Hello Guest

Author Topic: Sending a young man off  (Read 12866 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Sammconn

  • Just A Guy in the Sticks
  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 3923
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #200 on: August 04, 2022, 02:45:31 PM »
Well done Nate.
Me and mama at 23.8 on the day.
That was enough…
I just don't want to wind up missing a digit or limb.  I can sometimes get in a hurry to get results.
Sam

Offline Atkinsmatt

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 2829
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #201 on: August 04, 2022, 09:42:05 PM »
Outstanding.
Matt
16 GMC Denali 2500 HD

Offline wyorunner

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1387
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #202 on: August 11, 2022, 03:51:21 AM »
He just participated in and won the "Norwegian Ruck March Award"

The march began at 0400 this morning in Germany. Nate was amongst those in the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division who made it.

The Norwegian military sponsors it and is both present and certifies a soldier's participation.

What's cool about this is that the Norwegians were Vikings, and Nate has a fascination with the Vikings of old.

Congrats son!

The Norwegian ruck march is a Norwegian armed forces skill badge which is earned when participants complete an 18.6 miles (30km) ruck carrying 25 pounds in their rucksacks. Participants receive a foreign military “Marsjmerket” badge upon completion. The general rule is that Men must complete the Norwegian ruck march in 4 hours and 30 minutes
Congrats to him! They are holding this event on MCBH in December. I’m gonna try to get in, very limited spots here.

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #203 on: August 11, 2022, 08:43:06 AM »
He just participated in and won the "Norwegian Ruck March Award"

The march began at 0400 this morning in Germany. Nate was amongst those in the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division who made it.

The Norwegian military sponsors it and is both present and certifies a soldier's participation.

What's cool about this is that the Norwegians were Vikings, and Nate has a fascination with the Vikings of old.

Congrats son!

The Norwegian ruck march is a Norwegian armed forces skill badge which is earned when participants complete an 18.6 miles (30km) ruck carrying 25 pounds in their rucksacks. Participants receive a foreign military “Marsjmerket” badge upon completion. The general rule is that Men must complete the Norwegian ruck march in 4 hours and 30 minutes
Congrats to him! They are holding this event on MCBH in December. I’m gonna try to get in, very limited spots here.
A-"T" sighting!
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline EL TATE

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 3180
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #204 on: August 11, 2022, 10:38:16 AM »
He just participated in and won the "Norwegian Ruck March Award"

The march began at 0400 this morning in Germany. Nate was amongst those in the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division who made it.

The Norwegian military sponsors it and is both present and certifies a soldier's participation.

What's cool about this is that the Norwegians were Vikings, and Nate has a fascination with the Vikings of old.

Congrats son!

The Norwegian ruck march is a Norwegian armed forces skill badge which is earned when participants complete an 18.6 miles (30km) ruck carrying 25 pounds in their rucksacks. Participants receive a foreign military “Marsjmerket” badge upon completion. The general rule is that Men must complete the Norwegian ruck march in 4 hours and 30 minutes
Congrats to him! They are holding this event on MCBH in December. I’m gonna try to get in, very limited spots here.
A-"T" sighting!

His spidey senses went off when someone posted about running, lol
Husband, Father, Gear guy, Patriot.

Offline wyorunner

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1387
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #205 on: August 11, 2022, 02:26:38 PM »
He just participated in and won the "Norwegian Ruck March Award"

The march began at 0400 this morning in Germany. Nate was amongst those in the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division who made it.

The Norwegian military sponsors it and is both present and certifies a soldier's participation.

What's cool about this is that the Norwegians were Vikings, and Nate has a fascination with the Vikings of old.

Congrats son!

The Norwegian ruck march is a Norwegian armed forces skill badge which is earned when participants complete an 18.6 miles (30km) ruck carrying 25 pounds in their rucksacks. Participants receive a foreign military “Marsjmerket” badge upon completion. The general rule is that Men must complete the Norwegian ruck march in 4 hours and 30 minutes
Congrats to him! They are holding this event on MCBH in December. I’m gonna try to get in, very limited spots here.
A-"T" sighting!

His spidey senses went off when someone posted about running, lol
Lol, no I lurk a lot more. Been busy trying to expand a print and embroidery business

But yea I really do love running/rucking/walking events.

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #206 on: August 11, 2022, 07:58:57 PM »
^^^^^ You're a Marine!!!^^^^^^
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Atkinsmatt

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 2829
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #207 on: August 25, 2022, 12:07:40 PM »
A second group got home this week.  Has Nate made it back yet?
Matt
16 GMC Denali 2500 HD

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #208 on: August 25, 2022, 12:10:08 PM »
A second group got home this week.  Has Nate made it back yet?
Saturday
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #209 on: August 25, 2022, 02:06:11 PM »
The Norwegian Foot March is no joke. I've done it twice. First time I missed the qual time by 5 minutes. I did it cold, with no prep. LOL! The second one, I trained a bit!
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #210 on: August 25, 2022, 04:02:41 PM »
The Norwegian Foot March is no joke. I've done it twice. First time I missed the qual time by 5 minutes. I did it cold, with no prep. LOL! The second one, I trained a bit!
I never did it...But then again, I never heard about it

Funny thing about going into Special ops as a pilot. In the interview, they ask you if you are willing to go to jump school, Air assault school and volunteer for the Ranger course. Well, I thought about it and decided if those guys all do that, then why not.
So then I get there. They tell me I need to volunteer for Air Assault, so I did. I left Monday the very next week. I finished as the distinguished honor graduate and #3 on the (then) ten-mile run/ruck march (I ran it)
Next, they sent me to level two SERE. Only two schools, the Seals school in Maine, and the Special Forces one at Camp Mackall. Went there and finished that.

