MOUT

I went through some training on Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) this week. The highlight of the whole thing was that I got to be an enemy sniper.

I was emplaced by an OC (observer controller) in a two-story building that was in the middle of a makeshift/replica town. It was about 8PM and the sky was clear and star filled. There was no moon so the darkness was staggering within my sniper-hide. My mission was to hinder the team/platoons mission.

I stood about three feet back from one of the two open windows looking out towards my platoon area. As I stood in my area I shifted from foot to foot imagining how tough it might be to find me under that hurried, chaotic, moment when I start shooting. Then something made a quick patter near my building. I froze.
I turned my head, trying to ascertain the location. It sounded like it was a solitary unit. I figured that maybe the platoon had sent out some scouts. But the movements were from one thing and one spot.

I thought that maybe an OC might be coming back to talk to me, but the noises moved from my left to right and not towards any buildings. My heart was pounding so strong that I swore I could hear it. The sounds started making their way towards my view. I raised my M-16 up slowly and drew a bead on the corner of the alleyway near my building. A small black shape emerged. I had been sweating for about 15 minutes due to a wild dog.
When my platoon came into town it was much more noticable. I took up position and I let them come up on me. Just like I had for the dog I slowly raised my M-16 and looked down my sights. My heart tried to pound itself through my chest. I slowly moved my selector switch from safe to burst and felt the trigger. My finger tensed and I fired off three blank rounds out the window.

I waited for a few moments, fired a single shot from each window, and paused again. They had located me. I loaded a full clip and started to shoot randomly. My job was to hinder them, so I stayed put and hindered them.

The platoon stormed my area and took me prisoner. It ran very smooth. Even though I put over 100 rounds out. I never triggered anyones MILES gear (laser tag). At this close of range I was sure that I'd get someone.

At the end of the assault I felt pretty glad that I was going with these people who were able to locate and eliminate a sniper. They didn't faulter under the stress of the unknown. They followed their training. Most people here continually underestimate us because we are medics. The beauty of that assumption is that most of us are relatively intelligent and can follow complex direction. Even combat direction. The OCs stated that we worked well together and better than some of the infantry units that had come through the week before. That felt pretty good to hear.

Medic Refresher

I have been going through our medical re-certification and I have found out some pretty critical information from my classes. When people go to hell they must first sit through 10 days of powerpoint presentations. And everyone who runs the slides will read them verbatim and ask questions that can be answered by looking right up at the slides. Then people will go through a SRP or SRC. The lines will be long and there will be nothing to do but to mindlessly move down the line from station to station.

The medical training would be interesting if a good percent of our company were not working in some medical setting in the real world. I guess "interesting" is not the word; maybe a "good refresher".

The text book was made by the Association of Orthopedic Surgeons. I have decided that if I need emergency care that maybe orthopedic surgeons are no more suited to care for me than orthopedic shoe salesmen. I used to moan when I had to read my Mosby book... Now I would gladly read that thing over the crap that I have seen in that book.

After day 6 I started drawing with SPC True-Believer. I would draw the head of some beast, fold over the paper, extend some reference lines, and let him draw the next portion of the monster. We came up with some pretty interesting drawings. Although, True-Believer is a much better artist than I could ever hope to be.