OCT 10^TH

Well we got to go to the wonderful firing range the other day and it was pretty good.  I usually do alright and qualify, not top of my class but if I ever have to shoot someone from 200 meters out they will most likely have no arms and an ear….if they stay in one spot and allow me to get my breathing right and my sights aligned……but then again if I am having to shoot anything there are big problems because I should really be protecting the Chaplain if we get fired at not trying to return fire.

When I was growing my family was very NO GUNS ALLOWED even our squirt guns were bright colors and even then we had strict rules on no shooting people.  So coming from that to the Army was pretty exciting for me.

I remember one of my favorite moments at Basic training……wow……..11 years ago, no it wasn’t laughing at them trying to say my last name and then them yelling at me for laughing or even smiling it was the day we were on the grenade range, (yes they gave a Nalywaiko a live explosive) we were all in this old school cement bunker with body armor, gloves, knee pads, and all kinds of protective gear. There was this gigantic door the drill Sergeant would open up then the next person would run out hit the ground and very quickly go through the motions of bringing grenade to body then grasping the pin with one hand then pull and throw.  They made it very clear if anyone tried to pull a grenade pin with their teeth they would probably end up chipping or knocking them out.  We had been going over these motions for the last three days with dummy grenades oranges whatever they felt like putting in our hands and telling or really yelling at us to grenade throw GO GO GO.  Well I was getting closer to doing the run hit the ground ready thro thing and the Drill Sergeant looked at me and ran over and yelled “NALYWAIKO WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SMILING?” And I responded “because I’m so excited to throw live grenades and blow shit up” then he said “YOU BETTER THROW THAT F*&^ THING FARTHER THEN ANYONE ELSE.” “Yes Drill Sergeant!” So it was my turn I was so excited I nearly hit the door as it was still opening, I ran out hit the ground with the Drill Sergeant yelling at me I grasped that thing pulled the pin and let it fly……off off and away it was beautiful right in the circle they had on the ground, I won’t tell you the explicated deleted’s that came at me next in congratulations, before I ran back to the bunker the Drill Sergeant asked what my MOS (job) was I told him “Chaplain Assistant” he smiled and said “That’s going to be one protected Chaplain.”

People talk about how hard Basic training is and it was very hard most likely one of the hardest things I ever had to do.  I was away from home in an environment that was new and strange to me and they crammed so much training into the day by the end of the day my head felt like it was stuffed and it took me a while to calm down enough to sleep.  Well I am glad those days are over.

We got to the range this time in a charter bus, got to range had everything set up and the first thing I heard over the megaphone from the Training Sergeant was “Push down pull up on your harness and exit to the left and enjoy the rest of your day at Magic Mountain” yup training outside of Basic is way different, I relieved that that might have been the last time I ever fired a military weapon again L

When I get back home I have requested to go into the IRR or Individual Ready Reserves, which means I would not have to drill once a month and I would not have to do two weeks a year or deploy for the rest on my contract period.  I have mixed emotions about it the Army has been a part of our lives for eleven years now, some years more than others but always there.  Now that I am getting closer to hanging up the uniform I am glad I never have to leave my family again and I am proud of the service I gave my country but I am a little sad I won’t have that feeling of being a part of something so huge and complex with others that is hard to explain….well like I said I have done eleven years on and off for the military and I think my time is done.