Then I turned in my 4187 for jump school, but they said I'd be months in training in their varied fleet of modified Chinooks. I didn't forget, and the very day they finished training me, I dropped the app for jump school. It was denied. Their answer was something like "We are really short on pilots." So I seasoned it for a year while working out daily with the SF/Seals/ and our Airborne guys. A Seal team 6 guy tried to work a back door slot for me through the Navy because I told him if I got it, I would consider an offer to branch transfer over to their side and give BUDS a try. They have a pretty cool deal with team guys who are actual pilots who fly all sorts of things for them.

The Army was furious with me so I called them out. I dropped two more 4187's. One for RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program and another for the SF qual course, which unknown to the Night Stalkers I had already partially done.

The Colonel pulled me in and asked me if I 1. Had a death wish, or 2. Wanted to be Rambo, or 3. Hated the Army.
It pi$$ed me off because I knew I was as good as any of those guys and I only wanted my chance to prove it. But the NightStalkers can be pretty convincing and before you knew it I was earning my second combat patch and doing some out-of-whack stuff.

Things like that ruck march would have been things I would have loved to do but was not allowed to do. First, we are short of pilots. Later on, we can't afford to lose guys with your experience.

Tough to "Be all you can be" IMHO
« Last Edit: August 25, 2022, 04:06:02 PM by Flyin6 »
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline wyorunner

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1387
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #211 on: August 26, 2022, 01:44:58 AM »
The Norwegian Foot March is no joke. I've done it twice. First time I missed the qual time by 5 minutes. I did it cold, with no prep. LOL! The second one, I trained a bit!
I never did it...But then again, I never heard about it

Funny thing about going into Special ops as a pilot. In the interview, they ask you if you are willing to go to jump school, Air assault school and volunteer for the Ranger course. Well, I thought about it and decided if those guys all do that, then why not.
So then I get there. They tell me I need to volunteer for Air Assault, so I did. I left Monday the very next week. I finished as the distinguished honor graduate and #3 on the (then) ten-mile run/ruck march (I ran it)
Next, they sent me to level two SERE. Only two schools, the Seals school in Maine, and the Special Forces one at Camp Mackall. Went there and finished that.

Then I turned in my 4187 for jump school, but they said I'd be months in training in their varied fleet of modified Chinooks. I didn't forget, and the very day they finished training me, I dropped the app for jump school. It was denied. Their answer was something like "We are really short on pilots." So I seasoned it for a year while working out daily with the SF/Seals/ and our Airborne guys. A Seal team 6 guy tried to work a back door slot for me through the Navy because I told him if I got it, I would consider an offer to branch transfer over to their side and give BUDS a try. They have a pretty cool deal with team guys who are actual pilots who fly all sorts of things for them.

The Army was furious with me so I called them out. I dropped two more 4187's. One for RIP (Ranger Indoctrination Program and another for the SF qual course, which unknown to the Night Stalkers I had already partially done.

The Colonel pulled me in and asked me if I 1. Had a death wish, or 2. Wanted to be Rambo, or 3. Hated the Army.
It pi$$ed me off because I knew I was as good as any of those guys and I only wanted my chance to prove it. But the NightStalkers can be pretty convincing and before you knew it I was earning my second combat patch and doing some out-of-whack stuff.

Things like that ruck march would have been things I would have loved to do but was not allowed to do. First, we are short of pilots. Later on, we can't afford to lose guys with your experience.

Tough to "Be all you can be" IMHO
Hoping boss lady and I can manage to get into Decembers March!!!! We’ll see how the qualifier goes next month.

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #212 on: August 26, 2022, 10:57:30 AM »
I've done the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge, in addition to the Norwegian. The GAFB worried me, as I had three days notice of the event. I thought the PT portion would be difficult (the first event) as that is what really determines what level badge you get. I did well enough to earn silver. The ruck was easy, with a 40lb pack.

So, I figured the Norwegian with only a 25lb pack would be a breeze. That pace is pretty freaking killer! You've pretty much got to average a 12 min mile pace. LOL!

Tried to go to airborne, was told no need for tankers to jump out of planes. Really wanted to go to pathfinder, but by the time I had time, I was past the maximum grade. LOL. Never really had the desire for ranger school. Thought hard about, and got actively recruited for SF. But, I realized I was already too broke down physically for selection.
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline Nate

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5743
  • I like to torment Ken!
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #213 on: August 26, 2022, 12:28:29 PM »
I have only done 2 .....  :popcorn:
If you need the promise of eternity in the kingdom of heaven to be a good person … You were never a good person in the first place!

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #214 on: August 26, 2022, 12:47:22 PM »
I have only done 2 .....  :popcorn:
Nijmegen??
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Nate

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5743
  • I like to torment Ken!
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #215 on: August 26, 2022, 06:18:22 PM »
If you need the promise of eternity in the kingdom of heaven to be a good person … You were never a good person in the first place!

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #216 on: August 26, 2022, 06:36:24 PM »
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Nate

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5743
  • I like to torment Ken!
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #217 on: August 26, 2022, 09:52:42 PM »
I have only done 2 .....  :popcorn:
Nijmegen??

