Land of the Free because of the Brave

Monday concluded my BOLC training experience. This past month I have had fun, I have worked hard, and I have done things that thought I would never do. I have come away from this experience realizing that I am apart of something bigger than myself. Granted there have been frustrating times this month, but I can honestly say that I love the Army and what I'm going to get to do. 

Our last week in the field was spent practicing the three levels of care used in the battle field. IT was a good week. It brought the information taught in class to life. During the first round of the exercise at level 3 I was a patient. This was an interesting experience and reminded me that I need to remember what my patients may be going through. I was a radio operator for our level 1 unit. I had to work with the person in charge of evacuating patients and radio into to evac the patients that we had. In level two I worked as a part of the treatment team.  The night before we did level 2, we had rain so they were able to use pyrotechnics. They simulated a bombing on the FOB. This was an interesting experience because we had to take cover and be prepared to cover our patients. I was in charge of covering a patient if we had one at our station at the time of a "bombing". I find myself being more excited about future deployments than I was before I came to BOLC. As an AMEDD officer my job is to bring soldier's home to their families. Now that I've seen how care works in theater. I want to go save lives. I want to continue to be a part of something bigger than myself. I want to go knowing that I could be a part of bring a soldier home to his or her family. 

As I said at the beginning of my post I learned this month that I was apart of something bigger than myself. The Army is a family in and of itself. Over the past month I have made many friends. Many of these friends I consider life-long. I spent many hours with my new friends on post, on the FOB, and doing laundry. We have learned to help each other and support each other through this month of training. Monday my friends and I gave hugs and wished each other safe travels. All around me people were hugging their new friends. I know we will keep in contact and it is honoring to me to think that one day I could serve down range with these people. I would be honored to serve along side the men and women I have worked with this past month. You should be honored to know that these men and women have volunteered their time not just to take care of fighting men and women but to serve you the American people and to be soldiers. 

Throughout the training it was emphasized that we were soldiers first, officers second and AMEDD last in that line. I'm a very proud to say that I am a solider in the United States Army. During graduation we recited the soldiers creed. It gave me chills to hear the other 580 voices I trained with this month recite this in unison. It reminds me of my purpose. This past month I have realized that I am a part of something bigger. I am a member of a team and family, a family that extends all across the United States. I am confident in myself. The Soldiers Creed is the best way that I could find to sum up my month at BOLC. 

The Soldier's Creed

I am an American Soldier

I am a warrior and a member of a team. 

I serve the people of the United States and live the Army Values

 I will always place the mission first

I will never accept defeat

I will never quit

I will never leave a fallen comrade

I am disciplined, physically, and mentally tough, trained and proficient, in my warrior tasks and drills.

I will always maintain my arms, my equipment, and myself. I am and expert and a professional

I stand ready to deploy, engage and destroy the enemies of the United States of American in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier

Hunting the Good Stuff in Life

Friday night we got back from our second week of FTX. We have one more FTX left. This next one is 3 and 1/2 days. During next week's FTX we will be doing our specific AMEDD Training. This week we learned more about the different levels of medical care in the military. Next week we will have an opportunity to execute  three of the five level. Level one is known as the BAS Battalion Aid Station. Which reminds me of a short digression that I must take at this point. Since joining the military I've learned that there are abbreviations for everything. Not only are there abbreviations for everything in the Army you talk in abbreviations. lt has taken some getting used to and googling to figure out what each abbreviation means. Today during our Master Resilence Training there was even an abbreviation for Put it in Perspective (PIIP). Okay so now off the rabbit trail and back to this week. The BAS is the first level of care. At this level on the from lines of combat you see your medics as well as a MAS (Main Aid Station) and a FAS (Forward Aid Station). The MAS consists of a doc and 3 medics and the FAS consists of a PA and 3 medics or as the Army likes to call medics 68W (68-Wisky's). The main objective of level 1 care is to treat the soldier and get them back to duty or evacuated. The Level 2 has some lab capabilities as well as XRay and a patient holding areas. Level 3 is the combat support hospital (CSH). Major procedures are done at this area. Next week I will play the role of an ICU nurse in our CSH simulation. Level 4 is similar to a hospital in Germany. Level 5 is a treatment facility here in the states such as Brook Army Medical Center here at Fort Sam.

