24 February 2007
Well, I know it's been a while, but sadly there's not a whole lot to catch you up on other than work work work.
Last weekend (17-20) we had a four day weekend for President's Day and the Korean Lunar New Year. It was weird to have four days off and honestly it was maybe one day too many. It gets a little boring around here when you have four days off, but can't really leave. We're still under all the safety restrictions so Becca and I had to be on duty last weekend. It was also a pretty low key weekend since the Lunar New Year is kind of like Thanksgiving in the sense that everyone goes home to be with their families, so most shops and Korean places were closed.
But Becca and I did have some entertainment in our weekend. Friday night we were hailed into the Battalion. After the hail we went with several people from our Battalion out for one of the Captain's bachelor party. The following day was his wedding, so Becca and I saw our first Korean style wedding. It was very nice, especially because the bride's family wasn't able to come to Korea so our Battalion commander gave her away. We also went to the club a couple times we like here. In Korea the locals learn who you are very quickly, so it's always a nice part of the weekend to go to a club and talk with the local Korean's
In the past two weeks at work we've been doing a lot of little things to prepare for inspections, change of commands, EFMB (Expert Field Medic Badge) The EFMB is a badge anyone in the medical field (officer or enlisted) or anyone working within a medical unit at the time can try out for. There's a written test pertaining to field sanitation and preventative medicine, three EMT lanes where you have to demonstrate basic live saving techniques while under fire and in chemical environments, load and unload patients into different types of vehicles to include helicopters, do land navigation, and a 12 mile road march with a 35 pound ruck, weapon, and protective gear on. It's a little intense, but it's also the kind of fun I enjoy!!
Becca and I went with a couple soldiers to the M16 range to qualify, even though we didn't actually have to but it was a pretty interesting range. Most shooting ranges are flat, but this one was up the side of a mountain. It was definitely a different experience shooting like that.
This week I did the NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) Confidence course with the LT who's place I'm taking. We again, weren't actually supposed to be part of the training but since it's part of EFMB we went. The confidence course basically entaled three states about three miles apart that we had to march to and from in all our chemical protective equipment. It was nice in the morning to wear the chemical suit since it was cold, but then after being in it all day and having to march over six miles with all the rest of our gear, it got really hot. The final event is going in the gas chamber. I wasn't allowed to go in because the Sergeant who wasn't actually in charge would let me or the other LT, so we were kind of bummed.
I'm also now in charge of the maintenance for our company, so I've been learning how to do all that. It involves a lot of people and analyzing numbers and tracking, but it's kind of fun. It's like a big puzzle of organizing when vehicles and equipment needs to be serviced and whether or not you'll maintain mission capability without the equipment.
Today I did the Bataan Qualifier for Korea with about 15 other people from my company. It was 13.1 miles around Camp Casey with a 35 pound ruck on. It's the first time I think I've ever rucked with that much weight, because it was impressively heavy for me and we rucked a lot in ROTC. But like the real Bataan, it was pretty fun. I walked with my commander and Becca, even though she wasn't supposed to do it, but she walked with us anyways. We pulled up the rear for a while, but eventually people started slowing down and we passed them:) The top five males and the top five females along with the top team of five qualified to go to the real Bataan in March in New Mexico. Our 1SG and one of our female sergeants qualified, so that was pretty cool. I can't say that I'm too bummed I didn't qualify, because 13.1 miles with 35 pounds was 12.1 miles too many for me. But I'm looking forward to doing Bataan without a ruck again when I get back state side.
Other than that, Korea is Korea. We're still trying to figure out when we're going to the field to plan for trips. Lots of people are leaving within the month of March to include all our really good sergeants which is sad, coz now we don't have many people to help us new LTs out, but we'll get there. Our commander is also leaving and we don't have a replacement as of right now, so that will be interesting. We should start getting some more people closer to the summer though.
Last weekend (17-20) we had a four day weekend for President's Day and the Korean Lunar New Year. It was weird to have four days off and honestly it was maybe one day too many. It gets a little boring around here when you have four days off, but can't really leave. We're still under all the safety restrictions so Becca and I had to be on duty last weekend. It was also a pretty low key weekend since the Lunar New Year is kind of like Thanksgiving in the sense that everyone goes home to be with their families, so most shops and Korean places were closed.
But Becca and I did have some entertainment in our weekend. Friday night we were hailed into the Battalion. After the hail we went with several people from our Battalion out for one of the Captain's bachelor party. The following day was his wedding, so Becca and I saw our first Korean style wedding. It was very nice, especially because the bride's family wasn't able to come to Korea so our Battalion commander gave her away. We also went to the club a couple times we like here. In Korea the locals learn who you are very quickly, so it's always a nice part of the weekend to go to a club and talk with the local Korean's
In the past two weeks at work we've been doing a lot of little things to prepare for inspections, change of commands, EFMB (Expert Field Medic Badge) The EFMB is a badge anyone in the medical field (officer or enlisted) or anyone working within a medical unit at the time can try out for. There's a written test pertaining to field sanitation and preventative medicine, three EMT lanes where you have to demonstrate basic live saving techniques while under fire and in chemical environments, load and unload patients into different types of vehicles to include helicopters, do land navigation, and a 12 mile road march with a 35 pound ruck, weapon, and protective gear on. It's a little intense, but it's also the kind of fun I enjoy!!
Becca and I went with a couple soldiers to the M16 range to qualify, even though we didn't actually have to but it was a pretty interesting range. Most shooting ranges are flat, but this one was up the side of a mountain. It was definitely a different experience shooting like that.
This week I did the NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) Confidence course with the LT who's place I'm taking. We again, weren't actually supposed to be part of the training but since it's part of EFMB we went. The confidence course basically entaled three states about three miles apart that we had to march to and from in all our chemical protective equipment. It was nice in the morning to wear the chemical suit since it was cold, but then after being in it all day and having to march over six miles with all the rest of our gear, it got really hot. The final event is going in the gas chamber. I wasn't allowed to go in because the Sergeant who wasn't actually in charge would let me or the other LT, so we were kind of bummed.
I'm also now in charge of the maintenance for our company, so I've been learning how to do all that. It involves a lot of people and analyzing numbers and tracking, but it's kind of fun. It's like a big puzzle of organizing when vehicles and equipment needs to be serviced and whether or not you'll maintain mission capability without the equipment.
Today I did the Bataan Qualifier for Korea with about 15 other people from my company. It was 13.1 miles around Camp Casey with a 35 pound ruck on. It's the first time I think I've ever rucked with that much weight, because it was impressively heavy for me and we rucked a lot in ROTC. But like the real Bataan, it was pretty fun. I walked with my commander and Becca, even though she wasn't supposed to do it, but she walked with us anyways. We pulled up the rear for a while, but eventually people started slowing down and we passed them:) The top five males and the top five females along with the top team of five qualified to go to the real Bataan in March in New Mexico. Our 1SG and one of our female sergeants qualified, so that was pretty cool. I can't say that I'm too bummed I didn't qualify, because 13.1 miles with 35 pounds was 12.1 miles too many for me. But I'm looking forward to doing Bataan without a ruck again when I get back state side.
Other than that, Korea is Korea. We're still trying to figure out when we're going to the field to plan for trips. Lots of people are leaving within the month of March to include all our really good sergeants which is sad, coz now we don't have many people to help us new LTs out, but we'll get there. Our commander is also leaving and we don't have a replacement as of right now, so that will be interesting. We should start getting some more people closer to the summer though.
2 comments:
It may be boring at times to you, but it takes many of us to places and events we would never experience otherwise.
Also, you inspired me to enter the Blogosphere.
Thanks!
Uncle Rich
Caitlin, Haven't responded to your letters lately and offer no excuses. It's nice to that you make entries so often and complete. Not a great deal of news in NC, weather is beginning to warm up, so flowers should bloom soon. I've been teaching a couple of EMT classes and recently accepted a full-time position as a firefighter/paramedic on Bald Head Island. The island is at the mouth of the Cape Fear River (I take a ferry)and is pretty upscale. Steven Speilberg and Bill Cowher have homes there. It is not real busy as far as call volume is concerned, but there is plenty to do ensuring equipment readiness for both EMS and Fire. Needless to say I've had to do some fire training which is fun. We did a live burn (burnt down an unoccupied house) in Jan.which the instructors made too easy in my opinion.
It sound as if you are trying to expeirence and soak up the culture, which will make your stay much more interesting.
Candace is gathering some books for you, don't know if they will be to your liking, but if they are scarce, you'll probably read them anyway.
Spoke with Grandma this a.m. and she is going to start going to rehab on Tues. 3/6. Mostly it is supervised exercise, she hasn't been out much in the last several weeks cuz of cold weather. She sounded like she was having some respiratory diff. but that is to be expected. I think she will feel better when she gets out of the house.
I will try to "blog" more often.
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