URF#8693

We are identified at Fort Riley by our URF. My group is URF #8693.... This past week's training had been dedicated to our draw of equipment and deployment briefings... so the challenging part of our training is forthcoming. Our group is really becoming a TEAM... that I am thankful..... As indicated in the below picture.. Notice the smiles!!!!

I am so proud to serve with this group.... we have some many personalities that make-up #8693. The picture shows the group waiting to draw our ACU's, (Army Combat Uniforms). We waved the cold for almost two hours before we got in the door, and we still had smiles.... WOW!!!

We have received four duffel bags worth of equipment. One cannot physically carry all the stuff we got. One thing that we got was our IBA, (Individual Body Armor). This thing weighs about 50lbs. You talking about heavy, but this is one of the necessary evils. You don't mind wearing if it can save your life... We drew cool things like optics for our M-4s, Oakley Sunglasses, several hats, gloves, boots, underwear and socks.... We got some good stuff, but we also got stuff that they wanted to get off the shelf, that the army no longer uses..... (not so good huh!!!!) but that is how it is. We are adapting the motto of "Gotta Be Flexible!!!", better to say adaptable on this one.... because we are finding ways to adjust to the Army's shortfalls in things like lack of Internet cafes, television, phones, and just doing ordinary administrative work...

This is my he-man photo with my IBA on... flexing my muscles... Truth of the matter is that yes, I am working out, almost daily. You have to sustain a good level of physical fitness to carry this much weight on you and do your training/expected tasks.... I enjoy working out, one thing the military do have is great gyms and good equipment.... well we do up here on Custer Hill. They are working to get facilities down on Camp Funston, were we will be next week and throughout our training... Anyway, SFC Walsh and I are keeping it together.... facing several challenges in the communications arena, but learning quite a lot.... As you may know, technology moves quite fast, and communications platforms constantly change to keep up, as you want the best comms platforms down-range as they have available, so it requires training, which we don't mind. Here is a pic of SFC Walsh putting his vest and IBA together...

Well until next post, "Keep Your Head Up!!!" and know that God is still in control.....