posted by Brett @ 1:37 PM
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Sunday, December 17, 2006
So, after looking at the various paths I could take at the Army's Branch Orientation website, I've narrowed down what I want to do to either Signal or Field Artillery or, if there is an opportunity to do so, Military Intelligence. If anyone has input, please leave a comment.
Friday, September 15, 2006
So, this portion of my page won't be going to the wayside anytime soon (well, at least if you think my entire blog-homepage hasn't gone to the wayside yet; it's been a couple of weeks), since I'm in the ROTC program here at Saint Cloud State now. I need do go through a few more piles of bureaucratic paperwork before I'm actually contracted, but I'm thinking it's just a matter of time.
I have to say, I'm finding a lot of the things we're going over to be interesting. The first section we're dealing with of the material for the year 3 class was all about the natural progression a team goes through when people are first thrown together into a group with a common purpose. I never had quantified the process myself before, but I immediately recognized the veracity of the listed steps by briefly conjuring up my own experiences mentally.
The other side of it has definitely pushed my comfort envelope. Since I'm in the 3 year stage of the program, I've been appointed as squad leader for the 4th squad for the next couple of months. This means trying to motivate and encourage the 1st and 2nd year students to stick with the program and PT via e-mails and phone calls, along with making sure their equiptment issues are handled and whatnot. I've also lead the cadence during PT now. It only takes one brain fart, and you otherwise beautiful cadence becomes crap. I'll tell you right now that two of the three verses I went through weren't exactly outstanding.
I'm hoping my past experience will be useful when being evaluated on our FTXes over the coming months.
I have to say, I'm finding a lot of the things we're going over to be interesting. The first section we're dealing with of the material for the year 3 class was all about the natural progression a team goes through when people are first thrown together into a group with a common purpose. I never had quantified the process myself before, but I immediately recognized the veracity of the listed steps by briefly conjuring up my own experiences mentally.
The other side of it has definitely pushed my comfort envelope. Since I'm in the 3 year stage of the program, I've been appointed as squad leader for the 4th squad for the next couple of months. This means trying to motivate and encourage the 1st and 2nd year students to stick with the program and PT via e-mails and phone calls, along with making sure their equiptment issues are handled and whatnot. I've also lead the cadence during PT now. It only takes one brain fart, and you otherwise beautiful cadence becomes crap. I'll tell you right now that two of the three verses I went through weren't exactly outstanding.
I'm hoping my past experience will be useful when being evaluated on our FTXes over the coming months.
posted by Brett @ 1:18 PM
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Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
One thing about being in the military: civilians don't know exactly what you've been through. Sure, there are movies out there with a lot of gore, a lot of blood, guts, and violence. But watching is not living. It's probably as visually desensitizing, but you don't feel what's happening. You don't have times during the movie where you feel so cold that you think you'll fall asleep and never wake up. You don't feel so hot that you think you're going to pass out if you take one more step. You're not getting yelled at. You also aren't standing there for two hours at attention listening to a Captain sob his way through a speech after two men in his battery got blown to pieces. And you probably wouldn't understand how sorry and embarrassed that I felt for him that he couldn't contain his emotion. A person's imagination while watching a movie or reading a book only takes them as far as their prior experience lets them. I don't even think the soldiers in my new unit really have an extended enough imagination to really understand how hairy things can be, even though basic training/AIT is stressful enough to give you a feel for the real deal.
I know this because of the way the non-militarily initiated people around me talk. A friend of mine mentioned how he would have to go special forces if he joined the military. My sister had the nerve to call my Class-As a little boy suit offhandedly as I spent hours spiffing it up.
My sister's comment, with the addition of a little more goading, lead to a small coming to terms argument. My friend, well, I'd normally let a small ignorant comment like that slide, but I happened to be around a few military buddies at the time and need to inform him of the level of commitment needed to go special forces, 10 years of just surviving in the military for instance. I can imagine each of these comments came from a little too much imagining without the background for any sort of real internal analysis to judge through.
This sort of thing is exactly why my former military buddies are hub of my social life. Each of them do know what is real and what is imaginary. Each of them know stress. Each of them know sacrifice. Each of them know the power of symbolism. And each of them know what all of the symbols and practices in the Army stand for. There's no bravado about what could be, but there is a lot of bravado over what has been. The best kind of company is from those who not only think, but understand.
I know this because of the way the non-militarily initiated people around me talk. A friend of mine mentioned how he would have to go special forces if he joined the military. My sister had the nerve to call my Class-As a little boy suit offhandedly as I spent hours spiffing it up.
My sister's comment, with the addition of a little more goading, lead to a small coming to terms argument. My friend, well, I'd normally let a small ignorant comment like that slide, but I happened to be around a few military buddies at the time and need to inform him of the level of commitment needed to go special forces, 10 years of just surviving in the military for instance. I can imagine each of these comments came from a little too much imagining without the background for any sort of real internal analysis to judge through.
This sort of thing is exactly why my former military buddies are hub of my social life. Each of them do know what is real and what is imaginary. Each of them know stress. Each of them know sacrifice. Each of them know the power of symbolism. And each of them know what all of the symbols and practices in the Army stand for. There's no bravado about what could be, but there is a lot of bravado over what has been. The best kind of company is from those who not only think, but understand.
posted by Brett @ 1:49 PM
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Tuesday, July 11, 2006
The running portion of the APFT has generally been my weak area. I've gotten around a 15:30 for my 2-mile run for the last couple of APFT tests I've taken. But thanks mainly to the inspired running workouts here at APFT.net, I was able to get my time down to 13:27 this past weekend. The sprint portion of the workout was especially good. During the first "rep", you feel pretty good. During the second and third reps, you feel absolutely horrible. Then, for some reason, it feels as though your body starts running in a more efficient manner during the last rep, which makes it more enjoyable.
I ended up with a total score of 272 points: 94 points for a 13:27 run, 90 points for 66 pushups in 2 minutes, and 88 points for 71 situps in 2 minutes. That was my best score yet. Formerly, my best score was 261 in AIT. Unfortunately, I did almost nothing specific for the situp portion of the test. Had I done 2 more situps, I would have had 90 points which would have qualified my for a PT patch. But there's always a next time.
I ended up with a total score of 272 points: 94 points for a 13:27 run, 90 points for 66 pushups in 2 minutes, and 88 points for 71 situps in 2 minutes. That was my best score yet. Formerly, my best score was 261 in AIT. Unfortunately, I did almost nothing specific for the situp portion of the test. Had I done 2 more situps, I would have had 90 points which would have qualified my for a PT patch. But there's always a next time.
posted by Brett @ 4:40 PM
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Friday, June 09, 2006
Over my deployment I kept a blog detailing my experiences and other thoughts to be view by my family, friends, or the general public should they have interest. My Adsense hit-counter had a spurt of new activity towards the end of May and I decideded to investigate. Upon doing searches on Google and Yahoo, I found my site being linked to through these three sites: 1 2 3
Apparently Chinese bloggers think I'm boring, but in a good way. I sent the links to my friend Billy for a general translation. Apparently, these bloggers enjoyed reading my blog since it showed them an example of an American military blogger who wasn't a bloodthirsty fanatic. Hooah to that.
I'd add that my entire unit was proud and bold, but not bloodthirsty, except for maybe a few. It is the military after all.
Apparently Chinese bloggers think I'm boring, but in a good way. I sent the links to my friend Billy for a general translation. Apparently, these bloggers enjoyed reading my blog since it showed them an example of an American military blogger who wasn't a bloodthirsty fanatic. Hooah to that.
I'd add that my entire unit was proud and bold, but not bloodthirsty, except for maybe a few. It is the military after all.
posted by Brett @ 9:11 PM
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Thursday, March 30, 2006
If you've never heard of the Minnesota Military Appreciation Fund, please take a look. Many soldiers in my old unit out of Monticello came back with less money than they started with due to lower pay while overseas compared to their civilian jobs, or due to their spouse spending all of their money and/or leaving them. This is a way to help out via donations or sponsored events.
posted by Brett @ 12:03 AM
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