just maintaining fitness and doing it for fun.

Back to the FOB for Eighth Regiment tomorrow afternoon.

Let Me See Your War Face

Jul 10, 2008
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P7090032

In Search of the InterWebs...

Jul 7, 2008
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Every hotel I slept in on the road west had internet. Everything was easily accessible, fast and never shut down. My dream of a hotel in Tacoma has internet but it's practically nonexistent. In fact, I get better wireless service out in the FOB (one of the LTs has an AT&T wireless card)... One of my buddies and I spent the past hour driving around Tacoma to get a signal only to end up at a small tactical shop/cafe with wireless. Thankfully, I'm able to download a few choice TV shows (Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern!) from iTunes and do a bit of online banking.

Yesterday's ruck went well. We had 90 minutes to do the allotted 10K with our web gear (w/ canteens, ammo pouches, etc) and a 35lb ruck suck. I typically suck at rucking because my legs are so short. At the start, all of the guys started running and, naturally, I had to give chase or risk putting my manhood into question. My strategy was to do a 4 minute shuffle followed by 1 minute of a fast walk (the "Ironman Shuffle") with water every 10 minutes. I felt pretty good throughout the whole 10K and I could tell the past few years of cycling and distance running really helped out. About 100M from the finish I ran into a patrol of cadets along a road and was told to HALT. I tried to tell the patrol leader that I was part of a timed ruck march and that I needed to get to the van directly behind his patrol. I moved a bit closer to the patrol and could hear a few weapons click off from safe. Oh shit, they're going to either fire on me or detain me... After a bit of questioning, one of the evaluators let me through and I was able to finish the ruck in just a bit over 66 minutes. According to the time keeper at the finish I had the third fastest finish of all the LTs who've completed the ruck this summer. Not bad, given rucking and anything with weights and I don't typically get along. My body, though, definitely feels the pain. My back is all knotted up. The metal frame rubbed my back raw and it looks like I just got off from filming a scene in Roots. When I woke up this morning for a short run, my back was so tight I figured I'd be better off sleeping.

By the way, the I Corps (the Corps at Ft. Lewis) record for the 10K ruck 35:xx!

As for work, I go into the FOB for about six hours tomorrow to make sure everything is running well and answer any questions anyone might have. We get Sixth Regiment in on Wednesday, so I get back to a normal work schedule. The days off have been great for catching up on sleep and getting some affairs in order but I need to get back to work to ensure I stop spending money!

Independence Day

Jul 5, 2008
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I've had the past two days off, so there's been plenty of time to rest and recharge my batteries. The written land navigation exam went well with a 20/20, which is good since I haven't done any written or practical land navigation since mid-June of last year!

For most of yesterday, it didn't really feel like Fourth of July. The weather turned a bit for the first time in my three weeks here and it's a bit difficult trying to fire up a grill and light fireworks in the motel parking lot. A few friends and I went to go see the movie Wanted, which was a lot better than I had expected (Angelina Jolie is smokin' hot) and planned to spend the rest of the night hanging out and getting a few drinks. Early in the night, one of my buddies in the committee invited a few of us out to his family's party at a nearby lake. Like the movie, I wasn't expecting a whole lot; Maybe a grill, a few coolers of beer and some sparklers. As we pulled up to the house, I was wrong. The party was at this amazing lake house and his family was a lot of fun. We spent a few hours hanging out on the porch and watching fireworks. All of the lake houses built a barge that was towed out into the center of the lake and put on one of the best fireworks shows I've seen. All in all, it wasn't a bad Fourth of July. I would have much rather been home, though that's a bit out of my control.

After celebrating Independence Day with alcohol and fire (no other combination screams freedom and democracy!), it was time to welcome in another July staple: Le Tour! This morning saw the Prologue Stage of the Tour de France. Thankfully, the motel has the VS. channel and I'll be able to catch stage broadcasts on my days off.

2008 Tour de France Stage 1 Finish

Lance Armstrong Cycling Moments

Warrior Forge builds an extra few days in between every five regiments, so I've got a few more days until I get back into the FOB. I've got my 10K ruck march tomorrow morning and then it's back to my quasi-civilian schedule for a bit!

