Silver!!!

Today was range day. And, no, it wasn’t an M-16 qualification range day. It was German Schützenschnur range day. Remember a couple of weeks ago when 1/2 the band went to a range? It was the same thing. So today was my turn. We formed at 0700 and headed to Camp Vance, the SF camp where we had our convoy briefing and got our vehicle assignments. I was a passenger in the tail vehicle. Then we left and met up with the Germans and headed outside the wire to the range. There were about 35 vehicles in the convoy. Here they are parked when we got to the range: It was a lot of fun convoying, and we got to go through a town so I saw more kids and people – mainly men.

They got the range set up and broke us into two groups. The band members and some others qualified on rifle first. Here’s a picture of me shooting the rifle: I had to go twice since the soldier before me didn’t tape over his holes and the coudn’t tell which were mine and which were his, but that’s ok. They let me go again right away so I didn’t have to wait around. I qualified Silver on the rifle – we had to fire 16 rounds: 2 standing, 2 kneeling, 2 prone, 2 standing, 2 kneeling, 2 prone, 2 standing, 2 kneeling. Each position was a different target a different distance away. When pretty much everyone in our group was done, I got a picture with one of the German guys to start my collection of pictures of me with soldiers of different countries. Here’s me with Andy, a Sergeant First Class:

After lunch of an MRE, and a whole bunch of waiting around, it was time for our group to go over to the pistol qualification area. Now, I’ve never fired a pistol before, but I did really well. The first section of it was 5 shots at 3 different targets. I hit all 5 of them! The second section was 6 shots, 2 from standing, 2 from kneeling, and 2 from prone, and I got 5 of them. I don’t know where that sixth one went. Here’s a picture of me firing the pistol: Even though I fired Gold on the first round of pistol, it didn’t matter. They go with your lowest all day, so I got a Silver. We had one soldier who did Gold on rifle, Gold on the first round of pistol, and Bronze on the second round so he ended up with Bronze. So what does this all mean? It means that I have now earned a foreign award, and have a cool medal type thing with a cord that I can wear on my dress uniform.

It was a really fun day, but a really long one as well. It sure was good to get into the uparmored humvee for the ride home, and even better to sit and eat dinner at the chow hall (chicken tenders), and the best thing was taking a nice hot shower and getting all clean again. If I get another opportunity to go shoot while I’m here, I’m going to take it.

Here’s a few last pictures from the day for your viewing pleasure. A couple of Afghan children peeking at us from behind the concrete barriers: And some goats that were grazing (on what, I don’t know. . .) behind where we were. No, we weren’t shooting at them.