Week2.3 (Thurs/Fri)

Hey Gang - I'm off to something called the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in a minute, but thought I'd update y'all. The last couple of days we've been doing various obstacle courses. Yesterday we did the confidence course (my personal favorite so far) - here are some pics from the range. I sort of cheated on my profile and did all the obstacles in my sneakers...my heal is VERY much improved and I had no problems with the course. I was also able to get better fitting boots yesterday evening - I STRONGLY recommend you get a pair called Altama's (we call them sneaker boots - they're light weight and the bottoms look like sneakers and they fit/wear like sneakers) - for those of you who are reading this with CHOBC in your future - either way, DO BREAK IN YOUR BOOTS BEFORE YOU GET HERE!!

Please pray for me today as I go on this exercise. This is expected to be the most physically demanding part of the course and I think is designed to simulate deployment conditions. Pray my heals hold up (left one is ok, but still a little sensitive in one spot). Talk to y'all in 5 days (we'll be back Wends). -Ter You had to shimmy down this upside down on your ankles (I didn't do this one as I didn't have boots on)
This is our platoon (PTL) leadership team - the PLT leader and 4 squad leaders, we had dinner the other night and got to know each other some.
This was the BEST obstacle - you had to walk over a log (climb over some stairs in the middle) and go up a ladder - after this you got strapped into a parachute harness and jump off a tower down a cable - HOKA HEY!

Week 2: Tuesday/Wednesday

Hey Gang - not much to report right now. I did decide to have my heel looked at yesterday as one area was not healing properly. I am on something called 'profile' for the next few days and allowed to wear sneakers and not run (bummer there, but we haven't been doing any in PT this week, so ok so far). I just wanted to be sure I'd be able to fully participate in Sat-Wends field exercise we'll be going on this week - I hear we'll get to rappel the Victory tower - I CAN'T WAIT (or miss that!). So here are some pics (to the left are the offending footwear):

It was one of the women's birthday, so we all went out to dinner - we almost got all the women at this CHOBC - just missed one!

We do this 'bus' thing from time to time - can you pick me out? (I'll give you a hint, I'm on the left in the camouflage uniform...)


New friends: L-R: Ola and Kitisha.



Well, I'm outta time - thanks for rooting for me, I sure appreciate it! Stay in touch!!

Week 2.1 (Weekend + Monday)

Hi Gang! The weekend was BLESSEDLY mellow and uneventful. Today was another story. Today I can officially say I have been gassed by the US government. We had to do the practical application of gas mask usage. They say it's it so we will learn that our gas masks are reliable and so that we'll be able to identify some with victims of a gas attack. Apparently this the gas they used on us is a version of the gas Saddam used to kill 1500 of his own people when he was testing it out. It's miserable, nasty stuff.

At first, I didn't think the whole thing was so bad - we marched into the chamber (20 of us) and the instructors in there had us line up shoulder to shoulder against the walls (we had our masks on before we got in there). One at a time they had us raise our masks, say our full names and social security number (this was so we'd get some gas in our masks and have to clear it properly). So far, ok, no big deal - I got to feel the gas (a skin irritant) burn my facial skin a little, but not unbearable. Then came the hard part. In order to leave we had to fully remove our masks and just be in the gas for 15 seconds. Sounds easy, right? I thought so. They warned us that we would want to panic when we took off our masks. They told us we would need to fight that instinct and stay in control. I fought that fight. When I took off that mask, almost immediately I felt my body begin to freak out. I couldn't breath, my eyes and face were stinging and it was very hot all of a sudden. I held it together enough to get out. I thought that would be it - ok, game over - now breath again and get on with it, right? Once I hit the air, all I wanted to do was hit the ground. I still couldn't breath or see and my skin still burned. I felt like coughing and throwing up all at the same time, but nothing would come out. (I'm so thankful I took a classmate's advice and skipped breakfast). I was also grateful there was a sergeant at the end calling encouragement to me to keep moving and flap and breath (you had to flap your arms to get the gas off you - the only antidote to this gas is fresh air). God was gracious; there was a cool (more so than the chamber) breeze that came up as I was walking out that really helped me clear the gas. It was really a scary thing for about 2-3 minutes there, even know this was minor and people were looking out for us.