Fourth Reg

Jul 2, 2008
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Rainier

With the "Syke's Regulars" Fourth Regiment, we saw our fourth, and hopefully final, change in our standard operating procedure. Where we had originally planned that the FOB staff would coordinate all operations and logistics within the FOB, we are now only tasked with logistics, which means we are responsible for making sure the FOB is well maintained. The respective regiments are responsible for all security details, weapons/ammunition issues, and operations within the FOB. What does this mean, then? Basically, it means I have to do less, which isn't really a good thing. I'm already in the FOB for 48+ hours, so I kind of want to do something productive. With the change, the bulk of my work happens the last morning, when we patrol our assigned Company areas and make sure everything is spotless. I give the Cadet Company Commander, Executive Officer and First Sergeant a giant check list and constantly inspect and check up on everything. I also do a ton of tasking for trash and police call details. This morning I walked up to a platoon with latex gloves and a trash bag, tasking them to remove any non-human trash from urinals and other parts of the the twenty port-a-johns assigned to each company. When I told the Platoon Sergeant, everyone gave me this look like "Sir... why???" It's a shitty detail but needed to be done.

For some reason, the Regimental cadre this rotation seemed to be a bit more difficult. With this said, the FOB staff agreed that our plan to test security needed to be a little more chaotic. To get the security details on their toes, we were able to coordinate a protest with some role players. This lasted for about fifteen to twenty minutes and kind of alerted everyone. About an hour later, when they changed security shifts, we set off some artillery simulators and a few bursts from our M60. The cadets got a bit trigger happy and sent about a twenty-man quick-reaction force (QRF) outside of the FOB wire to start maneuvering on us. It got so chaotic that the Regimental Cadre started getting pissed off and called an end to the exercise. I guess we achieved our primary objective!

With less responsibility in the FOB, I need to begin working on some sort of entertainment plan. I got a care package from my mom and brother with some magazines and books, so that will really help. I'll also be running by the Post Exchange (PX) to grab a few DVDs. By next Regiment, I should have most of the comforts of home, except cable and hi-speed internet.

In other things, there's a nice break between Fifth and Sixth regiments, so I should have almost five days off, including the Fourth. I'm hoping to get into Seattle and check out the city a bit. I really want to get down to the Pyramid Brewery and spend some time with my favorite beer! I'll also have some time to get some good running in. With my weird sleep cycle and being on my feet all the time, it's a bit of a struggle to feel fresh for any of my runs but it feels great to get out there and run. I also like running for the sake of running and maintaining some fitness instead of constantly training for something.

Speaking of training, we're knocking out a good bit of our "required" Lieutenant's training here. We went to the range the other morning to qualify. I shot alright for me, but still have a lot of work to be considered a decent shot in any infantry platoon. I guess my limited time on weapons and ranges and horrible hand-eye coordination have something to do with it... Tomorrow we take a written land navigation exam and do our 10K ruck march a few days later.

Here's something completely unrelated to what I'm doing in Fort Lewis but is pretty awesome: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7426794.stm -- I think it's pretty cool that things like this are still around and I agree that these "uncontacted" tribes should stay the way they are.

Weekend...

Jun 29, 2008
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I was finally able to get a bit of time off. I got out of the FOB around midnight on Friday and had the weekend away from the 400x800 ft box. It was also a good few days to stay out of the FOB because we had some very high-ranking visitors, which put a few members of the committee on edge and resulted in some dramatic changes in our standard operating procedures... Can't wait to get back in tomorrow!

I spent the bulk of my time sleeping. I can't seem to get enough of the stuff now. I've been trying to run as frequently as possible but the weird schedule and constant desire to sleep sometimes gets in the way. In the past four days, I've been able to get in three runs for a total of 2:30 and an hour or so trainer ride on the bike. Hopefully I can continue to get in 4+ easy runs a week, so I don't lose too much fitness. Trying to get back into shape once I get too Benning and the super-high heat and humidity doesn't really get me excited.

Tomorrow is another early morning with a 0400 wake up. We're scheduled to head out to the range and qualify on the M16. After a morning on the range, it's back in the box to welcome Fourth Regiment.

Time for more sleep. Yes, I am going to bed at 8. Quit judging me...