This week during our FTX we were tested over various tasks introduced during the first FTX. Tuesday we went on a land navigation. We had to find 3/4 points and we had three hours to do it. My partner and I couldn't find out last point so we made it back to the FOB and passed with 3/4 points. On Wednesday we did the convoy lane. I was the alpha team leader for our truck. This was a lot of fun we had blanks in our M16 and some of classmates played the role of the OPFORCE. WE had to get out of our trucks and simulate what we would do to check for IEDs in a real convoy. My side of the truck had a gigantic hill we had to climb. Again this experience made me appreciate our men and women currently serving in the military as well as our veterans. I thought about a Jeff Shara book I read about the Battle of Gettysburg. We were able to come back down from the hill and climb in our trucks and were back at the FOB within two hours from our practice convoy. Gettysburg is a hilly place and I thought about the soldiers who climb those hills and tried to hold the "good" ground. After the battle was over there was no truck for them to climb back in they had to keep on walking. On Thursday we had a patrol through the woods. We had to go and rescue one of our squad members and bring them back to safety. I was "shot" during this mission and my squad had to also bring me back to the holding area. They did a good job.

On Friday we went on the Spree the Core run. Basically we ran around the land nav course. We had to run up this giant hill with rocks that were slipping out of place. We did this run at 0500 in the dark and couldn't see very well where we were running. Unfortunately on the way down I slipped and twisted my knee and was picked up and added to what turned out to be 9 "causalities" of the run. I'm feeling much better but was frustrated that I didn't make it all the way to the end. I did make it to the top of the hill and that felt good. Later in the day we went to the gas chamber. My gas mask's seal was not working properly and as soon as I entered I had to leave because I couldn't breath. My battle buddies and myself joked about how it was just not my day. During this frustrating day I was reminded that God was with me throughout this day just like he has been with me throughout the month and everyday of my life.

As I thought about yesterday I realized that in our lives we have mountains and hills to climb just like that rocky hill Friday.  At the time it may seem impossible. Even knowing that a hard hill to climb lies ahead makes us nervous and scared. It makes us question our abilities. I wasn't able to run up all the hills we had to Friday, but I walked and made it to the top. There are times in our lives when the road is tough and we struggle to see the other side.  Sometimes as we are traveling we can't see where we are going either. It is in these moments that we learn to trust God and to lean on his provision for our lives. The bible tells us that God doesn't give us more than we can handle. As Christians we place our faith in Christ that He will lead us where we are suppose to go. Sometimes we don't see the purpose behind the struggle until its over. Sometimes we have to make it to the top of the mountain to see the good things that the Lord has for us. Many times the journey to the top of the mountain is a struggle much in the way that we struggled to make it to the top of that hill Friday morning.  When I got tot the top of the hill I could see all of camp Bullis and the city lights of San Antonio. It was beautiful. We have seen this Camp Bullis sky many times over the past two weeks. The moon is beautiful early in the morning, you can see clouds streak across the sky in the last hours before the sun rises.  It reminds me that there is much more to this world than me. I've been thinking about how vast the world appeared on that hill Friday morning and how small I am compared to that vastness, yet the Father, the Creator knows me. Psalms 139 talks about how God knows us. I am also reminded that many times when we can only see what is in front of us the good stuff lies just ahead. A the top of the hills and mountains in our lives we are able to the Lord in his beauty and majesty. We are able to see the intrinsic plans the Lord has for us. I rejoice in the day that I will be in heaven with Christ and able to look back on all the valleys I walked and the hills I climbed to see the whole picture of Gods masterpiece that he is creating in me.

Saturday we had Master Resiliency Training. One of the aspects of this was to hunt for the good stuff in life. Many times we are become negative and complacent with our lives. By looking for the good and trying to focus on the good we can change our outlook in life. In closing I would like to share my hunting for the good stuff for today.
1. I found out Friday night that I passed by first set of boards.
2. I have made wonderful friends here at BOLC.
3. My family will be here this coming weekend.
4. We have 3.5 days left in the field.
5. I have been given joy. Joy that is better happiness. Because even we times are difficult and we don't feel "happiness" as Christians we have something that resides deep in our souls. The ability to say it is well with my soul no matter what comes my way. God is in control.

