the 40 hour day, more or less
Jul 16, 2013 20:35:56 #
Courtesy of the US Army.
0300 up and at em. Shower, Perform the Pre Field Train ing (FTX) Exercise check list.
TA50 Gear ( Check) Every thing I own that is OD green ( Check) Mountain sleeping bag, Arctic Sleeping bag ( Check) Feather Pillow (The one creature comfort I permit myself) 1 M1911A1 45 ACP pistol 4 magazines, 28 rounds ammo. Cleaning kit, diddy bag. 5 cartons smokes. 2 Zippos, flint fluid, Gum.
2 racks of thin mints( burried in the duffle). Check!
Duffle bag drag to motor pool.
0400 PM truck, check fluids, pressures, Fire truck ( deuce and a half) commo repair shelter with 2 10K generators.
Ready for convoy check
commiserate with GI's until Battalion Sergeant Major and the Battalion Jr. Officers stop by to makes life miserable.
0600 Battalion Convoy check (Check)
0700 Battalion Commander Convoy check
0900 Full Bull BN Commander stops by for a grip and grin.
10:30 waiting for Convoy clearance from State Highway Patrol to proceed.
1300 Waiting on convoy clearance
14:30 Convoy clearance approved.
Hit the road ( at 35 miles per hour )
Maintain 100 yards interval.
19:30 POL (fuel stop) Fill tanks ( 50 gal top off) Check pressures and fluids.
Grab some cold C-rations (Yum, can still taste the freshness of the 1949 Dog food), and Salem smokes that are so dry one hit GONE
21:00 Hit the wind.
03:30 arrive and designated coordinates.
Unload tent, heater, gas can for heater.
Dig in Gas can ( permafrost is FUN) Set up GP Medium tent.
Set up heater, cot.
Ground truck. set up generators, ground trailer.
0600 Time to go to work.
Set up WD1 twisted pair for telephones from commo rigs to patch panel, HQ, to Tropo rigs.
07:30Phone and order wire communications established.
09:00 Shift start, Only 12 more hours and DOWN TIME!
12:00 Inspection by company Commander
Heat some C Rats on the tent stove
12:30 sample the best Korean War cusine available.
1400 swap transmitter, AN/MRC69 FM radio terminal.
1500 trouble shoot, repair blown capacitor on AFC feedback loop.
15:45 Notify radio operator transmitter repaired, ready for swap. notify when ready.
1900 swap transmitters
2200 Battalion Executive Commander reports Phone not functioning. Trouble shoot phone, no defects noted, Instructed XO to Crank Phone to contact patch panel for connection.
0100 HQ advises relay shot 22 miles from HQ site is down.
Drive 22 miles in the dark on what might resemble a two rut path at near the speed of smell to relay site.
0230Enter radio rig. Operator has fallen asleep and his foot slipped off chair and turned off power supply, taking down relay shot.
0315 Turned on power supply, retuned radio, re established radio communications
0330 contacted HQ ( Battalion Commander IN PERSON GAWD DAMN IT ALL).
03:32 Advised Full Bull 06 Colonel Commander person what the issues was.
03:33 Colonel would "love to chat "with operator ( still snoring).
03:34 kick chair out from under "sleeping beauty"
He wakes up all at once.
03:35 Give Specialist4 operator handset.
03:35.30 sec step out side for a Camel.
03:45 re enter radio relay shelter. PFC radio operator tells me the Colonel will await my return, report to HQ ASAP.
05:30 arrive and HQ, Check in to HQ.
Colonel is not smiling. Submit verbal AAR ( After Action Report). Return to my duties as communications equipment repairman.
07:00 have a couple thin mints and a cold Pepsi and heat some hot dogs and beans C rations.
08:30 wake up my relief tech.
09:00 do not shower, do not smoke, do not write mail.
CRASH.
In 2 weeks we pick up, pack up, move 3 miles, set up and do it all over.
80 degrees or 50 below.