Yes sir
Congrats
Honorable...Tough

That was back in my prime.....lol

German sausage and their liquid bread was my main diet back then.
If you need the promise of eternity in the kingdom of heaven to be a good person … You were never a good person in the first place!

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #218 on: September 19, 2022, 04:45:48 PM »
He got block leave...About to have a young soldier back under my roof. :likebutton:
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Online oklawall

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #219 on: September 20, 2022, 11:30:01 AM »
Sounds like a good time

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk


Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #220 on: September 20, 2022, 11:33:09 AM »
He grew an inch and muscled up. He talks different. He'll answer questions with short concise responses. Me: "Nate you know you have about a year until you'll be on orders for your next assignment, you'll have to apply to Ranger school pretty quick."
Him: "Tracking."

He has transitioned. No longer the high schooler we sent off to Ft. Benning, he is now an infantryman.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Atkinsmatt

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 2829
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #221 on: September 21, 2022, 07:26:56 AM »
Great. I wish more young people would go through some character building.  Enjoy the time together.  As you know they will be all to short.
Matt
16 GMC Denali 2500 HD

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #222 on: September 21, 2022, 09:46:09 AM »
I am singularly not impressed with our more senior Army leadership. I keep hearing things that run counter to how we used to operate. Sure, we always trained hard and sacrificed, but what I am hearing is senior leaders not taking care of our soldiers. Particularly the lower enlisted. I know something about that because it seemed like every day, I had to do something to help some "Kid" out of a jam. Whether it was changing an assignment, helping with a DUI, marital problem, an issue with the law, or something, I could leverage my rank, and because I knew people and get a million little things done without anyone ever knowing.

This isn't about me, I just did what any good soldier would have done, and I bet that great guys like Matt and Nate, and Bobby and others here did a ton more. I am seeing a disturbing trend of not looking after our most valuable asset, our individual soldier. Example: So that deployment my boy and thousands like him just sent on in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was clearly that, a deployment. A deployment with prospects of engaging in combat with Russians. We sent a contingent to NATO to fulfill our treaty obligations.

But now and after the fact, and in the last month of the 6-month deployment for the first batch of warriors, the Army has decided to call it a "Training exercise." BULL SHEET! It was deployed in response to armed intervention by an adversary plain and simple.

The soldier is there regardless of the label one places on it but guess what. If the soldier is deployed, he gets a little extra money to help with the expenses. Money to buy food because we do not do a great job of always feeding our troops. We give them money so that when they are marching through some ville, they can buy a snickers bar because they missed breakfast because they were deployed on some listening post and their ruck was already too heavy with extra ammo. Ya, they took money away from our soldiers, and I think that sucks!. They took away the opportunity for the guys to get some deployment ribbon. They took away opportunities for the kids to go to schools, get promotions, and a ton of other things.

That kid of mine was promised a hefty enlistment bonus, but here we sit nearly a year and a half and a real-world deployment later and the Army has not paid him one red cent of that bonus. He was going to pay off his truck to save on interest payments, but he never got the check. My son does not want me to do anything about it, but my intentions were to find out who the Colonel and sergeant major were who has failed to fix this and hand their names along with a nicely documented letter over to my congressman to allow him to play around with their careers a bit.

Not taking care of our soldiers is simply the worse thing we can do as an Army that is led by a government intent on transitioning gays into men or women or birds or whatever and helping millions get into our welfare and social security system but at the same time allowing our warriors to help pay for it.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Atkinsmatt

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 2829
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #223 on: September 21, 2022, 11:11:39 AM »
I agree. As I am at work on military installations, Ft Bragg right now, I see things that make me, shall we say sad, as I try not to talk that way.  Why is it so vitally important for females to wear ear rings in a combat uniform?  Have their hair down?  All of the mandatory sensitivity classes that detract from training?  Merely to further an agenda as the military is one of 2 places where the government can forcibly impose their will.  The other being prison.

At Ft Stewart there is a big outcry currently about mold in the barracks showing up on social media.  Now they are publicly saying they don't know why leaders aren't checking soldiers rooms.  They fail to say that they have for years told them not to.  Allow the soldiers some privacy.  Things sure have changed.
Matt
16 GMC Denali 2500 HD

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #224 on: September 21, 2022, 11:55:38 AM »
I agree. As I am at work on military installations, Ft Bragg right now, I see things that make me, shall we say sad, as I try not to talk that way.  Why is it so vitally important for females to wear ear rings in a combat uniform?  Have their hair down?  All of the mandatory sensitivity classes that detract from training?  Merely to further an agenda as the military is one of 2 places where the government can forcibly impose their will.  The other being prison.

At Ft Stewart there is a big outcry currently about mold in the barracks showing up on social media.  Now they are publicly saying they don't know why leaders aren't checking soldiers rooms.  They fail to say that they have for years told them not to.  Allow the soldiers some privacy.  Things sure have changed.
When I toured the 1st brigade barracks, into some rooms, I was surprised at how dirty and messy things were. Dirt in the hallways and a general mess. That simply NEVER happened in my day. We used to have NCO's that took care of that stuff. I mean why not, they have a bunch of workers at their beck and call. See a mess, and just get it cleaned up or organize an all-nighter cleaning party. Next time you inspect, things were miraculously in order...amazing!

