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My recent excursion with the National Guard was not the first time I tried to go “On the job” with local soldiers during a one-weekend-a-month training session.
The first time was back in February, when I followed trucks full of soldiers to the Olalla training grounds south of Tenmile. I followed the soldiers around one Saturday and returned to my apartment late that afternoon, having had fun but witnessing little excitement.
Sgt. 1st Class Matt Holmes didn’t think I saw enough of the soldiers at work, and asked if I wanted to tag along on the Guard’s April training in Redmond in central Oregon, where I would stay the whole weekend, sleep under the stars and get a better glimpse of military life. In the past couple of months, in my adventures with the soldiers in Roseburg’s Charlie Company, I’ve learned quite a bit.
For starters, everything in the military has an acronym or nickname that is used in the place of actual names. Slowly, I’ve picked up on the lingo. For instance, I can tell you that the FOB is the forward operating base, the LP/OP is the listening-post/observation-post and BOB is the big orange ball in the sky that keeps us warm.
Along those same lines, I know that soldiers don’t use sleeping bags and don’t eat meals. They sleep in fart sacks and have chow. Also, soldiers like to sleep with their wobis (blankets) at night. And now, I fully understand the meaning of “hurry up and wait.”
I can also tell you who is not happy at meal time, unless cheese is included in the menu, and whom you don’t want to be near during campouts, unless the hum of snoring puts you to sleep. I know that any past incident can be used against you at any moment — including the times when you slept with a white teddy bear at night to keep you from drooling.
I’ve also learned tips for sleeping under the stars in central Oregon — should I do it again. To avoid stings from the little scorpions living in the sandy setting, stay inside your sleeping bag, er, fart sack, and hope the creatures don’t crawl up the side and find your exposed face. It’s also important to keep boots and helmets tucked away in a rucksack to avoid a creepy, crawly surprise in the morning.
I’ve come to realize that even though these soldiers are out spending a “weekend with the boys,” thoughts of spouses, kids and civilian life are never far from any of their minds — whether it’s discussing homework that needs to be completed by Monday, envisioning a rib-eye steak waiting on the barbecue or talking about an upcoming vacation.
And another thing I’ve noticed is the strong camaraderie and lasting friendships that exist among many of the men — in both civilian and soldier life. I’ve heard about it time and time again from soldiers, but now, I’ve seen it firsthand.
It shows in offering water or snacks to someone who is hungry or thirsty, or guarding another soldier’s weapon when the handler needs to set it down. It’s demonstrated in instructing a teammate on how to maneuver a vehicle, or telling him stories of what to expect overseas. It also shows when asking about someone’s family, or trading stories with a battle buddy. No matter the situation, they watch out for one another.
It’s been fun telling their stories, getting a glance at what life is like for a civilian-soldier facing deployment, being allowed in for a sneak peak from time to time — but, in the end, still standing on the outside looking in.
Since my weekend in Redmond, I’ve been asked several times by soldiers and co-workers if I’m ready to enlist in the Guard. While I’ve had nothing but positive encounters will all of the guys in Charlie Company, my response has always been the same: I like the view from here — much to the dismay of a certain recruiter and to the delight of my father.
The first time was back in February, when I followed trucks full of soldiers to the Olalla training grounds south of Tenmile. I followed the soldiers around one Saturday and returned to my apartment late that afternoon, having had fun but witnessing little excitement.
Sgt. 1st Class Matt Holmes didn’t think I saw enough of the soldiers at work, and asked if I wanted to tag along on the Guard’s April training in Redmond in central Oregon, where I would stay the whole weekend, sleep under the stars and get a better glimpse of military life. In the past couple of months, in my adventures with the soldiers in Roseburg’s Charlie Company, I’ve learned quite a bit.
For starters, everything in the military has an acronym or nickname that is used in the place of actual names. Slowly, I’ve picked up on the lingo. For instance, I can tell you that the FOB is the forward operating base, the LP/OP is the listening-post/observation-post and BOB is the big orange ball in the sky that keeps us warm.
Along those same lines, I know that soldiers don’t use sleeping bags and don’t eat meals. They sleep in fart sacks and have chow. Also, soldiers like to sleep with their wobis (blankets) at night. And now, I fully understand the meaning of “hurry up and wait.”
I can also tell you who is not happy at meal time, unless cheese is included in the menu, and whom you don’t want to be near during campouts, unless the hum of snoring puts you to sleep. I know that any past incident can be used against you at any moment — including the times when you slept with a white teddy bear at night to keep you from drooling.
I’ve also learned tips for sleeping under the stars in central Oregon — should I do it again. To avoid stings from the little scorpions living in the sandy setting, stay inside your sleeping bag, er, fart sack, and hope the creatures don’t crawl up the side and find your exposed face. It’s also important to keep boots and helmets tucked away in a rucksack to avoid a creepy, crawly surprise in the morning.
I’ve come to realize that even though these soldiers are out spending a “weekend with the boys,” thoughts of spouses, kids and civilian life are never far from any of their minds — whether it’s discussing homework that needs to be completed by Monday, envisioning a rib-eye steak waiting on the barbecue or talking about an upcoming vacation.
And another thing I’ve noticed is the strong camaraderie and lasting friendships that exist among many of the men — in both civilian and soldier life. I’ve heard about it time and time again from soldiers, but now, I’ve seen it firsthand.
It shows in offering water or snacks to someone who is hungry or thirsty, or guarding another soldier’s weapon when the handler needs to set it down. It’s demonstrated in instructing a teammate on how to maneuver a vehicle, or telling him stories of what to expect overseas. It also shows when asking about someone’s family, or trading stories with a battle buddy. No matter the situation, they watch out for one another.
It’s been fun telling their stories, getting a glance at what life is like for a civilian-soldier facing deployment, being allowed in for a sneak peak from time to time — but, in the end, still standing on the outside looking in.
Since my weekend in Redmond, I’ve been asked several times by soldiers and co-workers if I’m ready to enlist in the Guard. While I’ve had nothing but positive encounters will all of the guys in Charlie Company, my response has always been the same: I like the view from here — much to the dismay of a certain recruiter and to the delight of my father.
