On to Germany

The team has deployed to Hohenfels, Germany to the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JRMC) to work with a US Brigade Combat Team (BCT) that is going to Iraq. We left FT Riley, KS on 13 AUG and arrived in Germany on the 14th. The actual movement was pretty uneventful (outside of a little excitement when our weapons cases didn’t show up with our baggage, but that was quickly sorted out: The German security service wanted to move the cases separately from the rest of the luggage.) I am good with the extra security and all, just let me know BEFORE all of the luggage is gone and they are shutting down the baggage claim area.

JRMC is a training event based around a US BCT using external evaluators and realistic OPFOR. Most everyone in the Army has been to a training center like this before, either at FT Irwin, CA (National Training Center) or at FT Polk, LA (Joint Readiness Training Center). This one just happens to be in a foreign country.

We draw vehicles, radios and other equipment tomorrow, then we will start team level training until all of the official training events start up.

TEAM NOTE: SFC C will not be deploying with us to Iraq, he has some back issues and ended up with some stress fractures in his foot. SFC C is a great soldier, total team player and will be a solid asset to his next unit, we are all sad to see him go.

We also had to leave MSG P (Sweetface) behind while his stomach gets checked out. He should join back up with us when we click our heels together, say "there is no place like home, there is no place like home, there is no place like home" and get back to KS.

Two new team names have been assigned:

MAJ L will now be known as Superman. On several occasions, he has swooped in at the last minute and executed a super human feat. First on the night .50 caliber machine gun range, we had to have two firers qualify with the weapon. MAJ L was the first qualifier, and SFC T was supposed to be the second, unfortunately, SFC T was having an off night with the system. On the last possible firing order, MAJ L coached up SFC T well enough that he qualified. His next superhuman feat was as we were traveling to Germany. Somehow he managed to talk an innocent travel agent into upgrading some of our tickets from coach to first class for the flight from Detroit to Germany, huge difference.

SFC T will now be known as Smooth. Some of the ways SFC T handles situations make it seem like he is moving very smoothly. On the converse of that, when he does something that is kind of humorous, it is pointed out that whatever he did was not so smooth. Case and point: Our bus driver in Germany stopped at a McDonald’s for lunch on the way from the airport to Hohenfels Training Area. The rest of the team manages to order basic McDonald’s food, broken German, broken English, broken McDonaldish and we got pretty much what we wanted. SFC T, after flying all nightt, riding on a bus for 4 hours and being immersed in the intricate German culture of a McDonalds, could only manage to point to the picture on the menu and wait for the cashier to confirm his order. Pretty Smooth.