Posted: 5/8/2011 8:39:59 AM EDT
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Well I made it through, for those of you who knew. I'm just sitting in the BX with my mother at Lackland AFB enjoying some freedom and hoggin on caffeine and chocolate haha. Now I'll be on to tech school for Security Forces at Lackland for 14 weeks. I got my expert marksman ribbon, shooting 47 out of 50 on the M16, which includes 12 shots in a gas mask (cheek weld non-existent). In tech school we shoot the M4, M16, M249 (woohoo!) and M9 among a few others I don't know about yet. 3 weeks of mock deployment with humvee convoy's, etc. Should be a fun ride :) I'm now a proud member of the thing I respected most in this country. Today is a good day! Hope all is well with everyone. My gf send me a few clippings from papers about gun related articles. Like the polk county permit applications being published, and home robberies where only guns were stolen. But that's it. I don't know where IFC is at in the battle or what's going on. I have a lot of catching up to do. Hell I barely heard anything about Japan, Libya, or Osama. So I'll be reading for the next couple weeks straight during non-duty hours.
Take care, Thomas |
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Congratulations, it sounds like basic has changed much since I left the 322TRS in 1995. When I was there we only had 1 or 2 days on the range and and only with old mixed and matched M-16s. We did not see belt feds (M-60) until Tech school. In those days it was more familiarization than real marksmanship training. I have some fond memories of the Security Police academy, although few are training related. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to try and go oversees directly after graduation.
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Thanks guys. It looks like there are a couple sour apples in my team here at tech school but the tests are somewhat intense with an average of 50% failure so they should get weeded out quickly. I have quickly learned to hate watching people slack off and pretend like this is something other than the damn military. No discipline, lack of hygeine or appearance, etc. I'm trying to help them along but at some point they have to learn to swim without floaties. And if they aren't there already after 2 months of BMT then they're Eff'd in the A. Luckily I have a 2 man dorm room to myself and I can get away from it all after duty hours. My sister in law is on base for some TDY and I'm hanging out with her in the evenings. I'm starting to love this military life. I feel like I belong and fit in to something for once! Now if only I could have my guns here :(
Anyway, CATM weapon training is coming up and I'm stoked. Stay safe all. -Thomas |
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I almost forgot. I wanted to give you a little thanks Michael. If it weren't for you, the IFC bunch, and the fine LEO/Mil people you associate yourself with I never would have come to realize that I wanted to do this. I really respect all of you a lot and if it weren't for getting involved in the IFC committee, hanging out at the hometown shoots, and going to the AR build days and hearing about your experiences and seeing what real men are made of I wouldn't be sitting here in TX right now. So to all of you I had the honor of meeting, thank you!
-Thomas |
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the vast majority of iowans i've met in these circles are really great people. i'm proud, like you, to be part of these things... we're blessed with a really great state full of damn fine people.
my thanks to YOU, for making the selfless act to serve our country. ...i wish you the very best thomas! |