Field Training - Chap school week 6

After the academic first four weeks of Chaplain school, we began phase II, preparation for RMTEX -- four days of field training to get us ready to serve with Marines. We said goodbye to two Chaplain Candidates and welcomed three Rabbis. We were issued packs, camping equipment and a gas mask.

On Monday, October 28th we headed to another part of Fort Jackson in the forest. We setup our bivouac (camping site). There was a warehouse, which we didn’t use much, we set up a command tent and 15 two-person tents. We had one porta-potty for all the guys, and Ms. Short had one all to herself. :)  We also setup a male hygiene area for shaving, brushing teeth, changing and the liberal use of baby wipes (no showers in the field!)

Home sweet Home for 4 days

MREs - we ate pre-packaged "Meals Ready to Eat." My favorite was Maple Sausage, which came with coffee, peanut butter and crackers and of course the water activated heater element!

Obstacles to Overcome

The first three days, we engaged in various team building events and Confidence courses. Here's some pics...

The first morning, we had a series of obstacles that we had to figure out and conquer as a team.

 

This one we had to climb a straight wall using a board and then lower teammates to a "bridge." We could touch any of the white parts and had to use wooden boards to make the bridge span. Also the black rubber around it was like "hot lava" -- you touch you die!

 

 

Here's Jamil again trying to reach a pillar with a board in the next challenge.

 

 

Here's Jason and Rabbi Baumann in an interfaith board hugging committee, I think :)

 

 

In this scenario, using wood boards and balance, we had to get everyone plus the injured "Corporal Green" from one side to the other over the two framed obstacles....without touching any white parts!

 

 

Next we had some training on how to use our IFAKs (Individual First Aid Kits) in a battle situation. After being shown how to use it, a team of four entered a simulated battle space to locate, pull to safety and apply first aid to a mannequin whose legs were blown off. 

 

 

Here is our bad ass Gunny!

 

 

 

I think it was the second day, we arrived at this structure. It was a 35 foot high series of (slippery) wooden beams that we had to climb up...

 

...and then flip ourselves over...

 

and climb back down!

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Later, we climbed up a tower and then climbed down underneath a rope.

 

Here was a race. Inclined rope climb up an obstacle and down a rope on the other side. I got some serious rope burn on this one!

Maruszewski and Hoeppel go head to head!

 

 

Nice face, Ryan!

Fisher and Commander Moore race!

One of the events was called the "5 Walls." we were split into teams of 4. Our task was to get our team over 5 walls. The first wall most people were able to climb over. The second wall was harder. by the third wall the team had to start planning how to get everyone over. Two people would be helped up and sit on top of the wall to pull people over.

Holly gets a little boost from teammates

Orthodox priest Father Chris and Ryan Krause prepare to pull a teammate up the wall. 

Dave and Francisco help up Tony

Some used ropes to get over the higher walls

 

Ryan Krause gets a step up.

Rabbi Cosmov walking up the last wall!

 



 

 Other obstacles were like being at a playground...

This one we had to rope climb over a wall...

 

 

...then climb across a metal pole to a rope and climb down.

 

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This one was easy...

 

We then wiggled under barbed wire in a sand pit

 

 

Here's Jon aka Zeus (my roommate from ODS) hurdling over obstacles followed by Jamil (my roommate from Chap school)

 

This next one looked easy...

 

We had to swing on a rope and land on top of a wooden beam without falling off....

 

And then....the "Weaver!"

 

 

Oh boy. This one we had to climb over one beam, and underneath the next and then over the next all the way up and all the way down....

 

 

Day 3 -- Repel Tower! 

Before sunrise we headed to the repel tower. We ate some MREs for breakfast and waited for the sun. Then we were instructed to tie on a "Swiss Seat" rope harness. We trained briefly to repel down a small inclined wall.

 

 

 

Then, we climbed up the 40 foot repel tower! 

 

 

First we were clipped in and had to lean over an Say "Repel on Lane 4", to which our belay replied "Belay on Lane 4"

 

Then we climbed over the edge onto a ledge and had to lower ourselves into a "sit" position with our legs perpendicular to the wall. It was scary the first time.

 

Then the idea was to push off the wall as you release the brake hand and hop down the wall.  Very cool. I repelled three times.

 

Next we headed to some rope obstacles,  Climb a rope bridge...

 

 

..head first climb on TOP of a rope...

 

...unless off course you can't stay on top....

 

Rabbi "KB" Kaiserblueth making it look easy!

 

After the "two rope bridge" we had to climb down a 40 foot cargo net.

 




The Rabbis prayed hard for us that day! 

  

After a lovely afternoon in the gas chamber we got to meet a marine General Simmons, who gave us a talk about what he needs from a chaplain.

 

Day 4 - Land Navigation

 

The last day was a day of land navigation. We were given a map and coordinates and had to plot the points and calculate azimuth (angle) and distance to travel to each point. My team found 4 of 5 points after walking 9 miles. We packed up camp and got our 60-70 lb packs ready for the evening "hump" home from the Night Nav site.

 

In the evening, after a shared MRE dinner, we did Night Navigation. We had to maintain "light and noise discipline" -- limited use of flash lights with red lens and virtually no conversation. The target coordinates were a lot closer but it was night. It was amazing how well you can see at night once your eyes get used to it. My team located all five points after about 4 miles of walking. We used the "fire roads" to our advantage which made it easier.

 

After all teams reported back we donned our large packs with our "assault" packs (little day packs) and marched 2.5 miles back to base camp. It was a grueling end to a 17 hour day. The amazing thing was that we all made it back. I would have bet that many of us would have fallen out and not be able to go any further after a mile. But working together and encouraging each other, we were able to keep going. As the Gunny said, "The mind will fail before the body does."

 

 

--- Next blog -- will be about the end of Chap school and my cross country trip! Stay tuned! ---