But it's worse than you think. A soldier deployed over there said that most of the machine guns that were issued from the European stockpile didn't work. He finally got his working after parts replacement and a lot of range time and cleaning. The Abrams were a patchwork of parts with lots of stuff like side plates gone. The Bradleys were breaking down constantly, and the emphasis seemed to be on those soldiers caught DUI on SCOOTERS!

Have we seriously that farked up that a commanding general restricts our troops to the compound because of a half dozen moped incidents? I think we are broken as a military. I think our good up-and-coming critical thinking and combat-focused leaders were washed out during the Obama administration and we now have a slew of yes-men just trying to get by.
I could be wrong, and I hope I am.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline wyorunner

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1387
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #225 on: September 21, 2022, 03:04:45 PM »
It’s worse than you probably realize or think. There are some very solid leaders still, but the majority of them just walk the line so as not to get fired. CSMs, 1SGs, and company commanders have become close to expendable at the whim of an upset soldier who files some bs report. It’s a sad state of affairs, but it appears to me it was and is all by design.

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #226 on: September 21, 2022, 05:07:16 PM »
It’s worse than you probably realize or think. There are some very solid leaders still, but the majority of them just walk the line so as not to get fired. CSMs, 1SGs, and company commanders have become close to expendable at the whim of an upset soldier who files some bs report. It’s a sad state of affairs, but it appears to me it was and is all by design.
I would tend to agree, that it's all by design

We are being weakened in all ways. Masculinity becomes something toxic. We introduce sensitivities into the warrior ethos. We dilute and sanitize everything. I can only hope our enemies are in a similar state or someone, someday is going to hand us our a$$.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Nate

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5743
  • I like to torment Ken!
    • View Profile
Sending a young man off
« Reply #227 on: September 22, 2022, 03:16:21 PM »
I am going to preface this post with 2 things.

1. Make sure you understand that no disrespect or shade is being sent in Nate's direction

2. Some folks need to "go take a knee and drink water"


I am singularly not impressed with our more senior Army leadership. I keep hearing things that run counter to how we used to operate. Sure, we always trained hard and sacrificed, but what I am hearing is senior leaders not taking care of our soldiers. Particularly the lower enlisted. I know something about that because it seemed like every day, I had to do something to help some "Kid" out of a jam. Whether it was changing an assignment, helping with a DUI, marital problem, an issue with the law, or something, I could leverage my rank, and because I knew people and get a million little things done without anyone ever knowing.

As evidenced by …? what acts or actions have YOU physically witnessed to say that the military leadership is not taking care of soldiers? Or is this based off third- or fourth-hand opinionated gossip?

This isn't about me, I just did what any good soldier would have done, and I bet that great guys like Matt and Nate, and Bobby and others here did a ton more. I am seeing a disturbing trend of not looking after our most valuable asset, our individual soldier. Example: So that deployment my boy and thousands like him just sent on in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was clearly that, a deployment. A deployment with prospects of engaging in combat with Russians. We sent a contingent to NATO to fulfill our treaty obligations.
But now and after the fact, and in the last month of the 6-month deployment for the first batch of warriors, the Army has decided to call it a "Training exercise." BULL SHEET! It was deployed in response to armed intervention by an adversary plain and simple.

That was not a combat deployment! It was a training exercise, just like what re-forger was back in your day.

The soldier is there regardless of the label one places on it but guess what. If the soldier is deployed, he gets a little extra money to help with the expenses. Money to buy food because we do not do a great job of always feeding our troops. We give them money so that when they are marching through some village, they can buy a snickers bar because they missed breakfast because they were deployed on some listening post and their ruck was already too heavy with extra ammo. Yeah, they took money away from our soldiers, and I think that sucks! They took away the opportunity for the guys to get some deployment ribbon. They took away opportunities for the kids to go to schools, get promotions, and a ton of other things.

What money did they take from soldiers? If married soldier’s had their BAS (basic allowance for subsistence) taken from them and want to complain about it, then they should read AR 37-104-4 chapter 11 and AR 600-38 chapter 4. How did they take away the opportunity of a deployment ribbon, when there is no such thing as a deployment ribbon! There is such a thing as a campaign ribbon, but again they were never deployed, and they never had combat orders. What opportunities were taken away from them regarding furthering education? They had access to correspondence courses, they had access to the education center, and they sure as heck had access to computers which would enable them to take online classes. What opportunities were taken away from a soldier getting promoted?

That kid of mine was promised a hefty enlistment bonus, but here we sit nearly a year and a half and a real-world deployment later and the Army has not paid him one red cent of that bonus. He was going to pay off his truck to save on interest payments, but he never got the check.

Has Nate gone directly to finance (which he has that right) and spoke with them directly as to why he has not gotten his bonus yet? Has Nate spoken directly with anybody in his chain of command with the rank of E-7 to E-9 or O-3 to O-5 about this, or has it been his team/squad leader? Have you read his enlistment contract?

My son does not want me to do anything about it, but my intentions were to find out who the Colonel and sergeant major were who has failed to fix this and hand their names along with a nicely documented letter over to my congressman to allow him to play around with their careers a bit.

I would tell you to stay out of it unless he SPECIFICALLY asked you to do something about it. If you get involved based off of your assumption of what he is venting about, you will negatively mark your son for the rest of his career in the military and he will stop telling you things for fear of how your actions are going to effect him down the line! I specifically gave you the name and phone number to a senior NCO in that unit and has said he will look out for Nate. Nate should know exactly who I am speaking about!

