For all of my readers who think that I’m a battle hardened war hero who has seen many battles on his 4 trips to Iraq. Let me take a moment to change your minds. While I have dealt with my share of blood and death and horror, the three trips prior to this, my weapon as never went off in the war zone. I’ve drawn a time or 3 but not a single round has ever left the chamber and for the most part, I’m totally happy with that.
I’ve never had to take a life, in fact I’ve probably saved the lives of people who would have happily have shot me in the head and cheered about it afterwards. It didn’t matter to me, I was there to make sure that they made it to the next level of care after whether they wanted to or not.
I’m a corpsman with the Marine Air Wing, my first time out here I spent a lot of time flying around in a tin can with propellers on top of it picking up injured folks and the next 2 times, I was just been a squadron corpsman taking care of the Marines in my unit unless there was a mass casualty (there were a few).
That all changed last week when I went out on a familiarization fire at the range. I missed going to the range in December because I was out doing other training and the powers that be offered it out here to the junior Marines who stand duty. While getting a chance to fire the gun and actually make sure it worked was great, I don’t think I could have picked a worse day.
As soon as we started driving, raining began to pour out of the sky and our bus driver drove us to the wrong range. We asked the friendly army guys there were we should go (a Marine officer did) and we arrived a the right range about 2 minutes away from were we started half an hour late.
We went though a couple of relays in the rain then it started sleeting and that sleet turned into snow. Snow flakes started falling and I was with a bunch of junior Marines who had never handled a 9mm before. It’s bad juju when the corpsman starts coaching folks on pistol technique.
While it wasn’t the prettiest evolution that I’ve been involved with but over all other then being at the edge of frost bite, we all had a good time. I couldn’t really blame the guy who put it together. When the gods of chance want to toss a few gremlins in the works, you just have to take what you have and make the best of it. I’m glad I went.
Other news, I got my Canon S3, yay!!
PS thank you Sherri for the Cheddar Jalapeno Cheetos, my wife for the Valentines Day Hedgehog, Carla for the great pictures of home, Linda from Helmet Liners for the huge box of hand made head warmers and all of the other Solders Angels who have sent me packages and letters. I truly have one of the best support networks in existence.
I've posted some pictures here too.
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