Summer, winter spring and fall. We trained from little 14 day FTX to 70 day FTX. We were THE signal battalion for 3 Army bases. when ANYIONE went to the field to provide communications.
Somehow working 60-70 hour weeks these days simply does not bother me in the least.
Must say the service provides opportunities seldom experienced elsewhere.
0300 up and at em. Shower, Perform the Pre Field Train ing (FTX) Exercise check list.
TA50 Gear ( Check) Every thing I own that is OD green ( Check) Mountain sleeping bag, Arctic Sleeping bag ( Check) Feather Pillow (The one creature comfort I permit myself) 1 M1911A1 45 ACP pistol 4 magazines, 28 rounds ammo. Cleaning kit, diddy bag. 5 cartons smokes. 2 Zippos, flint fluid, Gum.
2 racks of thin mints( burried in the duffle). Check!
Duffle bag drag to motor pool.
0400 PM truck, check fluids, pressures, Fire truck ( deuce and a half) commo repair shelter with 2 10K generators.
Ready for convoy check
commiserate with GI's until Battalion Sergeant Major and the Battalion Jr. Officers stop by to makes life miserable.
0600 Battalion Convoy check (Check)
0700 Battalion Commander Convoy check
0900 Full Bull BN Commander stops by for a grip and grin.
10:30 waiting for Convoy clearance from State Highway Patrol to proceed.
1300 Waiting on convoy clearance
14:30 Convoy clearance approved.
Hit the road ( at 35 miles per hour )
Maintain 100 yards interval.
19:30 POL (fuel stop) Fill tanks ( 50 gal top off) Check pressures and fluids.
Grab some cold C-rations (Yum, can still taste the freshness of the 1949 Dog food), and Salem smokes that are so dry one hit GONE
21:00 Hit the wind.
03:30 arrive and designated coordinates.
Unload tent, heater, gas can for heater.
Dig in Gas can ( permafrost is FUN) Set up GP Medium tent.
Set up heater, cot.
Ground truck. set up generators, ground trailer.
0600 Time to go to work.
Set up WD1 twisted pair for telephones from commo rigs to patch panel, HQ, to Tropo rigs.
07:30Phone and order wire communications established.
09:00 Shift start, Only 12 more hours and DOWN TIME!
12:00 Inspection by company Commander
Heat some C Rats on the tent stove
12:30 sample the best Korean War cusine available.
1400 swap transmitter, AN/MRC69 FM radio terminal.
1500 trouble shoot, repair blown capacitor on AFC feedback loop.
15:45 Notify radio operator transmitter repaired, ready for swap. notify when ready.
1900 swap transmitters
2200 Battalion Executive Commander reports Phone not functioning. Trouble shoot phone, no defects noted, Instructed XO to Crank Phone to contact patch panel for connection.
0100 HQ advises relay shot 22 miles from HQ site is down.
Drive 22 miles in the dark on what might resemble a two rut path at near the speed of smell to relay site.
0230Enter radio rig. Operator has fallen asleep and his foot slipped off chair and turned off power supply, taking down relay shot.
0315 Turned on power supply, retuned radio, re established radio communications
0330 contacted HQ ( Battalion Commander IN PERSON GAWD DAMN IT ALL).
03:32 Advised Full Bull 06 Colonel Commander person what the issues was.
03:33 Colonel would "love to chat "with operator ( still snoring).
03:34 kick chair out from under "sleeping beauty"
He wakes up all at once.
03:35 Give Specialist4 operator handset.
03:35.30 sec step out side for a Camel.
03:45 re enter radio relay shelter. PFC radio operator tells me the Colonel will await my return, report to HQ ASAP.
05:30 arrive and HQ, Check in to HQ.
Colonel is not smiling. Submit verbal AAR ( After Action Report). Return to my duties as communications equipment repairman.
07:00 have a couple thin mints and a cold Pepsi and heat some hot dogs and beans C rations.
08:30 wake up my relief tech.
09:00 do not shower, do not smoke, do not write mail.
CRASH.
