Well, as many know, I have been gone for a while doing something training for the Army.
Last November I enlisted in the Indiana Army National Guard as a 15Q (Air Traffic Control). Since then I have completed Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, and then Airborne School. Below is a brief overview of my experience.
On 19 APR I shipped to BCT (Basic Combat Training) at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. Over the next 10 weeks I learned the basics that are needed to be a Soldier in the United States Army.
BCT is broken up into 3 main phases, Red, White, and Blue. During Red phase you learn the basics of military life. You learn Rules and Regulations, Drill and Ceremony, and Manual of Arms, etc.
Red phase is the probably the hardest mentally but the easiest physically. there are plenty of tasks that are next to impossible to meet in the time frame required, they expect you to now things you don't and do things you have never done before. This phase is about breaking civilian habits and teaching new military habits.
You also start a lot of confidence courses (the obstacle courses you see on youtube) and team building exercises.
This phase is honestly pretty easy as long as you keep remembering it is all a game and will be over soon.
The middle 3 weeks is white phase. The major focus during this phase is rifle marksmanship, and other weaponry. We focus mostly on the M16 (mine was a M16A2) but we also shoot the 240 Bravo, 249 SAW, M2 .50 cal, M203 Grenade Launcher, and the AT4 anti-tank weapon.
For me this was my favorite portion of basic training. We shot on several different ranges, we grouped and zeroed at 25 meters with 300 meter targets scaled down, shot at pop up ranges, and shot indoors using the EST basically a fancy video game using mock M16's.
We shot the other weapons during the US Weapons phase but only qualified with the M16. For those of you wondering, I qualified Expert.
The next and final phase is blue phase. This is where you start to practically use the skills you have learned. This was a lot of fun to see how far we had all come in the tasks we were required to do.
Throughout Basic, we had a 1 day FTX (Field Training Exercise) a 3 day FTX and a 5 day FTX.
At the end of the 10th week we had our graduation ceremony. It sure felt good to be on the same field that so many Soldiers before me had stood. This day was extra special for me because I was named Soldier of the Cycle for my company (Fox 2/13).
From Basic I went straight to AIT. My AIT was at Fort Rucker, AL. This is the Aviation Center of Excellence.
My MOS is 15Q which is Air Traffic Control Operator. In short, I move aircraft around airfields and in some en-route areas. Training for this was long....very long.
The first 3 weeks of training is CTO (Control Tower Operator) prep. We studied a lot of books in this portion and then took the FAA CTO test. I was pretty stoked about only missing 1 question on the 75 question test.
Next was general subjects. 3 weeks of map reading, Flight Information Publications, Aircraft ID, and other general info.,
next was 3 weeks of Non-Radar training. Using a map (memorized) and flight strips to control aircraft to and from an airfield. This was difficult at first but a lot of fun after you get the hang of it. Its like a big puzzle.
Next was 3 weeks of tower training. 1 week of academics, 1 week of ground control, and 1 week of local control. We got to use some awesome tower simulators that utilize voice recognition to control aircraft out the "window"
Next was 3 weeks of Radar training. 1 week of academics, 1 week of approach control and 1 week of final control. We used radar simulators here that also utilize voice recognition.
The last 4 weeks are equipment training. 1 week of ATNAVICS (basically a tactical radar setup for abandoned airfields), 1 week of TTCS (tactial tower setup), 1 week of TAIS (builds airspace for mission specific needs), and 1 week of 7Alpha (portable tower)
Graduation was long coming and short and sweet. I was the distinguished Honor graduate for my class at AIT and because of this I was awarded Airborne School.
From Alabama I drove about 2 hours to Fort Benning for BAC Basic Airborne Course.
This was 3 weeks of learning to jump from Airplanes.
Week 1 is ground week, you learn how to wear the harness properly, and how to fall on the ground. Search for PLF (Parachute Landing Fall) online to get an idea of what this was like.
Week 2 we started using the 34' towers and the 249' towers. We practiced exiting the airplane properly and how to deal with malfunctions. The 34' tower works on your exits and the 249' tower lets you actually fall beneath an open canopy.
Week 3 was jump week. We completed 5 jumps from a C130. The first jump was using a T11 and the other 4 were using the T10D parachutes.
You deal with a lot of bull crap during the 3 weeks here but when you get to jump from that C130 going 135 knots, it is all worth it!
I'm now back home in Indiana with my family. It's been a long 7 months, but I have learned a lot.
I have learned:
I don't need much sleep
I will eat just about anything
I don't like the cold
I don't like the hot
I can run further than I thought
I can get stronger than I thought
I can do more than I thought
More importantly, I started to learn the sacrifices that my fellow service members have made and why they have made them.
I realized truly how much my family means to me.
I realized how much I love this country
I realized I don't need all the "stuff" that I thought I did.
I could go on and on with stories about my training and how I feel now being called a Soldier but I won't make this post any longer. If anyone has any questions on anything, let me know I would be glad to share.