Not taking care of our soldiers is simply the worse thing we can do as an Army that is led by a government intent on transitioning gays into men or women or birds or whatever and helping millions get into our welfare and social security system but at the same time allowing our warriors to help pay for it.

I see things that make me, shall we say sad, as I try not to talk that way.  Why is it so vitally important for females to wear earrings in a combat uniform?  Have their hair down?  All the mandatory sensitivity classes that detract from training?

Oh lookie here…. Two perfect examples of the bigotry that has started to become common place here! This is the straw that broke the camels back for me!!!! What does somebody’s sexual orientation have to do with anything?! NOT A DAMN THING!!! Can they do the job that they said they would do?! Does somebody’s sexual orientation stop them from standing in front of a bullet?! Do the bigot’s on this site really believe that this is the 1950’s and that they will get infected with the gayness virus by touching, seeing, being near a gay person?! If you are bothered by somebody’s personal choice while they are still accomplishing their mission and feel the need to force your will or opinions onto them in some way, shape, fashion, or form, because it doesn’t fit YOUR opinion … then you are the virus that is still infecting this country!

The same thing goes with how a soldier presents themselves. Just because somebody has a haircut that you don’t like … does it make it wrong?! Because somebody has fingernails that are longer or colored in a way that you don’t agree with … does it make it wrong?! Shall I keep going?! Just like I stated in the last paragraph. If you are bothered by somebody’s personal choice while still accomplishing their mission and feel the need to force your will or opinions onto them in some way, shape, fashion, or form, because it doesn’t fit YOUR opinion … then you are the virus that is still infecting this country!


At Ft Stewart there is a big outcry currently about mold in the barracks showing up on social media.  Now they are publicly saying they don't know why leaders aren't checking soldiers’ rooms.  They fail to say that they have for years told them not to.  Allow the soldiers some privacy.  Things sure have changed.

When I toured the 1st brigade barracks, into some rooms, I was surprised at how dirty and messy things were. Dirt in the hallways and a general mess. That simply NEVER happened in my day. We used to have NCO's that took care of that stuff. I mean why not; they have a bunch of workers at their beck and call. See a mess, and just get it cleaned up or organize an all-nighter cleaning party. Next time you inspect, things were miraculously in order...amazing!

Please tell me how doing room inspections as anything to do with the quality of the lowest bidder’s construction of the building causing structural and hazardous conditions?! Stop abusing the bullcrap phrase leaders checking soldiers’ rooms! You want to get rid of mold and flooding and ac/heat problems and let’s not forget about the plumbing problems with the barracks at bragg … stop paying the lowest bidder millions of dollars and accepting the steaming piles of doo doo that they give to us. Its toxic phrases like this that cause people to leave the military!

Why does somebody who lives in the barracks have to have their privacy rights violated with inspections, but people who live else where have their privacy rights respected? In reality, those “leaders” that are checking soldiers’ rooms are the ones who live in self-induced cesspools and have absolutely no business telling somebody else they are filthy!


If you need the promise of eternity in the kingdom of heaven to be a good person … You were never a good person in the first place!

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #228 on: September 22, 2022, 05:29:15 PM »
I am going to preface this post with 2 things.

1. Make sure you understand that no disrespect or shade is being sent in Nate's direction

2. Some folks need to "go take a knee and drink water"


I am singularly not impressed with our more senior Army leadership. I keep hearing things that run counter to how we used to operate. Sure, we always trained hard and sacrificed, but what I am hearing is senior leaders not taking care of our soldiers. Particularly the lower enlisted. I know something about that because it seemed like every day, I had to do something to help some "Kid" out of a jam. Whether it was changing an assignment, helping with a DUI, marital problem, an issue with the law, or something, I could leverage my rank, and because I knew people and get a million little things done without anyone ever knowing.

As evidenced by …? what acts or actions have YOU physically witnessed to say that the military leadership is not taking care of soldiers? Or is this based off third- or fourth-hand opinionated gossip?
I listened to a couple of soldiers tell their stories following basic. Some of the accounts crossed the line. Additionally, I witnessed how Nate was treated upon arriving at Stewart. More like tossed into a sick bay for a couple weeks with very little contact. Next, the Defac was closed to the 1st brigade, 3ID and the soldiers forced to ride a bus to an off post location to eat. 40 min between buses does not allow time enough to eat. I got that from, like, everyone. Lower enlisted are just ordering delivery

This isn't about me, I just did what any good soldier would have done, and I bet that great guys like Matt and Nate, and Bobby and others here did a ton more. I am seeing a disturbing trend of not looking after our most valuable asset, our individual soldier. Example: So that deployment my boy and thousands like him just sent on in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was clearly that, a deployment. A deployment with prospects of engaging in combat with Russians. We sent a contingent to NATO to fulfill our treaty obligations.
But now and after the fact, and in the last month of the 6-month deployment for the first batch of warriors, the Army has decided to call it a "Training exercise." BULL SHEET! It was deployed in response to armed intervention by an adversary plain and simple.

That was not a combat deployment! It was a training exercise, just like what re-forger was back in your day.

