Training with the Best
Yesterday, I got back from a 5-day Field Training Exercise (FTX) with my Reserve unit. That had to be one of the best training outings we've ever had. Needless to say, we shot an egregious amount of ammunition with a good variety of small arms. I scored my qualification just a point above my average (34/40) on my issued service weapon. On top of that, we got a lot of Humvee training, Land Nav, and water survival with some outdoor classes on first-aid, heat casualty prevention, and night vision.

The greatest part of it was the camaraderie. This is priceless. This is especially true for some of our guys who came back from Iraq. During the down times, we would hear a lot of their stories. Good times.

On a more personal note, a fellow who rode in my Humvee made a comment when we got back that I was alright for an officer candidate. He mentioned that when some soldiers cross over into the officer side of the house, some just stop identifying with with everybody else. He told me that I was very different and that I was a receptive person. What a great compliment!