Last November I enlisted in the Indiana Army National Guard as a 15Q (Air Traffic Control). Since then I have completed Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, and then Airborne School. Below is a brief overview of my experience.
On 19 APR I shipped to BCT (Basic Combat Training) at Fort Jackson in South Carolina. Over the next 10 weeks I learned the basics that are needed to be a Soldier in the United States Army.
BCT is broken up into 3 main phases, Red, White, and Blue. During Red phase you learn the basics of military life. You learn Rules and Regulations, Drill and Ceremony, and Manual of Arms, etc.
Red phase is the probably the hardest mentally but the easiest physically. there are plenty of tasks that are next to impossible to meet in the time frame required, they expect you to now things you don't and do things you have never done before. This phase is about breaking civilian habits and teaching new military habits.
You also start a lot of confidence courses (the obstacle courses you see on youtube) and team building exercises.
This phase is honestly pretty easy as long as you keep remembering it is all a game and will be over soon.
The middle 3 weeks is white phase. The major focus during this phase is rifle marksmanship, and other weaponry. We focus mostly on the M16 (mine was a M16A2) but we also shoot the 240 Bravo, 249 SAW, M2 .50 cal, M203 Grenade Launcher, and the AT4 anti-tank weapon.
For me this was my favorite portion of basic training. We shot on several different ranges, we grouped and zeroed at 25 meters with 300 meter targets scaled down, shot at pop up ranges, and shot indoors using the EST basically a fancy video game using mock M16's.
We shot the other weapons during the US Weapons phase but only qualified with the M16. For those of you wondering, I qualified Expert.
The next and final phase is blue phase. This is where you start to practically use the skills you have learned. This was a lot of fun to see how far we had all come in the tasks we were required to do.
Throughout Basic, we had a 1 day FTX (Field Training Exercise) a 3 day FTX and a 5 day FTX.
At the end of the 10th week we had our graduation ceremony. It sure felt good to be on the same field that so many Soldiers before me had stood. This day was extra special for me because I was named Soldier of the Cycle for my company (Fox 2/13).
From Basic I went straight to AIT. My AIT was at Fort Rucker, AL. This is the Aviation Center of Excellence.
My MOS is 15Q which is Air Traffic Control Operator. In short, I move aircraft around airfields and in some en-route areas. Training for this was long....very long.
The first 3 weeks of training is CTO (Control Tower Operator) prep. We studied a lot of books in this portion and then took the FAA CTO test. I was pretty stoked about only missing 1 question on the 75 question test.
Next was general subjects. 3 weeks of map reading, Flight Information Publications, Aircraft ID, and other general info.,
next was 3 weeks of Non-Radar training. Using a map (memorized) and flight strips to control aircraft to and from an airfield. This was difficult at first but a lot of fun after you get the hang of it. Its like a big puzzle.
Next was 3 weeks of tower training. 1 week of academics, 1 week of ground control, and 1 week of local control. We got to use some awesome tower simulators that utilize voice recognition to control aircraft out the "window"
Next was 3 weeks of Radar training. 1 week of academics, 1 week of approach control and 1 week of final control. We used radar simulators here that also utilize voice recognition.
The last 4 weeks are equipment training. 1 week of ATNAVICS (basically a tactical radar setup for abandoned airfields), 1 week of TTCS (tactial tower setup), 1 week of TAIS (builds airspace for mission specific needs), and 1 week of 7Alpha (portable tower)
Graduation was long coming and short and sweet. I was the distinguished Honor graduate for my class at AIT and because of this I was awarded Airborne School.
From Alabama I drove about 2 hours to Fort Benning for BAC Basic Airborne Course.
This was 3 weeks of learning to jump from Airplanes.
Week 1 is ground week, you learn how to wear the harness properly, and how to fall on the ground. Search for PLF (Parachute Landing Fall) online to get an idea of what this was like.
Week 2 we started using the 34' towers and the 249' towers. We practiced exiting the airplane properly and how to deal with malfunctions. The 34' tower works on your exits and the 249' tower lets you actually fall beneath an open canopy.
Week 3 was jump week. We completed 5 jumps from a C130. The first jump was using a T11 and the other 4 were using the T10D parachutes.
You deal with a lot of bull crap during the 3 weeks here but when you get to jump from that C130 going 135 knots, it is all worth it!
I'm now back home in Indiana with my family. It's been a long 7 months, but I have learned a lot.
I have learned:
I don't need much sleep
I will eat just about anything
I don't like the cold
I don't like the hot
I can run further than I thought
I can get stronger than I thought
I can do more than I thought
More importantly, I started to learn the sacrifices that my fellow service members have made and why they have made them.
I realized truly how much my family means to me.
I realized how much I love this country
I realized I don't need all the "stuff" that I thought I did.
I could go on and on with stories about my training and how I feel now being called a Soldier but I won't make this post any longer. If anyone has any questions on anything, let me know I would be glad to share.
Takes guts to do a job like that.