The deployment of thousands of soldiers from the US was a deployment. It was on presidential order and a direct response to the Russian invasion. Our soldiers trained while over there, and that makes sense. 1st Brigade was online to deploy to Korea up until a couple of weeks before they left to Germany. Those soldiers were rerouted as a contingency to stave off an expanding war in Europe. It was only changed to a "training exercise" well after the deployment and within a month of redeployment to CONUS

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/01/27/troops-these-bases-are-alert-deployment-over-ukraine-crisis.html


The soldier is there regardless of the label one places on it but guess what. If the soldier is deployed, he gets a little extra money to help with the expenses. Money to buy food because we do not do a great job of always feeding our troops. We give them money so that when they are marching through some village, they can buy a snickers bar because they missed breakfast because they were deployed on some listening post and their ruck was already too heavy with extra ammo. Yeah, they took money away from our soldiers, and I think that sucks! They took away the opportunity for the guys to get some deployment ribbon. They took away opportunities for the kids to go to schools, get promotions, and a ton of other things.

What money did they take from soldiers? If married soldier’s had their BAS (basic allowance for subsistence) taken from them and want to complain about it, then they should read AR 37-104-4 chapter 11 and AR 600-38 chapter

All the soldiers were paid BAS for the deployment until the last month when the thing changed into a training exercise. At that point, BAS was removed

4. How did they take away the opportunity of a deployment ribbon, when there is no such thing as a deployment ribbon!

Well, that can be debated. I was awarded several UN ribbons (Which I do not wear) while sent as a part of a US response to some situation that did not develop into a war. Now whether the deployment of loads of NATO soldiers was going to be given a name and thus possibly a ribbon is debatable. The US position of bowing out and calling it a training exercise is not giving credit where credit is due.

There is such a thing as a campaign ribbon, but again they were never deployed, and they never had combat orders. What opportunities were taken away from them regarding furthering education?
 
Very obviously the folks who went over were kept busy and well away from their garrison where they may have been able to go to any number of training events outside their unit activities. Those opportunities simply were not there. These kids stayed in the field nearly all of the time over there. No schools down pine tree alley. I see first hand other soldiers in the mommas circle of moms who sat back and did whatever they wanted and had opportunity, those who were not deployed. That's what I am refereing to.


They had access to correspondence courses, they had access to the education center, and they sure as heck had access to computers which would enable them to take online classes.

Disagree completely. These soldiers were worked practicially all of the time. Nate spent a couple months humping in the bush or shooting on a range or training with Belgian, Norwegian, Italian and other armies. He didn't have enough time to get a good night's sleep. No, certainly these soldiers got zero opportunity to do anything like that.


What opportunities were taken away from a soldier getting promoted?


See the above. Corespondence courses add promotion points. Around the post courses affort promotion points, our guys got zero of those. Soldier to soldier a private in a non deployed unit had six months more opportunity to do those things than the kids who deployed did.


That kid of mine was promised a hefty enlistment bonus, but here we sit nearly a year and a half and a real-world deployment later and the Army has not paid him one red cent of that bonus. He was going to pay off his truck to save on interest payments, but he never got the check.

Has Nate gone directly to finance (which he has that right) and spoke with them directly as to why he has not gotten his bonus yet? Has Nate spoken directly with anybody in his chain of command with the rank of E-7 to E-9 or O-3 to O-5 about this, or has it been his team/squad leader? Have you read his enlistment contract?

He has been to his PAC a couple of times and finally to the division finance. They are telling him som bull crap story pointing out that he fell into a time peroid where the Army switched systems. They think he was not coded, and now, wonderously, no one can find his enlistment paperwork. Not the recruitment station, nor its higher command, not Benning, no one. He should have been paid more than half a year ago. He has gone for help so much that he is concerned he will be labeled a winer over this.


My son does not want me to do anything about it, but my intentions were to find out who the Colonel and sergeant major were who has failed to fix this and hand their names along with a nicely documented letter over to my congressman to allow him to play around with their careers a bit.

I would tell you to stay out of it unless he SPECIFICALLY asked you to do something about it. If you get involved based off of your assumption of what he is venting about, you will negatively mark your son for the rest of his career in the military and he will stop telling you things for fear of how your actions are going to effect him down the line! I specifically gave you the name and phone number to a senior NCO in that unit and has said he will look out for Nate. Nate should know exactly who I am speaking about!

No, I'm not getting involved at all. Because if I did, I'd hammer the senior command along with all the names I know of the COC that touched this. I'd go straight to my congressman and speak to him personally. He is 7 miles away and I know him. But I did a fair number of years and I know how it was. It is probably worse that I remember and yea, I will not do something to "Mark" him. He has this and has made it clear he wants no help. But at the end of the day, he is my son, he is an American soldier and those are two things I dearly love.


So, no more needs to be said. I vented, you vented, it's one to one and the matter is closed.

Not taking care of our soldiers is simply the worse thing we can do as an Army that is led by a government intent on transitioning gays into men or women or birds or whatever and helping millions get into our welfare and social security system but at the same time allowing our warriors to help pay for it.

I see things that make me, shall we say sad, as I try not to talk that way.  Why is it so vitally important for females to wear earrings in a combat uniform?  Have their hair down?  All the mandatory sensitivity classes that detract from training?

Oh lookie here…. Two perfect examples of the bigotry that has started to become common place here! This is the straw that broke the camels back for me!!!! What does somebody’s sexual orientation have to do with anything?! NOT A DAMN THING!!! Can they do the job that they said they would do?! Does somebody’s sexual orientation stop them from standing in front of a bullet?! Do the bigot’s on this site really believe that this is the 1950’s and that they will get infected with the gayness virus by touching, seeing, being near a gay person?! If you are bothered by somebody’s personal choice while they are still accomplishing their mission and feel the need to force your will or opinions onto them in some way, shape, fashion, or form, because it doesn’t fit YOUR opinion … then you are the virus that is still infecting this country!

