0500 PT, the gym. (Breakfast is two turkey sandwiches on wheat.) The students don't have a first formation until more than two hours later. We meet them later than that, review yesterday's information, and then tell them to move to a training site. SSG J asks me if he can bum a ride out there, and I inform him I planned on walking with the students. Not to be outdone, he grabs his gear and walks with me. (He was outdone, IMO, because my ruck weighed about 35lb more than his.) We correct a few habits the students are forming and impart some 'wisdom' along the way.
Squad assignments, team assignments. EPW teams, Aid & Litter teams. React to near ambush, front. React to direct fire, front. Cactus. Squad movement and cactus.
Lunch. I ruck back with the students, jogging up and down their staggered columns. SSG J said it best: I like it because I haven't had to do it for real. They keep their interval until we collapse down to negotiate the heavy traffic streets on base. (Lunch is a Diet Rockstar energy drink, two grilled chicken breasts and broccoli in cheese sauce.)
Squad reassignments. Team reassignments. EPW and A&L team reassignments. Grenadier reassignments. More students getting more experience doing more parts of the bigger picture. Movement techniques improved upon, mounted movement begins. React to direct fire while mounted (push through). React to IED + direct fire while mounted (dismount and assault through as near ambush). A female student asks me, "Do you want me to grab all your stuff?" My response: There is nothing of intelligence value on me. More squad movement, more of myself and SFC Kiowa shooting at students.
Critiques: Stay in your own lanes. Keep your interval. Scan you sectors. Watch your battle buddy. Drink water. Sensitive items checks. Stay in your lanes! Look for other soldiers giving hand and arm signals. If you can't stay in your lanes, at least don't shoot each other! Casualty, friendly fire! "You keep that up, and we'll do buddy carries tomorrow from here to the company area and back." Stay in your lanes.
Weapons cleaning. Soldiers trying to get me to reverse decisions made by the Drill Sergeant (no dice).
Tomorrow: Buddy carries (probably not from there to the company area and back). Movement techniques... probably more rucking. Woo.
(Dinner is a crappy Lean Cuisine. Why would I pay money for something with only 220 calories?!? I'm probably eating something else later...)