August 17, 2007

Well, after today, two more of the things I was dreading are over and done with! This morning, we got up, got our rucksacks, helmets, and other gear together and took it downstairs to the Company Training Area (CTA). After that, it was PT time, followed by showers and then breakfast.

After breakfast, all of Charlie Company loaded up on buses and headed off to the gas chamber. People say that the gas chamber is the worst experience during basic training, and I well believe it. The gas in question is CS gas which is used for riot control like tear gas, but is much stronger. The way it worked was we put on our gas masks and went into the room. Then they released the gas. Then they had usbreak the seal on our masks, then reseal and clear them. That wasn't bad because I held my breath during that part. Well, wasn't TOO bas because iCS is an irritant so any exposed skin (hands, neck) felt like it was on fire. Then was the bad part. We had to take off our masks, put our helmets on, buckle them, then walk out the far end of the room. As bad luck would have it, I was the last of a group of about 20, and so was in the room the longest. It was not at ALL pleasant. Then, when we got done they made us walk back through. I held my breath that time.

After that, we bused back to the barracks and had lunch. After lunch, it was time to clean our rifles, then it was time for inserting IVs into each other. Fun, fun, huh. I lucked out though!My battle buddy for it is a big guy named Griffin. When it was my turn to stick Griffin, neither I nor Drill Sergeant Smithling could find the vein, so he had me sit down instead. Then, as Griffin was getting ready, Drill Sergeant Smithling went ahead and stuck me because time was short and had Griffin finish it. Then he said, "Ok, you guys are done, get out of here." So that was nice. I was more nervous about sticking someone else that I was being stuck.

Can you believe that tomorrow officially starts my third week of basic? One that week is over, I'll be 1/3 of the way done! Most of next week will be Basic Rifle Marksmanship, which I'm really looking forward to! We may have our first field training exercise next week also, but I'm not sure.

PFC Sam Jones