The same thing goes with how a soldier presents themselves. Just because somebody has a haircut that you don’t like … does it make it wrong?! Because somebody has fingernails that are longer or colored in a way that you don’t agree with … does it make it wrong?! Shall I keep going?! Just like I stated in the last paragraph. If you are bothered by somebody’s personal choice while still accomplishing their mission and feel the need to force your will or opinions onto them in some way, shape, fashion, or form, because it doesn’t fit YOUR opinion … then you are the virus that is still infecting this country!


At Ft Stewart there is a big outcry currently about mold in the barracks showing up on social media.  Now they are publicly saying they don't know why leaders aren't checking soldiers’ rooms.  They fail to say that they have for years told them not to.  Allow the soldiers some privacy.  Things sure have changed.

When I toured the 1st brigade barracks, into some rooms, I was surprised at how dirty and messy things were. Dirt in the hallways and a general mess. That simply NEVER happened in my day. We used to have NCO's that took care of that stuff. I mean why not; they have a bunch of workers at their beck and call. See a mess, and just get it cleaned up or organize an all-nighter cleaning party. Next time you inspect, things were miraculously in order...amazing!

Please tell me how doing room inspections as anything to do with the quality of the lowest bidder’s construction of the building causing structural and hazardous conditions?! Stop abusing the bullcrap phrase leaders checking soldiers’ rooms! You want to get rid of mold and flooding and ac/heat problems and let’s not forget about the plumbing problems with the barracks at bragg … stop paying the lowest bidder millions of dollars and accepting the steaming piles of doo doo that they give to us. Its toxic phrases like this that cause people to leave the military!

Why does somebody who lives in the barracks have to have their privacy rights violated with inspections, but people who live else where have their privacy rights respected? In reality, those “leaders” that are checking soldiers’ rooms are the ones who live in self-induced cesspools and have absolutely no business telling somebody else they are filthy!



Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #229 on: October 04, 2022, 07:51:11 PM »
His last day home.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline TexasRedNeck

  • punching bag for moderator humor
  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11318
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #230 on: October 05, 2022, 07:13:49 AM »
And now you know how the wife felt everytime you left?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Kids today don't know how easy they have it. When I was young, I had to walk 9 feet through shag carpet to change the TV channel.

Joshua 6:20-24

Online oklawall

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #231 on: October 05, 2022, 08:33:13 AM »
And now you know how the wife felt everytime you left?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have said many times "Much easier to be the one going in place of staying home"

Good picture boss

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk


Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #232 on: October 05, 2022, 11:05:00 AM »
Thanks, Gents. Tex: Yes, and I never fully appreciated what that is like.

OK, Ya, and man is that ever true.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #233 on: January 09, 2023, 06:03:57 PM »
The infantryman is now prepping to try out for his EIB (Expert Infantry Badge). That happens in Feb, I think. Still looking at the Ranger school, but really wants to land in Special Forces some day.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Online oklawall

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #234 on: January 10, 2023, 06:36:40 AM »
Best of luck to the young man

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

« Last Edit: January 10, 2023, 08:29:22 AM by Flyin6 »

Offline Atkinsmatt

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 2829
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #235 on: January 10, 2023, 08:35:30 AM »
Outstanding.
Matt
16 GMC Denali 2500 HD

Offline Nate

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5743
  • I like to torment Ken!
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #236 on: January 10, 2023, 10:06:16 AM »
call for fire and the medical lane are the biggest failure points, hopefully he listened to his fisters and medics.
If you need the promise of eternity in the kingdom of heaven to be a good person … You were never a good person in the first place!

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #237 on: January 10, 2023, 06:17:46 PM »
call for fire and the medical lane are the biggest failure points, hopefully he listened to his fisters and medics.
We'll soon see

He was one of just a few to get that Norwegian award.
I later learned he also earned the Belgian PT excellence award, having to do back to back 40km ruck march/runs. 40KM in 5 hours or less, then repeat the very next day.
And
He won silver in the Dutch award
and
He was the only soldier in his brigade to get recommended to take the German PT test. That was called off because of mission requirements since they were there as part of a US contingent to NATO in case the Ukraine thing took an ugly turn.

And here is where I'll editorialize some. The kid took silver in three very prestigious soldier challenges. He was the ONLY soldier in the 1st Brigade to achieve that. You'd think there would be at least an Army Achievement Award if not an ARCOM for doing that, but nothing.

I said it before and I'm going to continue saying it, this is not any Army I knew. They fall all over themselves with inclusion training/brainwashing and a real soldier shows up and sees nothing.

And after many trips to his chain of command and coming up on his two-year point (in May) he still has not gotten his enlistment bonus!

It's a credit to him that he is trying so hard to prep for the EIB. Me, I hope he interviews for either Ranger or SF and gets the heck out of this regular Army as soon as he can.
« Last Edit: January 10, 2023, 06:19:50 PM by Flyin6 »
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #238 on: February 03, 2023, 11:36:15 AM »
Well, all week long the young grunt has been going through the EIB (Expert Infantry Badge) tryouts/competition. He has done a myriad of test and tasks that weed out all but the best. As of zero dark early this morning, this young soldier won the coveted badge.
The last task was a 12 (or 13??) mile ruck march which has to be completed within 3 hours. I believe the start time was at 0100. I got a call very early this morning saying, "Dad, I did it."

