The training that has been conducted for deployment to Iraq is much different than what occurred in 1990/1991 for me in preparation for Operation Desert Shield/Storm and in 2003 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 1990 and later in 2003, I received a call to report to the armory and within a few days, we ended up at Ft. Campbell to train for several weeks. For Desert Storm, training took place from November 1990 to January 1991 and later in 2003, we trained from January into April. This time, much of our training is being conducted closer to home either at the Armory (Dresden or Tiptonville) and at the Milan Training Center.
Three weeks of training was recently completed where a number of tasks were performed and tested during battle drills during the last week. Generally, the tasks were centered around infantry skills to include 3 & 5 second rushes, urban warfare, dismounted operations and some mounted operations. Tactics were practiced to deal with direct and indirect artillery fire, ambush, suicide bombers and IED's. There were also classes on combat lifesavor, dealing with chemical/nuclear/radiation/biological threats.
The training did take a toll on me and was difficult. In 1991, I was 22 years old, 36 years old in 2003 and now running around in a field with body armor at age 42 is not as fun as it once was. I do keep in mind that I am at the same age as Elvis Presley when he passed away.
I did attempt to make light of the situation when I could, in that after watching the movie American Pie, I would refer to Guard Camp at "Band Camp".
Being older than many in my unit, I was fortunate to pick a bay in the barracks that was much quieter than the others and some in the bay called our bay 'the ranch', in which I re-dubbed the term and called it the Mustang Ranch; again to make light of the situation.
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