Darn winter!

Today we were supposed to finish building two huts we started three days ago. Mother Nature stuck her nose in where it didn't belong and hosed us. Its so bad at present that it even halted our training. At least the ride back to camp will be small arms, IED, and RPG free! The other picture was taken yesterday. The temp was a little chilly, but there wasn't any snow to contend with.
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One of many.

Laptops are almost essential for release and to alleviate boredom. I have a little stand made up of my foot locker and heater meal boxes for me and my bunk neighbor to use as our computer center. Right now we are all on Modern Warfare, making teams and killing each other. Its great fun with everybody hollering at being shot. I finally got my laptop running at optimal performance. Its been a pain re-installing everything, but it has been well worth it.
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A tired Soldier

Yesterday we had a loooong day at the range. We didn't get finished until the wee hours of the morning. Some soldiers were so tired, they pretty much fell asleep as they wore, kind of like this poor guy. We had some down time earlier while waiting for our turn, so I took my nap then. I learned long ago that power naps during the day can do wonders for keeping me awake and alert, no matter the time of night. Unfortunately, I'm not a morning person, so I'm always a little slow starting out.
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Missing my fourth baby!

I realized today, or rather it sunk in finally, that I won't be driving my truck for a loooooong while. For those that don't know I spent the better part of two years in that vehicle. Countless hours driving back and forth from Fargo to where-ever my job site was. Even more hours driving it around the job site, and yes even lived in it when the need arose. Watching it drive away with my children waving out of the back window was truly one of the saddest moments in my life. Some of the happiest times I had where in that truck while laughing, joking, and singing to the radio with my kids. I can't wait to see them waving to me from the windshield when they pick me up after this deployment ends :)
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Night Vision

As I said in an earlier post, was going to be doing night vision operations. I managed to get my phone just right to take this. What's weird is after looking through it, everything has a red tint to it.
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Lanes Training

This morning we went out to do a dry run for a task testing certain skills, between selected individuals, drivers and mounted weapons systems. Tonight we are going again to do a dry run testing the same skill sets, but using night optics. At a later date we will be do live fire drills for actual qualification. Its takes skill of shooting for the gunner, total communication between the whole crew, where each soldIer plays a specific and equally important part. I know my explanation is rather vague, but I'd rather play safe then sorry where operational security is concerned. This picture is before heading out for the night dry run.
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Night Driving

Tonight we are going out and getting some training using night vision glasses. It should be fun and interesting. I think all those times I had to go without a contact lens in one eye might have prepared me for this. When a person can use only one eye predominantly, it messes up depth perception. Things sometimes seem closer then they are. So I'll find out. Hopefully without banging up my vehicle.
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