Brief Update

Well, I'm in training right now in Texas. Other than the fact that I have not "finaled out" on the medical Soldier Readiness Process (SRP) because I need to have my gall bladder checked out by a GI doc next week, we continue to prepare for our rapidly approaching deployment. We have been here for 7 days with 10 to go. The days themselves are going quickly but the number of days we've been here seems disproportional to the amount of time it feels like I have spent being busy.

My roomie, K, is from the midwest. We must be deployment soul mates because we are getting along great and are very similar. It makes the whole training a lot more fun. The rest of the nurses that are coming to our FOB with us also seem really cool and I think we've got an awesome group.

Texas has been COLD. I was shocked how cold it was when we got here. Of course, now that we finally have all of our cold weather gear, the weather has become more pleasant again. Yesterday we spent the day training. We wore our full "battle rattle". The bullet-proof vest (50 lbs), the helmet, and occasionally an M16. Lots of weight. We did some battle drills, some field medicine, and used a laser weapons simulator where were zero'd the M16. My helmet was not arranged for laying in the prone position in full gear and I couldn't see ANYTHING, I was so frustrated at how long it took me to get a sight picture, my hair was flying around everywhere, it was funny. I was more pissed than amused at the time, but in all my frustration I zero'd in 15 rounds and my 4th set of rounds was a lovely shot group right through the target's head. I have a feeling if I were in a combat situation and put three bullets through the enemies head, no one would reprimand me for not hitting center of mass.

We also did HEAT training. I don't remember the letters, but it's a Humvee rollover simulator. They put 5 people in a Humvee, seat belted in, and then go through a series of rollovers. There's a seatbelt confidence rollover, a land rollover, and a water rollover. It's pretty nerve wracking the first time. Let's just say, WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!! HOLY COW! The doors aren't the easiest in the world to open either and when you roll your head knocks on the ceiling, so you're hanging upside down, trying to open a door, then you snap your seatbelt and in all that gear the only way down is with a huge THUD. We also had a "gunner" who was standing up in the vehicle and when it rolled we had to grab him and hold him in. It's always me, but I managed to get my left hand smashed between the edge of the gunner's hatch and the gunner (a rather burly male). My hand looks like the stay-puft marshmallow man's, but nothing is broken, it's just sore, fat, and scratched. We have 4 more rollovers to do when we get out of country.

Today was a nice day of rest (yes we work through the weekends) as all of our shoulders were sore after carrying 60lbs alllll day yesterday. Next week we have to do it again for a few days in a row. It's pretty crazy equipment and I have a lot of it. I'm getting really excited to get this deployment on the road!!