Medical and Yard Work - August 12

So today we started Combat Lifesaver Training. Got briefed on how to evaluate a casualty, open an airway, and stop bleeding. Learned to bandage and tourniquet wounds too. Medical training continues until Sunday and we'll do various things such as call for MEDEVAC, transport a casualty, insert an IV (which we do to each other), etc. The exact training we are receiving was tested with Task Force 1-19 in Afghanistan and during a 3 month period with 32 casualties they were 0 KIA and 0 died of wounds, so we know it works.

Our platoon was issued some of our heavy weapons too, we received 2 M249 SAWs, 1 M240B machine gun and a MK19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, which sits all nice and pretty in our bay. Before you ask, yes we were taught to disassemble them and are encouraged to do so at least until we break something. Google the weapons for pictures, they're beautiful machines and yes we will get to shoot them.

After dinner chow we got to do yard work, from which I got two of the greatest basic training stories ever. I won't write them here though, write me if you want to know, so I get the pleasure of your personal reactions!