Long time no type, and I can serioulsy say one of my biggest problems here at Camp Lejeune is computer withdrawl. Specifically from AR-15.com(it is my home page on  my home pc.)and everyone here. I'm not the most prolific poster but I really enjoy keeping up with everyone and what's going on here.

For those who don't know I'm a Paramedic in NY and a Naval Reservist, and was activated for a year as a Corpsman with 2nd Batt. 25th Marines. We've been stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC for one year. I'm assigned to Weapons Co./CAAT(Combined Anti-Armor Team) and have thirty five Marines I care for.

So far three months down and 9 to go, but there is word of an extension for another 6 months to a year(rumor mill)next January. My wife and I took delivery of a newborn baby boy on Feb. 11 and I missed the birth but got home for ten days from 13Feb to 23Feb. We named him Matthew and he was 6Lbs. 4oz. and 21 inches long. He was a PEANUT! Little chicken legs, and thin as can be. I got a 72 hour liberty last weekend and in a month and a half he has gained 3 pounds and grown 2 inches. I couldn't believe the change I saw him again when my wife picked me up at the airport. Now instead of two ounces of formula a sitting, he downs 4-6ozs! He doesn't sleep that much and seems to keep my wife up most of the 24 hours a day contains.

I talk to my wife on the phone, and she's stressed and angry that she can't seem to get much sleep or much done around the house because a baby needs so much time and care. Who knew?!

I feel so helpless, like I've failed her in some way. She's doing all the work. It kills me to know I'm missing the first year of my sons  life.

In reality, I know where I am at now and what I'm doing here is where I need to be. I stood at Ground Zero for two days and I feel proud to be here. I hope we'll be able to make a positive contribution(read that KILL SOMETHING!) to the effort to secure our shores and nations abroad to ensure this never hapens again. But it seems we'll probably stay here so that the active duty units can go do the needed damage themselves.

cont,

Ahhh, but enough of the home front crap.

About the weapons I've touched so far!

Got to run several boxes of ammo through the Mk19 40mm granade launcher!

Same with the M2 50cal.Bug fin! And with NVG's on. Both the ANPVS-7B and the newer monocular NVG.

The most fun was the .50cal SASS(Barrett). I think it ws more fun because I didn't have to dick around with the traverse and elevation and I hit what I aimed at, at 800-1000 meters with relative ease! What a blast!

I also was introduced to the TOW and Javelin Anti Armor systems and took a couple shots in the simulator. Real Javelin rounds cost about $78,000 a piece and even the Javelin gunners haven't even fired one yet. And I doubt they will. TOW guners get about 1 round a year.

I have a great bunch of Marines that let me learn as much as I want and I teach them as much as they want in the area of medical care.


Last but not least....

BRC

I think I'm gonna be able to make it out there and meet everyone I've only talked to on the computer. I was selected to be in the Navy Color Guard for NYC's Fleet Week, but I think that ends 28 or 29May, so hopefully I'll be able to get out for it.

I look forward to seeing all of that get out for it as well.

If anyone gets the urge to e-mail me you can use [email protected] as I don't really have access to my POP3 server/cable modem down here.


For everyone out there, God Bless. And especially the EMS,FD,LEO, military types. Stay safe and keep your heads down.

Take care

(now) HM3 Jonathan Sherman

sherm,
keep shooting all the good stuff and report back.

Look forward to seeing you at the BRC.

(I've heard the Marines camp out a lot.  Any truth to those rumors ?)

I spent 6 years in "Actionville", but I was over at New River.  Have you been to Sywanyk's Scarlet & Gold yet?  I was the MAG-26 CMCC Officer/NATO Control Officer/Classified Material Reproduction Officer when Sywanyk was the Group Sergeant Major.  He is a damn good man but is one gruff SOB.  Any how, his bar is a very classy place to enjoy a drink, more of a museum for Marine Corps memorabilia.  If you go, be sure to wear a collared shirt, tucked in, with a belt.  Don't worry, the Marines have no problem keeping nice company with Corpsmen.  We know who is going to come put our guts back in, no matter how much fire we walk into.

Also, if you are in the mood for some real good Italian food, try the White Oak River Bistro in Swansboro on Hwy 24.  It is on the left at the bottom of the hill just before the bridge.  If you cross the bridge going North out of Swansboro, about half a mile, on the right is the Flying Bridge restaurant.  They have very good local seafood, the stuffed flounder is superb.

Thanks Doc!  And try to keep my boys in one piece!

5subslr5

We go out to the field every week. So far we've done a lot ofland nav, day and night patrol, force on force, offensive tactics, defensive tactics, dug a few fighting holes, range time and vehicle patrol stuff(because I'm attached to a Heavy Guns Platoon) And in my opinion Heavy Guns are much more fun when they go in on a vehicle instead of the Marine's backs. Less work for me that way! :) And I don't hand out anywhere as near as much motrin as I do after a hump.

Dpeacher

Went to Sywanyks the other night and I spent a good percentage of my time looking at the walls. It really is a museum in a bar. I really enjoyed myself there, and some of the docs I was with met some "ladies" to take to the Waffle Shoppe after Sywanyks closed. Thanks for the Italian restaraunt recomendation. Good ones are in short supply down there.

Bee, thanks for the kind words, I really appreciate it!


Sherm

Sherm,

Since you're already down at Lejeune how about getting together for a shoot?  Do you know how to find Flatwoods Outfitters?

e-mail me

-Schnert

The next time you go out to Flatwoods, tell LtCol Conatser I said hello.  He was the MAG-26 XO when I was the Group CMCC. I stood in his office every morning and provided a brief of the last 24 hours classified message traffic. After being the Group XO, he became the CO of HML/A-167, and then retired.  I'm pretty sure he owns  a large share of the business.

DPeacher,

Will do!