#45 - My first Reserve unit drill

I received a phone call on Saturday from the retention NCO at my Reserve unit asking why I wasn't in attendance at that weekend's drill? Huh? This was news to me. My recruiter had told me I wasn't required to attend any drills until after I returned from AIT. I decided to attend the 2nd drill day of the weekend on Sunday.

Sunday morning found me trying to find my way to the base through a light snowfall. I mistakenly ended up at a gate which was right next to the Reserve unit building, though not in operation. I raced around to the other side in hopes of finding another entrance. I knew the installation was rather large in size, so I hoped that the added time wouldn't make me late for my first drill appearance.

Luckily I was able to make it to the base on time. After getting through the main gate, I drove past a series of military vehicles and pieces of equipment placed on the side of the road. This must be something of an open-air museum display - vehicles, artillery, communication towers and dishes... It looked interesting; someday I'll have to come back and look at the items at my leisure.

There were several dozen people milling about waiting for a formation. I waited in a chair for an admin person to come so I could fill out some paperwork. It was a little awkward for me, as I was the only one in civilian attire, and didn't know anyone. Soon the Captain and First Sergeant came over, and then introduced me to some NCOs (non-commissioned officers). Later on I got to spend more time with the lower enlisted ranks. Most of the people there were far younger than myself, but generally very friendly and welcoming.

I spoke with a number of people about my upcoming basic training and choice of MOS. Apparently I will be the only 25B in my company. Hopefully my instructors at AIT will do a good job of teaching me what to do, as it looks like I might not have anyone to lean on when I get back to my unit.

Most of the younger folks who had recently gotten back from AIT had a lot of advice to give about basic training. One female told me she was running 4-5 miles a day before basic, just so she wouldn't be sent to "fat camp" (the fitness training unit) when she got there. I feel like I am going to be in serious trouble. My foot is still (mildly) sprained, and I haven't been able to attempt any running since my pathetic mile attempt with the recruiter last week.

We sat in a very cold classroom and watched several DVDs of officers giving talks on topics such as ethics and safety. Later on in the day, we had a series of classes on something called "common task training". Apparently these are refresher classes of some of the topics covered in basic training which are given once a year. Some of the topics covered included IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), different types of movement while under fire, and various aspects of administering first aid.

Later in the day, the First Sergeant and Lieutenant came in to the classroom and made an announcement. Apparently they had recently found out that the unit might be in line for a possible deployment in the future. They said that it was likely that everyone in our battalion would go, possible as early as January of next year. The First Sergeant thought that more preparations would come in the fall, with probably several weeks spent full-time packing at the base, then another two months training at a separate base before actually deploying. The length of deployment overseas would likely be 12 months. Of course we were also given the disclaimer that "things change all the time" and anything could happen, including a cancellation of the deployment.

Most of the people were somewhat quiet as the news sunk in. A few folks there had been deployed previously with other units, and began to offer tales of their experiences and a lot of advice. I learned about everything from how not to get sick to why certain porta-potties should be avoided in Iraq. It was interesting to talk to folks who had "been there".

With a heavy heart, I drove home at the end of the day, and had to tell my husband the news. I wasn't sure how he was going to take it. Of course, anyone who joins the military knows that being deployed is always a possibility (if you can't accept that, you shouldn't enlist!). I suppose that it seemed like more of an abstract idea than something which could have happened so quickly coming out of the gate after basic and AIT, though I guess with the current conflicts going on, this shouldn't be a surprise. I told my husband of the upcoming deployment, and cried. I felt very guilty about what I was doing. Not only was I asking him to deal with my absence over the next 7 months for basic training and AIT, but I was now telling him that it was very likely I'd have to leave for the sandbox for a year as well. I am afraid that I might be asking too much of him, and the effects of imposing this upon our marriage. To my relief, he was very supportive. I think part of it stems from the fact that he is himself a veteran of the Gulf War, and understands that deployment is a part of being in the military. I don't know how I lucked out having such a wonderful husband.

As far as the future deployment goes, I am refraining from sharing this news with anyone else for awhile. As the First Sergeant said, anything can happen. I would hate to upset my mom unnecessarily if it ended up that I didn't have to go. She was already quite disturbed about my decision to enlist in the military to begin with, and the possibility of being sent to Iraq.