Psalm 139 

¹ You have searched me, LORD, 

   and you know me.  

² You know when I sit and when I rise; 

   you perceive my thoughts from afar. 

³ You discern my going out and my lying down; 

   you are familiar with all my ways. 

⁴ Before a word is on my tongue 

   you, LORD, know it completely. 

⁵ You hem me in behind and before, 

   and you lay your hand upon me. 

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, 

   too lofty for me to attain.

 ⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? 

   Where can I flee from your presence? 

⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; 

   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 

⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 

   if I settle on the far side of the sea, 

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, 

   your right hand will hold me fast. 

¹¹ If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me 

   and the light become night around me,” 

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you; 

   the night will shine like the day, 

   for darkness is as light to you.

 ¹³ For you created my inmost being; 

   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

   your works are wonderful, 

   I know that full well. 

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you 

   when I was made in the secret place, 

   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 

¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; 

   all the days ordained for me were written in your book 

   before one of them came to be. 

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,God! 

   How vast is the sum of them! 

¹⁸ Were I to count them, 

   they would outnumber the grains of sand— 

   when I awake, I am still with you.

 ¹⁹ If only you, God, would slay the wicked! 

   Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty! 

²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent; 

   your adversaries misuse your name. 

²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, LORD, 

   and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? 

²² I have nothing but hatred for them; 

   I count them my enemies. 

²³ Search me, God, and know my heart; 

   test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me, 

   and lead me in the way everlasting.

Army Strong...Hurry Up and Wait

So I just got back from my first field training exercise. It was quite eventful. First I'll briefly fill on the weekend. I made some new friends, Jodi, Tom, David, and Becky. The four of us hung out during the 4th weekend. We went to the River Walk and the Alamo. I also got to spend some time with dear friends Jim and Jennifer Lokey as well.

FTX1: Field Training Exercise. Started out Tuesday morning at 0530 with a formation. We received our weapons...M16 and marched over a mile to our PMI training. Basically they taught us what we needed to know about shooting an M16. Then we got to go to this simulation room which was basically a video game we got to shoot computerized M16's at. I had a minor setback Tuesday afternoon and I am now known as a heat causality. I ended up having to get an  IV Wed morning with 2 others and 24 hours quarters. Basically I had to stay in my tent at the FOB (forward operating base) all day Wed.  I was given "special" stuff for my camel back (electrolyte replacement that they give cholera patients). I  am feeling much better now and don't want to experience that again.

On Thursday we went  to the M16 range. This was a lot of fun. We fired at pop up targets. I need some work with the M16. It was a lot of fun to shoot it though. In the afternoon we had warrior leader training. I learned how disassemble and clean the M16.  The best part of the afternoon was running and crawling through the dirt. We practiced individual movements that we would use in a combat situation. Our instructor told us to make sure we keep our "J-Lo"  down. All I could think of was Forrest Gump getting shot in the butt. He probably could have benefited from this piece of valuable information.

Friday we learned how to shoot the M9. As a member of the medical corp this will be the weapon that we would carry. I had a lot of fun doing this as well. We also did our first land navigation. They call this one Walk the Dog. Basically we had a big group and broke up into battle buddies and  all meet at our points before moving on and we had a cadre that helped as well. This was a lot of fun. I had a good battle buddy, Becky, she is a nurse from Georgia. She made sure our we stayed on on azimuth. An azimuth is shot using information we found using our grid coordinates. I keep our pace count. This was a good method and we plan on using it next week when we have to do it just the two of us for a test. We walked through lots of brush and had to duck under lots of trees. We had a lot of fun.

Friday after the M9 range we had to wait for about 3 hours for the bus to come and pick us up. Apparently early on in the planning for our course they thought that we were going to have more people in our class than we did and so they contracted the busses to pick us up at 1800. Since they contracted with civilians apparently they wouldn't come and get us early. So we did one of the things I've learned to do best so far in the Army Hurry Up and Wait. They did let us take our jackets off and rest against our packs while we waited for the busses.

