Zero Day

I met with a few of my NCO's today for the first time in a Platoon Leadership capacity. The soldiers in my Platoon spent the majority of the day cleaning night optics, while I and my acting Platoon Sergeant went to a Company level sync meeting. We will be taking our Rifle Platoon back to Hardrock to facilitate training a common base of Training. Crusader, where we are currently located, is primarily a Tank/Armor Company, my Platoon is on loan from Hardrock.

Immediately I received a few extra duties. Within the first quarter of 2010, I will be responsible for facilitating and overseeing M203 grenade launcher training and Close Quarters Marksmanship/Close Quarters Battle training. The CQM/CQB will include team level live fire in a shoot house with live ammunition! Beats being an accountant.

Tomorrow morning I will meet with the Platoon before PT, in the afternoon I'll sign for thousands of dollars worth of equipment. On Wednesday we are going to the virtual Call For Fire trainer. By the end of the week 90% of the unit will be gone on block leave, and I will have plenty of time to work on the details of running my ranges, my Platoon Sergeant counseling, concurrent training ideas, and everything else...

Background

I started this nearly two years ago now.... February 2009 I began working on acceptance to the US Army Officer Candidate School (see Road to OCS). September 2009, immediately after my daughter was born, I began the course and commissioned in December the same year. Branching Armor, I was initially hoping to become a Cavalry Officer, I went to Fort Knox and waited nearly four months for Armor Basic Officer Leaders Course to begin. August of 2010 I graduated and planned to head off to Ranger School. I ended up taking a detour due to a needed surgery, I arrived at my first duty station as an Officer in late 2010. The 3rd Infantry Division was finishing up a year long deployment in Iraq, and I waited patiently on Battalion Staff. Now, the Division is back, I'm still recovering from surgery, and I will meet my Platoon for the first time tomorrow morning.

It seems that I will be taking an Infantry Platoon (Mechanized)... Around 40 men, trained to kill, experienced in combat... Wow.

It's definitely not a Cavalry Platoon, and I have NO complaints...