As I did two short laps around a loop flapping, I really felt like crying. Not because of the physical ordeal (that really wasn't so bad), but because I know there are people who have died in that. It was a sickening, sobering, saddening thought that one human being could do that to another and leave someone to die in that. I've been pondering/praying about that all day.

PR
-Pray for people in countries where biological and chemical warfare is still practiced (Iraq, Iran, etc.); pray for God's mercy and protection.

Day 6

(This is some of my AMAZING Squad! 2nd Squad, 4th Platoon))

Well, today was mixed. On the one hand I got to learn how to do something called D and C - Drill and ceremony (ie: how to march). That was really fun - the Platoons all competed at the end of the session to see who came out the best. My platoon (4th) came in 3rd of 4...not a total loss, but not a total win either...room to grow...(our motto is "Last Shall Be First"...we've got some way to go to make that true! This day reminded me of my college marching band. I hated it, but not the marching part - it was the playing an marching part I disliked (I never liked putting my instrument in jeopardy). I remember complaining to God about having to do marching band in college. Today I had to apologize for that criticism as the Lord used it to prepare me for today. *sigh*


The mixed part was that someone called our SGL (Staff Group Leader - a senior Chaplain and trainer here at the school and our direct officer commander in the 'official' (non-student) ranks) assigned us a 2 mile/2x a week march in our new boots. Well, as you can imagine, that didn't go so well - the picture to the left is of my left heel - hamburger. Rubbed the skin right off on that hike last night - which of course, made today a virtual nightmare to walk...I did what I needed to do, but couldn't hide the limp. Got a lot of care in it, though. The guys all rallied around me throughout the day with helpful suggestions and one did a stellar job of bandaging up the wound so I could drill today. I really don't want to miss anything and am thoroughly enjoying the training. I knew I'd have most of Saturday off (out of boots), so I thought I'd just push through today. Got through it, but was a little too short with a Colonel who adjusted me quickly - we're ok, I apologized and he forgave and kindly ordered me to have an NCO (non-commissioned officer) look at my ankle (which I did). It more just tried my patience today than anything else - I don't want to be injured this early in the training (I'm so happy my PT test is over!) Tomorrow, I will rest and get lots of air on this.

PR:
- Pray for Keith, one of my squad members - he had to quit and go home today due to a crisis in his church. It was sad for us all to see him go - we know what it took to get here. We prayed over him as a group as he left.
- Pray for quick recovery of my heal(s) (the other one's a little banged up too -yes, I know about mole-skin and inserts and wearing an extra pair of socks- am on it!)
- We are preparing to get gassed. (really) We were issued gas masks today and will receive training on how to use (deploy) them Sunday afternoon. I've heard lots of gnarly stories about this experiance, so pray I acquit myself well.
- We are also preparing to spend a week 'in the field' at something called a FOB (Forward Operating Base) - don't know what this is or where - but we've been issued everything from Kevlar helmets and flack jackets to sleeping bags - sort of sounds like an extremists' camping trip...Pray what ever comes to mind ....
- I'm having to do 20 pull ups a day (my whole platoon is thanks to SGL - just to stregnth us, not to punish) - I can't even do 1 - my platoon has to help me up over the bar - please pray I would at least get to the point where I can do a couple - I feel bad making these guys work so hard!
- Please also pray for me as squad leader - there are a lot of responsibilities (it seems like I'm learning new ones every day). Pray I do well, or step aside gracefully should the need arise.

Thanks for all you who have been pulling for me for the PT test these past 2 years! I couldn't have done it without all you ongoing encouragement and support! Thanks Nancee for sending me a terrific letter (my first mail here!)!! Thanks Lynette for calling/debriefing with me most days!!

