Ok, in the hazing topic something was brought up that I wanted to respond to, but it goes off topic from the hazing a bit so I decided to just start a new one.
(to note: I spent 12 years in the infantry as an 11c Indirect fire infantryman (mortars). In those 12 years I worked with all the modern mortar weapon systems save the 120mm mortar system. I was in armored units, HMMWV based units, and true ground based units. I spent most of my time in the Fire Direction Control (FDC) part of the mortar platoon. In 1999, I was struck by a tree during a training accident, and incurred significant back damage. in 2001, I was medically discharged from active duty.)
Anyway, this was said and I wanted to respond.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Crompsin
Nope, I'm talking about E3s that can barely rig a ruck going on week long field problems in December
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we are going a bit off topic here, but what you are talking about sounds to me like normal training. If that E3 was the ONLY soldier in the unit who had to go in the week long field problem, then yes I would definitely say that is out of line, however if the unit as a whole is moving on bivouac then said E3's job is to ruck up and move out sharply. Every soldier in the army must meet certain standards. Those standards are established in basic training, and the soldier is expected to maintain those standards throughout his military career. The U.S. Army Physical Fitness test is designed to measure certain aspects of physical readiness, however it is no where near all inclusive.
I have been on many field exercises much in excess of 7 days, where conditions were miserable. Extreme heat in the deserts of California and Washington to the year round freezing temperatures in northern Alaska are used by the military to simulate conditions throughout the world and help prepare troops for those conditions. Each soldier (most especially in the infantry) is expected to be able to carry out his or her duties at a moments notice, and this includes rucking up, walking through whatever environment must be walked through, and then living out of that ruck for however long is required. That is the job, and any E3 that cannot handle it should not be in the army.
My worst ever road march was a 13 mile road march, with full battle simulated gear, including all the necessary equipment to set up, fire, and adjust indirect fire weapons systems (81mm Mortar system), weapons with blank munitions, grenades, night vision gear, mortar rounds, fire direction control computers, sights, radios, and 7 days worth of clothing and gear for field living conditions. We completed the 13 miles in 8 hours, which may seem pretty easy to most. However.. at the completion of the road march, each man refilled his water supplies, and scaled his weight fully loaded, then removed his gear down to basic duty uniform and reweighed to get his empty weight. Using this method we were able to determine the lightest load in the platoon (36 men) was 112 pounds, and the heaviest load was 182 pounds. I myself finished with 156 pounds of gear. This was an extreme situation, but not an unlikely one. In an actual combat situation the equipment we carried for those 8 hours would have been mission-critical.
I am not saying this to garner any kind of sympathy, or to "toot my own horn," I am bringing it up to show the darker side of training in the military. It sucks, it is miserable, but it is part of the job.