It's great to be back to my base here at Ft. Jackson...I really struggle as I sit here this evening to capture an accurate picture of what happened over the last four days.
(One of our exercises involves learning how to stand completely sideways in the forest... :)
I feel great to be back to my room near the schoolhouse...in a sore, exhausted kind of way! :) On Tuesday we made our way to our base camp for our time of field training. We were placed in tents that slept 20 students on cots and put to work getting the camp ready for morning chow. Breakfast was pretty good: scrambled eggs, cold waffles, grits, and kool-aid. After eating we were taken to a range where we practiced land navigation techniques. I was selected at random to carry the radio and as a result became the leader of our navigation team of 9 soldiers. We did well as a team and found all of our hidden points after a few hours of tracking through the South Carolina wilderness. It was stressed that we were not in a race but we all felt proud to be the first team out of fourteen back to camp.
The Chaplain in the middle is a Colonel who came out to our camp to serve us during chow time.
"Where are we going?"
Our team arriving at our final marker on the course.
(I'm on my knee in the middle of the group.)
Sam Olmos talking to his wife while walking back to base camp. I told Sam to tell his wife I would put this picture up on the blog for her to see...(Sam is the real deal as a Chaplain: kind, loving and committed in his Christian faith...He'll be great with the troops!)
The beautiful forest we trekked through during the navigation course.
On Wednesday we were tested in 10 major categories including evaluating a casualty, measuring distance on a map, identifying topographic and terrain features, mapping coordinates, voice communications on a military radio, chemical weapons training and more...It was a relief to finally finish with a passing mark in each category... "Alpha Romeo 230 this is Bravo Echo 226: There is an enemy tank approaching due east at Nurnberg, I spell November, Uniform, Romeo, November, Bravo, Echo, Romeo, Golf, OVER." That evening we went back to the navigation course for night training...let's just say for the sake of time that getting lost in the woods at night is a real adventure!!!! We did not get back first but I'm thankful we all lived...
The rest of the day we took outdoor classes and watched demonstrations on facilitating an outdoor worship service, identifying I.E.D.'s (Improvised Explosive Devices), and Convoy procedures when under attack. (That was fun to watch as charges were detonated adding reality to the demonstration.)
Chaplain Austin praying over the communion during the outdoor service...
Soldiers in quiet worship following communion...It sure is easy to sense the presence of God out in the forest...
My good friend John Smith and I at the worship service...
Daniel Werho, my friend from Denver Seminary at the worship service...
Lunch was my first opportunity to try the infamous M.R.E. (Meal Ready to Eat) It was a neat experience to open the pack of food and figure out how to use the heating element to warm up the chicken and rice...There are about 10 or so different M.R.E.'s in each box and we get whatever meal is handed to us...(One day I snuck a peek in the box until I found what I was looking for "Chicken with Salsa" Don't Tell!!! If you didn't like what you were given you could always trade with another soldier...It was like a bartering market as we all swapped side dishes and condiments...Funny! The M.R.E.'s included different side items like pound cake, candy, crackers, drink mix etc...)
"Find a place to eat and hurry up! You only have ten minutes to finish!!!"
Our friend: The "water hog." Can't make it too long without water out here...
Army Life: Hurry Up and Wait...
Seung, Matt and I grabbing a quick 15 minute nap in the tent before moving out... (Each day in the field averaged 18-19 hours long...We are still exhausted from the week we just finished...)
Stretching out before loading up to march...
Yesterday was a day I'll never forget and it only made poetic sense that it was the longest day of the year (Summer Solstice: First Day of Summer). I don't want to share too many details of what took place due to security reasons but I've rarely been challenged emotionally and physically like I was during the field exercises involving live fire... Let's just say I ate a lot of sand and prayed more than I have in a while...I felt good completing the courses put before us and had a hard time getting to sleep because of the adrenaline we experienced... Thank you Lord!!! It truly is a miracle that God has healed my back since my surgery some time ago...I feel stronger every day!
"Keep your booty down soldier or you'll kiss the wire!"
Sand and Sweat Are My Friends...
"Run for cover!"
"Are we done yet?"
"Just another day in paradise!"
"Wake up Rico!" (Many of us think Sam Rico will be the future Chief of Chaplains...the guy is a man of God who knows the Word...)
3 comments:
That picture of the group in worship is so very moving! Wow. So glad you are back blogging. :o)
We LOVE you David Nagel and we are counting down the days until you can be home with us! Love, your wife and babies!
Yes you bring back a lot of memories. Prais God that you can do all of these things now. Good to know that you back has beed healed. Just don't understand a person that thinks that the traning you are going through is FUN. Sorry that you did not make the night feild test first home. Some people just can't find thier way in the dark.
God blessing Love you
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