In 2 weeks we pick up, pack up, move 3 miles, set up and do it all over.
80 degrees or 50 below.
Summer, winter spring and fall. We trained from little 14 day FTX to 70 day FTX. We were THE signal battalion for 3 Army bases. when ANYIONE went to the field to provide communications.
Somehow working 60-70 hour weeks these days simply does not bother me in the least.
Must say the service provides opportunities seldom experienced elsewhere.
Jul 17, 2013 07:08:03 #
dixiemegapixel
Loc: Salemburg, NC
New found respect for you BWAC. I did it too, for 30 years. I earned my down time and enjoy doing what I want, when I want. HOOAH!
Jul 17, 2013 07:11:25 #
I did 32 and been there seen it done it but I also am enjoying retirement. Good luck
Jul 18, 2013 20:22:47 #
ahh the good old days. CUSHY DUTY, but someone had to do it.
I enjoyed my time in the Army.
To think back of what we survived, great memories.
Thanks to all who served!
I enjoyed my time in the Army.
To think back of what we survived, great memories.
Thanks to all who served!
Jul 18, 2013 20:37:10 #
Jul 18, 2013 21:00:28 #
mwoods222 wrote:
I like the way u spell Noo Yawk but u spelled long Its Longa
Valid point, shudda been LAWNGUYLAND
Jul 18, 2013 21:31:39 #
ole sarg
Loc: south florida
There is just something about living in the dirt.
After coming back from a reforger exercise was asked: What is Germany like. To which I replied: Well the dirt is just like the dirt at Ft. Leonard Wood but with less clay!
After coming back from a reforger exercise was asked: What is Germany like. To which I replied: Well the dirt is just like the dirt at Ft. Leonard Wood but with less clay!
Jul 19, 2013 20:12:19 #
ole sarg wrote:
There is just something about living in the dirt.
After coming back from a reforger exercise was asked: What is Germany like. To which I replied: Well the dirt is just like the dirt at Ft. Leonard Wood but with less clay!
After coming back from a reforger exercise was asked: What is Germany like. To which I replied: Well the dirt is just like the dirt at Ft. Leonard Wood but with less clay!
Germany would have been my next assignment ( K Town),
But 2 hitches and my prior service was enough to convince me civilian life was a better option.
Your point is well taken, dirt is dirt, tens is tents, and C rats is C rats.
Thanks for your service
Jul 20, 2013 02:42:54 #
Bruce with a Canon wrote:
Courtesy of the US Army. br 0300 up and at em. Sh... (show quote)
You'll be cut down to 37 hours by January 2014 when the ObamaCare employer mandate kicks ink, so make it while you can...
Jul 21, 2013 17:40:30 #
Bruce with a Canon wrote:
Germany would have been my next assignment ( K Town),
But 2 hitches and my prior service was enough to convince me civilian life was a better option.
Your point is well taken, dirt is dirt, tens is tents, and C rats is C rats.
Thanks for your service
But 2 hitches and my prior service was enough to convince me civilian life was a better option.
Your point is well taken, dirt is dirt, tens is tents, and C rats is C rats.
Thanks for your service
Been there (K Town - Kaiserslautern) in 1955, 1957, 1971 (civilian this time). Had a great Germany tour, 4 years, Tempelhof Flughafen, Berlin Germany, courtesy U.S.A.F.S.S (United States Air Force Security Service) for those not in the know, and Security Services was NOT the Air Police. Ha.
We were doing highly classified work.
Jul 23, 2013 21:49:26 #
SmittyOne wrote:
Been there (K Town - Kaiserslautern) in 1955, 1957, 1971 (civilian this time). Had a great Germany tour, 4 years, Tempelhof Flughafen, Berlin Germany, courtesy U.S.A.F.S.S (United States Air Force Security Service) for those not in the know, and Security Services was NOT the Air Police. Ha.
We were doing highly classified work.
We were doing highly classified work.
Thank you for your service.
Glad you had a great tour. Most everyone I know that served in Germany loved it.
Bruce
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