Combatives Training

One thing I’ve never done in the Army is get trained on hand-to-hand fighting.  We spent a day at the gym getting this training.  It was mostly wrestling skills, and honestly I don’t think I’d ever use anything I learned if someone were to jump on me.  But it was a fairly interesting day.  They call [...]

A couple more from weapons training.

A few days ago, we went out to fire the M-203 grenade launcher.  We used practice rounds, which means that they fire off just like regular rounds, but only leave chalk markers on the targets.  It was the most fun I’ve ever had at any Army weapons range.  Some people were quite good.  I managed [...]

Life at Hunter Liggett

The barracks are large, about 30 guys sleep in each bay.  We have old wall lockers and metal-frame beds with mattresses on which we can put our sleeping bags.  Most everyone has a laptop computer to watch movies or surf the net.  I like to use Skype to video chat with my family in the [...]

Nature at Hunter Liggett

The training can be tough, and the weather is still very hot in the middle of the day here. 
One nice thing about this place is that it is really very pretty.  Lake Nacimiento is nearby, which is a popular spot (my neighbor in Camarillo drives 150 miles north up here to go to a cabin [...]

Weapons Training

We’ve been doing weapons training.  M-9 pistol, M-16 rifle, M240 and M249 machine guns, and the big 50-caliber gun.  Yesterday was a VERY long day, and we were out doing night-time shooting until about 11PM, and it was very cold and windy.  Some people were out for 15 hours on the range yesterday.  Today was [...]

Agenda for Ft. Hunter Liggett

We’ve received weapons training over the past few days.  Basically a day of classes on heavier machine guns, as well as individual rifle and pistol training.  Yesterday was range qualification day.  I hit 25 of 30 targets on the 9mm pistol pop-up range, not as well as I’ve done in the past but a very [...]

Body Armor Day

Yesterday was the equipment issue day, as mentioned earlier.  They gave us a ton of new stuff, including body armor and the new ACH (the helmet), which is a big improvement over the old helmet.  Like the new ACU uniform, the ACH relies on velcro instead of awkward straps and clips. 
A photo of myself wearing [...]

First couple of days at Hunter Liggett

Yesterday we sat in briefings most of the day.  The big thing  was NBC training (chemical warfare).  We learned about how to put on the protective gear, which I’d already learned a long time ago. 
Today is RFI day, where they issue most of the equipment you bring with you overseas.  They gave me a new [...]

Off to Ft. Hunter-Liggett

I am taking off today for training for the next 2 1/2 weeks.  It’s at Fort Hunter Liggett, which is near Jolon, CA (halfway between LA & San Francisco).  Most of the unit will be there.  Will post more when I arrive.
Update:  I arrived at FHL at about 4PM today (4 hour drive up from [...]

ACU’s

A couple years ago, the Army changed from the old woodland camoflage uniform to the “Army Combat Uniform” or ACU.   It’s the digital camoflage, and up close it’s a set of grey squares.  Studies showed that the ACU was as good as the old uniform in concealing the soldier.
There are several other advantages.   The new [...]