30 AUG 06
Ranger EarthPig,
I'm feeling much more positive, now that Red Phase has ended, but there's still the blissfully long road to Gold Phase that looms overhead. I'll just have to suck it up and drive on.
Let's see what's happened so far. We revisited the Confidence Course for the high obstacles, but there's nothing too interesting to tell. Basically, if you're afraid of heights you will have a lot more fum doing it than I did, but it kicks major ass if you can smoke a certain onstacle.
I got assigned team leader for 4th Squad, while at the .50 cal range. We got to fire the Mark19, also. I was the last person to go, so the SGT told me to clear the two crates remaining. Cool stuff!
We did Eagle Tower this Monday, and our DS set off a daisey chain of phone calls that got our company permission to bound off the wall instead of just walking down. The coolest thing happened after my OPT40 Battle Buddy and I ravaged the combat crawl on the A-frame obstacles. Our DS was sitting there performing his duty when we set down on the platform. He stops what he's doing , looks up at me and says, "You got Ranger in your contract?" "Yes, Drill SGT!" He nods and looks away. Made me feel pretty righteous.
Thank you for the information on the RIP/Station questions. I haven't been thinking about it at all lately, because my stress has been more directed towards finishing OSUT.
This brings me back to my graduation from Red Phase. For any curious DEPpers: Looking back, Red Phase is just a blur. It doesn't go by nearly as fast as it should, but this is the best way I can describe it. I remember three days. The first day, the Gas Chamber, and the Obstacle Course. The other 18 days were a blur, indistinguishable from one another. There hasn't been a more satisfying feeling so far than the Company Commander telling us we were moving on. Red Phase does end. Just don't be stupoid and get yourself kicked right back into it (or not advance at all like 1st Platoon).
There are different struggles here. Mentally coping with the new environment, physically dealing with the fitness program, and emotionally dealing with the separation from your comfort zone. There have been 2 separate days where I dealt with all three, and I gotta say, if I didn't control it, I couldn't make it. You have to master one, two, or all three of these struggles in ordere to be completely comfortable here, and that's really never going to happen. Myself, I chose mental. I have a strong mind, so I use that to my advantage, while my weak body gets beaten to a pulp. Soon I hope to master my strength, too.
Upcomings: 13 hour pass (I hope), Bayonet AC, AGRs, BRM (Friday). Mostly just BRM for the next 2 weeks, so we'll see how it goes.
Keeping a sane head,
Zelse
Dude.....Rangers never, ever use the word blissful.
Use something like "deadly," "shredded," or "demon seed" in its place. Keep driving on...you'll be wearing a blue braid on your shoulder in no time.RLTW
EP