Out of all the soldiers who started, only around 20% made it to the end.

It paid off big dividends for him, and it looks like he is going to get a shot at his dream.

Because of winning this badge as a PFC, they are going to send him off to the Ranger prep course. I used to call it RIP (Ranger Indoctrination program) but now it is called RASS or something like that.
(Sean, perhaps you can correct me here and let us all know what Rass stands for)

Basically, it is a couple of weeks of torture designed to weed out all but the toughest. Those who make it go on to the Ranger training course which last months and results in the successful candidate being awarded the coveted Ranger tab.

That's what the kid wants, and then an opportunity to actually join the Ranger regiment.

Thank God there are men with the stuff to make it to such lofty places. The enemies of America really fear Rangers, Recon Marines, and Seals, and the Green Berets. To go to war with us means you get to meet these men...
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Nate

  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 5743
  • I like to torment Ken!
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #239 on: February 03, 2023, 01:09:59 PM »
A request don ...

Make sure nate understands the true difference and meaning between the tab and the scroll!

Just because somebody went through the "leadership" course, it does not make them a ranger ... it only makes them qualified.
If you need the promise of eternity in the kingdom of heaven to be a good person … You were never a good person in the first place!

Offline JR

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 13591
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #240 on: February 04, 2023, 03:21:36 AM »
Outstanding Don. Hope it all pans out, sounds like a solid kid.
Retired LEO  Lifetime NRA+  Outcast in Calif

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants"

Thomas Jefferson

Offline Atkinsmatt

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 2829
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #241 on: February 04, 2023, 07:39:40 AM »
Great news. Proud of him.
Matt
16 GMC Denali 2500 HD

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #242 on: February 04, 2023, 11:01:01 AM »
A request don ...

Make sure nate understands the true difference and meaning between the tab and the scroll!

Just because somebody went through the "leadership" course, it does not make them a ranger ... it only makes them qualified.
He understands very well.
My guess is we may well be looking at 100% real deal soldier here.
He is so focused and has changed so much
He works out every day in the gym when he is not in the field
He challenges every "Volunteer" opportunity they put before him.
He was recognized, as he was invited to become the Bde Cdr's driver...but for reasons only he can explain, he declined, opting instead to remain in the infantry company. He is focused with his eyes always on that tab.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #243 on: February 06, 2023, 12:34:42 PM »
I believe the course is the Ranger Training Assessment Course (RTAC). One of those courses the ARNG developed to prep our guys for Ranger School, which did so well it was incorporated into the Active force. It's taught by the ARNG Warrior Training Center here at FBGA, along with Air Assault, Pathfinder, and the pre-master gunner courses for Abrams/Bradley.

Good for him! He's definitely got his eye on the prize, and knows what he wants. It's just a shame he had to decide to be a crunchy.  :wink:
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #244 on: February 06, 2023, 03:50:15 PM »
Indeed, eye on the prize.

He has wanted to be an Army Ranger since he was 3!
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #245 on: February 11, 2023, 10:46:21 PM »
It came up fast, but the kiddo starts the Ranger Assessment Course, a 4-day test on Tuesday.
He will be evaluated by taking a standard PT test, a swim test, a 5-mile run, a 12-mile ruck march with a 75 lb. ruck, night patrolling, and day/night land navigation along with some weapons evaluations.
He is concerned because he lost 12 pounds during the EIB test and has only regained some of that weight. He is working out constantly but reports his knees are not in the best condition. He was eating and drinking a protein shake the whole time we were talking.
If he completes the evaluation, he will be given a Ranger course date for this summer.
Best to ya son, go get 'em!
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

Offline Mrwoody

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 113
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #246 on: February 12, 2023, 09:45:33 PM »
great news   further proof hard work pays off

Offline cj7ox

  • Registered
  • **
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #247 on: February 13, 2023, 12:23:29 PM »
It came up fast, but the kiddo starts the Ranger Assessment Course, a 4-day test on Tuesday.
He will be evaluated by taking a standard PT test, a swim test, a 5-mile run, a 12-mile ruck march with a 75 lb. ruck, night patrolling, and day/night land navigation along with some weapons evaluations.
He is concerned because he lost 12 pounds during the EIB test and has only regained some of that weight. He is working out constantly but reports his knees are not in the best condition. He was eating and drinking a protein shake the whole time we were talking.
If he completes the evaluation, he will be given a Ranger course date for this summer.
Best to ya son, go get 'em!

Outstanding!
~Sean M. Davis

“The citizens of a free state ought to consist of those only who bear arms.” ~Aristotle

Μολων Λαβε

Online oklawall

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 1270
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #248 on: February 14, 2023, 08:26:03 PM »
Outstanding, Thank you for raising a son that thinks more of others/country than himself

Offline Flyin6

  • Head cook and bottle washer
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 34155
    • View Profile
Re: Sending a young man off
« Reply #249 on: February 14, 2023, 11:12:59 PM »
Well, he texted me this early evening.

He failed to meet the Ranger's PT test requirements.

He said they require 49 perfect pushups

With them counting he did 45

Their pushups are not like our pushups, suffice it to say.

That boy of mine is a rock. He has almost no body fat. He maxes standard Army PT tests, and he just won awards taking three other nations' military PT tests.

But for the Rangers, that is not enough

He says he will do this again the next time it is offered.
Site owner    Isaiah 6:8, Psalm 91 
NSDQ      Author of the books: Distant Thunder and Thoren

 

SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal