Got My Heart A Racin'

First, I would like to apologize for my lack of posts. I'm so busy and the internet is about as fast as snail mail...It's quite frustrating. Don't be surprised if my posts aren't quite as pretty as usual. All the sites I use to format are too high-speed for the net connection here...so for a while, my posts might be lacking in the pizzazz department, but I'll do my best!

(Edit: I finally managed to make a little picture for this weekly post! Yay!)

As I mentioned last Monday, each week, I'll be sharing a few things about my basic training experience. Today, I've decided to share my favorite training events! We were lucky enough to have a Facebook page that had pictures and stuff so our families ( and now you!) can see what it was like. It's really cool.

Without further ado, I give you...

The Top 5 Best Training Events

5. Basic Rifle Marksmanship (BRM) and Advanced Rifle Marksmanship (ARM)

I didn't know how much I liked shooting until Basic. It was so fun. We ended up doing tons of shooting by the time we graduated and it was really cool to get some solid fundamentals of shooting. I think I will definitely keep up with it and work on it in the civilian world to qualify expert eventually!

4. Grenades

Have you even thrown a grenade? yeah...probably not. It's probably one of the most exciting things I've done so far. Pulling out all the safeties and chucking a little exploding ball out in front of you...it's kind of exhilarating! The boom shook my soul...It was...amazing!

3. The Final PFT 

That's our final fitness test. I was so motivated for this thing, I did so well! My first PT test I didn't do very well. I ran a 185 PFT...I didn't even pass everything! I couldn't believe it. So when it came time to do my final PFT I was really hoping to do well. I had worked hard on my own and wanted it to show. Well, it definitely showed! I ran 2 miles in 15 minutes and 7 seconds, I did 28 push-ups (over doubling my first score) and 69 push ups. I MAXED my run and did over 75 points in the other two events. I was so proud of it that the dang PFT became one of the high lights of my experience. 

2. Treadwell Tower 

Treadwell Tower is a rappelling training event with a rope course deally attached to it. When we came up on this tower...I wanted to pass out. It was our first actual day of training and I almost peed my pants at the top of the 40 foot tower and on the rope course that we did, but once I completed it, I felt so awesome and confident, which was probably the point. 

That picture is even me! Woo!

1. The 16k!

The 16k is often dreaded by young privates like myself, but I was so pumped for it. We ended up practically having to skip our final big training exercise because of lightening storms and a ridiculous down pour that happened that whole week, so we got a good night's rest before we headed out. I was so excited and proud to be so close to the finishing point of BCT that I barely even felt the pain. When we finished, I had big old blisters between my toes.  My wrist was sore and stiff from carrying my weapon, my back hurt from my ruck...it was painful, but I had no idea until we finished. It felt so good.