volkov

ok I'm back from my week in the field. not even quite a week .

I usually enjoy these training things, but this one really wore me out. It wasn't quite what we were told it was going to be. But it was allright.

We ended up leaving a day earlier than expected and went to a different base then we thought we would. one where we couldn't drive there ourselves and leave in the evenings to go and get food and such as opposed to what we were originally told. oh well. yay Marine Corps!

We ended up at Ft. Hood basically just providing some training for some other Marines that will be going over there some time in the indeterminite future. They were doing their Stability Operations and MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) packages. We went there to help provide some training and just talk about what we saw and provide bodies for the "opposing force" for when they had to do some urban assault training. this was kinda fun because it meant I didn't have to wear a uniform for the entire time...much less a flak jacket or helmet or anything like that. and I didn't have to shave or cut my hair when I showed up or at all this week. so I spent the week dirty and nasty as usual, but with a 5 day beard, fuzzy head, and in a set of blue coveralls. hahhaahahaha. fun.

the training went well. they really needed it. they really need more.

I'll post pictures later. I've got to get them off the camera and resized and what not.

The MOUT facility at Ft. Hood is pretty damn good. lots of fun buildings. we got to sleep in them which was allright. it meant less ground bugs... and dirt and what not. the bad part is that the buildings are out in the middle of nowhere and have become the home of many many bats. they don't really bother anyone, but they stink pretty bad. and somehow the six legged denizens of the area still managed to make a feast of my lower extremeties.

and the heat! after being in Iraq I figured heat wouldn't be a problem. and I like hot weather. but all the running around and being dehydrated...ugh. the second day I could hardly get up the motivation to walk around and act like an angry townsperson.

the last couple nights were fun with lots of blanks and "bang bang! I shot you! yer dead!" "NOUMNOT! gotyafirst!" type action.
Peter Pan club. aka USMC.
the purpose of the training is dead serious. the execution is sometimes more fun.

I was a bad guy so I got to shoot off a lot of rounds and show these newer kids where they were messing up. and eventually they trapped me and I died in a loud hearty military manner.

I was there with a small group of guys from the larger unit here in Austin (it's not my original unit but that's a story for another time) and we got along well and had a good time.

I'm glad to be back in my apartment. I need to get to this normal job I have lined up...going to have to get used to getting up early in the morning and working hard during the day. I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't have taken the lesser paying hotel night job now that I'm probbaly not going to Europe anydamnway.

anyhow. it's good to be back in my place and eating something other than the few bits I can stomach out of the MRE's.

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my role was to be the village bomb maker. this was my bomb making/car repair and audio installation shop. our motto "we make your car THE BOMB!" ha ha ha...get it? ha ha.......ha................ha?


my clever insurgent disquise. it was basically a set of blue coveralls. the beard got really long and itchy.


the MOUT town as seen from a window out onto the square. the bus was like that when we got there, I swear!


I like to call this one "who cares about dispersion or security? these guys are selling GATORADE!"