Days 4-5

I PASSED MY PT TEST COMPLETELY!! I did the 2 mile run in a personal record of 19.30 (or40)something (I never did get the exact time), did 50 sit-ups in under 2 minutes (I gave out at 1:30, really), and 20 (one kinda' squishy, but the scorer let it go) push ups in under 2 minutes. I also passed the weight requirement! This was a diagnostic test, so it means I am in terrific shape to be taking the 'real' test in three weeks. Today was very exhausting. Not much to say about yesterday - we just got issued some gear and spent a lot of time waiting around for stuff. Tomorrow is the first day we will all be in uniform...I'm very excited...
but now I need to sleep...(3am wake up call for 4am drill...) - peace, ter

Day 3

Great day today. We learned a lot about Military courtesy and customs, did more paperwork and did a little PT instructional. Apparently there's a hurricane on, so we've been getting a LOT of rain. It was cloudy, but not raining all day until we were doing out PT - then it decides to rain. Of course. Here's a shot of me after our first PT in the rain. We also re-formed into Platoons (4 Platoons make a company - as a class we form a company); I'm in 4th Platoon and am 2nd Squad leader - learning tons and have great guys to work with - and yes, I am the only woman in my platoon. We start PT pre-testing tomorrow, though my platoon won't go until Thursday. I'm a little nervous about that, but there are a lot of folks here who will need to work on their PT and the instructors have been very encouraging about it so far.

Prayer Reqs:
- Continued flexibility
- Ability to learn quickly all the things I will need to do and be accountable for as squad leader.
- God's mercy/grace/gifting to be a good squad leader
- Good sleep - doing better here, but still needs to be even better than it is!

Thanks Gang! - love, ter

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!

Day 1-2: USACHOBC (US Army Chaplain Office Basic Course)

Well, here we are kids! Like the guy in this stock photo to the left, I feel that I am somewhat dangling in mid-air, but loving ever minute of it! After two years of planning, prayer and preparation, I have safely arrived at Ft Jackson, SC and have been getting familiar with the base, people and culture of this Ft and my new mission to Military Ministry. So far, VERY COOL. We've been treated EXTREMELY well so far - given lots of 'hand holding' and grace as we're being shepherded to the various paperwork/instructional events we have to attend. We're still in civilian clothes (civies) but will probably be 'suiting up' starting Friday. I've already made the cardinal mistake of volunteering (*GASP*) to be a squad leader - no idea what I'm doing, but thought it would be the best time to volunteer - the expectations are low and grace is high. So far all I've really needed to do is make sure/lead my squad onto a bus, line them up in formation and collect some money from them - a little stressful since we are a class of 131 people (incidentally, there are 7 of us who are women and apparently this is a class record!). The guys are great so far and are living up to my expectations for pastors and officers; I expect that image will take some 'scuffing up' over the next few weeks, but what can one do? We got uniforms, ID badges, 'dog' tags (ID tags), registered our vehicles (POVs - Personally Owned Vehicles) on base and did a billion other bits of paper that will at some point result in getting paid. We start early (getting earlier every day), but are not yet doing PT (Physical Training)- that starts later this week I'm told.

Our class motto is "Pro Deo et Patri - Get It Done!" Which we shout at the top of our lungs at the beginning an end of each group session. I'm rather wrapped up in the novelty of it all still and am loving that I have a 'battle buddy' (and that I get to say things like "Yes, sergeant I have a Battle Buddy!" and "Yes , Moving ," then running to the object of the conversation (just picking up papers so far).) The moral is terrific so far, just a few people seem to just really not be happy, everyone seems at least ok. Our sergeant Dawson tells us there is no such thing as a bad day in the Army - a Bad Day is when someone comes home dead. We just have good days and great days. Whoa.

I'm living in a single hotel room. It's fairly scuzzy (just found out we have roaches...!!....), but I am alone, have cable TV, VCR/DVD and high speed internet. I also have nights and weekends off. Not a horrible life so far. I guess the pace will be more bent toward the days. I also do not yet have home work, though I hear I will at some point.

Today's Prayer Requests:
-Good/restful sleep (worry-free)
-For the Chaplains/soldiers here who are having a hard time being here
-God's protection of my heart and mind as the 'games' begin
-Solid connection with Jesus as my leader/guide and friend here
-Continued good connection with the other women here (we've already experience some AWESOME fellowship together, but it will be easy to forget/loose in the business of the days)

Thanks for checking in on me! I may not have time/energy to write you back right away, but I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to hear from you here. I will try to update this every day or two (as much for a journal for me as to keep you in updated prayer!) Blessings and Peace, Ter