Chapter Six

First day of the gunfighter phase was a test of our PT.

I was stunned when I scored at the bottom of what I would need when I entered ranger school. Both Les and El scored higher. Even my battle buddy buddy Rami scored higher. I first met Rami in first aid we saved each others lives. When we did the buddy carries I carried him on my shoulders. When we did the ruck march I carried him when he was too exhausted to go on.

When we enlisted Les, El and me signed up in the army buddy system. It helped Nuestras familias, mami papi and mi hermanos. Les and Dariel convinced sus familias the same way. We would train together and deploy together. Rami was now my battle buddy.

My PT score was better than when I started but even with all the blood, flop sweat, fire-ants bites, gas gagging and tears. I was still on the bottom of what I needed to continue into ranger training.

Next was chow, we usually get fifteen minutes today we were a little late so our 'culinary specialist' informed us we had eight minutes to shovel those groceries down your throats and get the hell out of his dining facility.

We were all looking forward to the firing range. First time since joining the army.

No real bullets yet, but it is fun trying for the best shooter. Rami is the best, all grouped in a two inch radius. He wanted to get extra training towards being a sniper. The rest of use went from basically scatter shot to being able to group into about a five inch radius.

We were marching back from the ranges with full kit - helmets, rifles - but instead of a drill sergeant leading, our CO (Commanding Officer), an Ranger captain who'd served in Iraq, decided to lead.
From his position at the head of the company, he began with the usual, "A-ten- hut!"
We all Snapped to attention!
Then, he about-faced away from us and raised his arm.
"For-ward - Harch! (March)"

We all of us strode off at a measured pace of synchronized 30-inch strides, 130 boots stomping the road at about 100 stomps per minute, when the captain - who's not wearing a fucking steel helmet or carrying a weapon - decides it's time to run and calls:

"Double time - Harch!"
And we doubled the pace, which at the end of long day just gets old fast. As does chanting the Airborne Ranger lyrics.

From my position in the middle of the pack, where I couldn't see our CO up ahead, I was surprised to hear his command to transition so soon from double-time back to the easier,

"Forward Harch!"
And we happily slowed.
Except the captain did not.
He kept running all by himself for more than a few strides until he realized that his company was falling behind at half his Ranger pace.
Fuck, was he pissed.
He never found out who impersonated his voice so well, and no one confessed or snitched, so we all pounded out pushups in the middle of the that road as Captain Ranger strode up and down the lines asking if we thought this was funny.

We had all figured out how to spot a rhetorical question and not respond.

Later we figured out it had been Lester, the class clown, it was funny as hell.

One morning we were all doing our PT our drill sergeant for this was Sergeant Pyle. I'm doing my pushups when Pyle comes by he stopped. I kept pressing down and up with the other guys, counting out the numbers, t I saw his boots out of the corner of my eye.

'What are you doing Manaso?'

I'm thinking it's fairly obvious. It didn't sound like a rhetorical question, it could be a trick question. In answering a question you have figure out which type question it might be. Now you also need to use the correct tone of voice or they might think you are being a smart-ass, in which case you get a lap around the grounds on the way to shit's creek.

The first time I heard about Shit's Creek. I didn't know where it was, its source or to where it flowed, but I didn't want to be up it. In retrospect is could be thought of as a tool for learning navigation of being in the army.

Now if you are wondering where it is. I after much research have been led to understand this fabled fecal creek which runs through every Army base worldwide since 1776. When old George loaded his troops onto those old rowboat and navigated the creek Christmas night to surprise the King's troops in the morning, when the Kings troops were suffering from their Christmas celebrations well into the night before.

It is also a place where many a soldier has navigated in the morning after celebration while nursing their hangover.

So after thoughtful consideration I carefully answered. 'Pushups sir.'

Now you notice I didn't ask 'why sir' although I may wondered why he would ask what you are doing while pushing up and down from the ground. For me to have asked that followup question would certainly result in a navigational experience in shit's creek. So I withheld that question figuring it would be explained.

'You are doing them wrong'

'You are doing them crooked, you favor your left arm.'

I stopped, remaining in the up position.

'I don't understand, Drill Sergeant.' I said.

'Do another one' he said.

I did another one and he was right, I hurt my left shoulder fighting when I was in the gangs. It still is weaker to this day.

''Idiot! Stand up!' and he removed his drill sergeant hat and handed it to me as he shoved me aside and dropped to show me how
to do a proper Army pushup.
"See?" he shouted as he pushed down and up in precise army form, I didn't answer so he repeated, down, nose to the ground, and then up again.

'See? My arms are equally spaced! Pushing up and down evenly'

He did a few more, showing me how good he was at pushups and what an idiot I was for not doing them correctly as I stood there by now the entire company had, stopped to stare toward me and Pyle at my feet doing pushups.
"See the difference, Manaso ?! "

I figured there'd never be another opportunity in this man's Army, so I answered in the dumbest, ignorant voice I could,

'Not really, Drill Sergeant.' And down he did it again, each time shouting back describing the perfect form, senior drill sergeant Sherman came by the company and 'What are you doing Pyle?'

I'm demonstrating pushups, Sergeant Sherman sir'

'On your feet!' Senior Drill Sergeant Sherman shouted, the company stood and assumed the parade rest position, staring straight ahead not looking either direction.

Sergeant Sherman just shook his head and turned away.

All in all, a pretty great way to end the day.

In two weeks we start to learn real maneuvers. The first is the anvil, more commonly caller the hammer.

Before that we learned about the thrill of the mud pit.

Cleaned our rifles about a thousand times. That helped build a close and personal relationship with our rifle. We continued honing our shooting skills, all four of us could now shot a grouping of on inch, Ram continues to be the best. He seems to be well on his way to his goal of sniper.

We are halfway through basic training.

Note:

For you army geeks. In this time the year 2002 the army still used M16, in 2010 they changed to the M4