"You didn't come here to practice democracy, you came here to defend it" This was said by our platoon cadre when asked if we could have elections for next week's student's leadership. This made us all laugh during our long wait for the buses. But I began to think about the last part of the the quote "we are here to defend democracy." When we leave Fort Sam to go to dinner, do our laundry, go to walmart and when we left last Tuesday for the FTX we drive past the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. As you drive by there are white headstones uniform in size as far as the eye can see. It reminds of that these represent men and women who gave all to defend our democracy. This week in the field was hot and it was hard and challenging work. During this experience This week in the field I thought about my cousin's husband Dave. He is currently in Iraq. Recently he called his wife Beth and told her that it was a 130 degrees outside and he had a mile walk to work everyday. He does his best to make stops in conditioned  buildings to stay cool.  Today we were at the PX getting some things that we need for our next FTX. As we were walking in a soldier was being let down from a bus in a wheelchair. He had a foot splint on one leg and special traction on the other. On both legs you could see scars from surgery that he has undergone. Fort Sam Houston is the home to the Intrepid center where many of our wounded warriors go to recover. I am moved by the hard work and sacrifices our American soldiers make. It makes the work that we have done this week seem so easy but it is a. so motivation to keep working hard and to keep being tough. These skills are essential to our becoming soldiers. We need to learn these basic skills so we can do our job and bring back our fighting men and women. In Luke 12:35-48, Jesus talks about watchful waiting. We wouldn't want King Jesus to return to find us idle in our work. He instructs us to work until the day of his return. This section ends with a piece of instruction from Christ.

"From everyone who has been give much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."  

Luke 12:48

Christ has given me so much, my life and the promise of new life. He has blessed me with an opportunity to pay for medical school. Without Christ I would not be where I am today. I have been given so much. By the time I graduate medical school and finish my residency I will posses the knowledge to save lives. I feel that I can live these verses out by my service in the medical corp. 

Train to Save!!

We started at 0400 this morning. Today we finished all the introductory military stuff. Today we learned how to march and stand in formation. We were given our platoons and squads. My squad has a dentist and a vet. There are four of us. But I haven't gotten to know the other member he had to go buy clothes during lunch so he didn't sit with us. It nice having a small group of people to always stay with. I'm sure we will know each other very well by the end of the month.  We marched around a parking lot for about 45 minutes or so early this morning.  I'm so thankful for the prior service people that helped us who don't know anything learn how to do everything. They are so helpful.  Then we had to march to breakfast. We then marched to the CIF; Central Issuing Facility. We were given our field gear here. This was one of those Army hurry up and wait times as well as one of those getting yelled at times. The yelling wasn't to bad, but frustrating because we couldn't hear the orders they gave and then the whole company got yelled out. At one point we were told to leave out certain items so they could show us how to put it together. Then awe were yelled out for having certain items out. As you probably guess we were yelled out for not having certain items out shortly after. Oh well. Its all a part of what the prior service people like to call "the game".  They would say one thing and then yell at us when we did it and told us to do something else. It was also very hot. I was glad I had my bottle of water with me because we had to sit out the in the parking lot waiting on everyone to finish and then learn how to put all our gear together. And mom and any other second moms of mine out there reading this. They are very good about making sure we have enough water. While we were waiting we were free to get up and fill water bottles etc.  After this we took our gear back to the hotel where we are staying...thankfully by we traveled by bus this time.

The rest of the day was filled with briefs and basic introductory material. Basically how to wear your uniform how to salute etc. Also as we have heard from every brief so far...Don't Fraternize with the enlisted. Tomorrow starts our actually class component and we end the day with a land nav. I'm looking forward to this. It should be fun. We are doing this one with our platoon and when we go to the field we will do one with a partner.

As for the title of today's blog...Train to Save. That is the motto of the 187th Medical Battalion that my training is with. I'm excited about what the future holds for me as  future physician in the Medical Corp and the lives of soldiers that I will have the opportunity to care for. I think what hit home the most about today was the brief by the Battalion Commander. She stressed the importance of our training here to help prepare us for future assignments with our units. She said that this training provides us the basic soldiers skills we need to do our job. Mastering these basic skills will help us save lives one day. Our job to bring soldiers safely home when we are serving on deployments and to keep soldiers healthy while on the homefront. Well that's all for tonight. Its been a really long long day...since 0300. I'm happy we don't have to be there that early tomorrow morning.

Over and Out!!!

This is what my room looks like. Thalia and I are roommates.

We have a little kitchenette with a frig (perfect for our gatorade and water bottles for the evening) and microwave.