Another great Army Day….

So yesterday we went to the range to qualify before deployment. We meet at 0700 to draw weapons from the arms room then to convoy (cars following each other from point A to point B).  So first off we have (3) 15 passenger vans which would fit the number of personnel we have, but NO we have to be individuals and take a whole bunch of GOV’s out to the range because we can’t operate like an Army Unit. Then our infamous leader who should have known where the range was made a 10 minute trip into a 45 minute trip! Really maybe High Speed should have done a Map Reconnaissance or a Leaders Reconnaissance? Instead we get a tour of every range on Fort Campbell and pass the same unit 6 times and had to turn around about 10 times!  4 of us are in the van and all we can do is laugh and shake our heads.  We watch as Blinks stops and asked the same unit 2 times where the range we need to go is. Maybe they don’t know because they didn’t get us there the first time you asked them. Then we stop at 2 ranges disembark the vehicles only to get back in and go to another range…Are we there yet? Seriously Not Impressed.

You know what else I am not impressed with: All the super troopers who decided they were to cool for school and wore their Army Combat Shirts (ACS). I know you all want to feel like you are real soldiers again but last time I checked the ACS’s were meant to worn as a replacement for the Army Combat Uniform Jacket and the Moisture-wicking T-Shirts… In combat! Not in the middle of November in Fort Campbell, KY.  So although you may never have the chance to wear your high speed shirt in “Kuwait” there is no need for you to pretend you are all high speed now! Not impressed. Did I mention it was cold…. Real cold outside!

Finally we get to the range and the IRT personnel show up. We load magazines and prepare to shoot. Our range is supposed to go “Hot” at 0900.  The IRT guy calls Range Control and gets put on hold for 1.5 hours.  Range control is the only people who can allow us to start firing…. Houston we have a problem! Which wouldn’t be our first of the day!  So we finally start shooting at about 1030! 

If you have ever been to a military range before you know there are lots of safety concerns and rules which need to be followed… Such as…

Weapons pointed down range at all times. Stay within the range limits. Take all commands from the tower or the safetys. Don’t shoot the wildlife. Stay on line and never step in front of a firer and so many other rules. So safetys are supposed to say behind the firers at all times to make sure there are no safety issues.  Infamous leader thinks that it is safe to call commands in front of 11 firers whom all have loaded weapons… Get your stupid butt behind the firing line and call your commands. Really how long have you been in the Army! That would be my advice considering you have already wasted our time this morning with your piss poor navigational skills.

So we finally get everyone qualified. I hate qualifying with all that darn gear on! I felt like I was in a fat man suit trying to fire with frozen fingers! Long cold day! Lunch included beef jerky, spicy chips and apples with peanut butter.  But at least I was in good company!