Why does everyone in the Army have a southern accent?

Day three of CLS was today. I am officially classified as a "combat lifesaver" now. I got a 93% on the written test and passed all the demonstrations. Tomorrow we travel out to FOB Liberty (FOB is "forward operating base") for a one day training session with moulaged patients and a training course that has simulated small arms fire and mortars (pyrotechnics). We will be split up into two groups of six companies and basically run through one scenario in the morning.One is a foot patrol scenario and the other is an indirect fire mass casualty situation (like a base getting randomly mortared). We will then rest for lunch, and switch in the afternoon. We will need to treat patients, establish a casualty collection point and an LZ, and set a perimeter. The trick is to coordinate all of the different functions (treating wounded, carrying litters, etc) and still keep people with weapons directed outward. We will be expected to also demonstrate starting an IV in field conditions (in the mud and rain with bangs and booms). Because I am one of three officers out of the 63 personnel I may be pressed into a simulated leadership role in the afternoon. The two other officers (an Air Force Lt Col and a Navy Commander) are the acting commanders for the morning scenarios. The class is a mix of all three services but the Army are the only people who have any training in infantry organization, movement, and tactics. It should be interesting though. It will also be muddy and cold (see here). Yes yes, if it ain't rainin' we ain't trainin', or so they tell me. The photos should be great from that, if it isn't too rainy for the camera. I shot some poor photos today-- extracting casualties from a Humvee... so I won't include them.

The second part of the day included my second M9 class in the last two months. The M9 is this, in case you are wondering. It was a fast and efficient class and the instructor was very clear, although at the end of the every sentence he asked "Are you trackin'?" He must have said it 200 times and it about drove me nuts. The Army folks (and some overenthusiastic Airmen) answered his repetitive query with a "hooah", 200 times. I had this class because I need to qualify on the Army shooting range with both the M16 and the M9 this weekend. I had no problems with either "weapon system" (as they call it in the Army) at Nellis, so it shouldn't be a problem here. I should be able to get some good pics then too.

There was meatloaf and fried fish for dinner tonight, although I did not eat it. At least the breakfasts are decent. I need to get some pics of the chow.

--Jason