Day 10,

What a whoop. The early mornings and late nights have finally taken their toll on me. I am beat down and in need of sleep. The picture to the left is my required "battle rattle". My gas mask, Camelbak, Assault pack, Kevlar(complete with fun meter arrow patch, pointed down/none!) and IBA (Individual Body Armor). The IBA comes with ceramic plates which at an additional 20 or so lbs to the vest. The morning starts with the 1 mile walk to class in full Battle rattle. Then you spend all day in a non air conditioned warehouse sitting through classes fighting to stay awake. At some time during the class you pick at your MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) or as some call it the Meals Rarely Edible. Anyway....you make it through the classes and head out to where you gear is staged. If you get to class early enough you can get lucky and find a place to stage your units gear in the shade. If not your battle rattle sits in the 104 degree heat all day. We have a special name for those ceramic armor plates after they sit in the sun. We call them "George Foremans" because when you put them on you feel like you are wedged in a George Forman grill! Major Jason said today that after class he put on his George Foremans and stood in the sun waiting to leave the warehouse area and that he stood there counting how many sweat drops fell off the end of his nose in one minute. 12 was his count. 10 More days to go! Coming up is 9mm qualification, M4 rifle qualification and a few other classes that I already did in May, THANK GOODNESS! I went to the medical clinic tonight, after the training day ended not during, and they said I have the "barracks crud". That is what you get from living with 60 other people in two rooms. I was given some tylenol and robitussin then told to go to sleep. So thats where I leave you all. Good night!