Same Day, Different People

Jun 27, 2008
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Second Regiment came and went. Things went a bit smoother in the FOB and we're finally starting to get everything streamlined, which means less work for everyone in the FOB. In terms of what actually happened during my stay in the FOB, not a whole lot changed. Our request for grenade and artillery simulators got approved, so we were able to make the "attack" more realistic. When classes on FOB operations started in the morning of the second day, a few of us went outside the gate and started throwing grenade simulators to mimic a mortar attack and see how the cadets reacted. Later that night, a couple of us staged a vehicle-born IED (VBIED) on the front gate with an artillery simulator followed by some machine gun fire into the base. This regiment responded a lot faster to the attack but it was still a giant clusterf*ck, with half the FOB reacting and the other half kind of walking around like they weren't under attack.

The artillery and grenade simulators make everything a bit more realistic. Beside a very loud explosion, the artillery simulators whistle right before they explode. It's like the 4th of July but instead of feelings of national pride and happiness, the cadets shit themselves.

We got some more Lieutenants in the FOB with us, so we've actually developed a schedule with a bit more free time. I go in the FOB tonight to receive Third Regiment. All I have to do tonight is give them the initial brief and then I'm off for the next two to three days. We also just found out that our Combat Lifesaver Class (CLS) is going to be in a few days, so I've got a good bit of studying to do before we get in the classroom.

"Here's some wisdom, LT: Ask for a military discount wherever you go. Hell, I even ask for one at the dollar store..."

FOBulous

Jun 24, 2008
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One regiment down, fourteen to go. My recruiter was right when he told me that the Army was nothing like your typical nine-to-five job. I was on duty from 5:00 am on Saturday to 2:00 pm on Monday. There's not a whole lot of sleep going on in the FOB either. The cadets are given plenty of time to rack out but we're running around trying to make sure everything is functioning and operating in synch with the timeline. My group of eight cadre and role players got about eight hours of sleep over the time we were there. The nights are also freezing and our issued sleeping bags are rated for summer, so we are all freezing come morning.

Despite the long hours and lack of good sleep, the work is fun. I get to do some public speaking when we brief orders and I get to interact with cadets. I also have the opportunity to talk and pick the brains of enlisted soldiers from our support company, 1-23 Infantry.

The NCOs on my team are hilarious. These two guys are going to make the summer a ton of fun. Here's an excerpt of an interaction:

(0100 Sunday. Everyone is getting ready for bed. SFC Allen is snoring)

MSG Clarks: mmmm... These honey-mustard pringles is good as hell... Yo, LT, tell the sergeant to shut up or else I'mma tap him with this can.

(SFC Allen wakes up)

SFC Allen: Whatchu want? Man, you know I don't snore. I only snore when I been drinkin' and that's ten percent of the time...

MSG Clarks: Well, bitch, you about to get ninety percent of this can

According to the order, the cadets take over FOB security operations on the second morning. They're tasked to man four guard towers, two pedestrian entry points and two vehicle entry points. They're given radios, automatic weapons (M60s) and plenty of personnel to execute their task. At around 11:00 pm, we decided to test their security and quick-reaction force (QRF) with a bit of recon by fire. I was to sprint up and down an open field, firing my weapon and trying to get some sort of reaction out of the security force. Running through waist-high brush at night is tough. You can't see anything, which I found out quickly as I fell into a ditch in a dead sprint and thought I broke my knee. I've got a massive goose-egg just below my knee and some nice cuts. And, in typical cadet fashion, the radio went silent once they began taking fire and their quick-reaction force wasn't ready for forty-five minutes...

Back to the FOB today for another regiment.

Although I've moved from the mean streets of Chapel Hill, I still need to keep it hood in the FOB. My new favorite song:

David Banner - Get Like Me: Closed-Captioned - MTV Version

"Go" Time

Jun 21, 2008
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We get our first guests in the FOB tonight, so my job actually starts. We had a PT test this morning and everything went well. I was still able to max everything out, even with limited push-ups and sit-ups. I also ran a comfortable 11:30 two-mile, so I was happy about that. Tomorrow we're scheduled for a 10K ruck march, which isn't always my favorite. I figure I better get used to rucking, though, since I'm infantry.

If anyone really wants to know what I do as a role player, here you go: