"Clothes do make the man!" Black Hawk Down and the Gamers Generation

Day three and we continue our Bosnian/Croatian method acting - PT gear yet again. Needless to say it looks and smells a little ripe around here. I think it's a third platoon issue because first, second and fourth platoons have their uniforms. They look imposing – We look ragtag. They actually begin to form up in tight cohesive units. We, on the other hand, gather more like a herd of cats. I'm starting to think Patton was right on the money in enforcing strict uniform requirements for his troops. (They even wore ties during the desert campaign) We march to the field as a "unit" for weapons training familiarization – our first attempt at formation movement. I use the term formation for descriptive purposes only, yes we are in the Navy and no - this does not come naturally – We are more adept at navigating single file through tight passage ways. Some how we manage … as organized as, well, a herd of cats.

It turns out the field is more of a piece of land attached to a parking lot with trailers. We break off into several groups and spread out to various areas that have been set up with assorted props to learn the fundamentals, and I mean basics, of 9mm and M-16 training aiming and movement -sans ammo - probably one of the best decisions the cadre has made to date. Some of the folks head off to the trailers with their M-16. I hear firing inside and assume it's a fortified indoor shooting range. After finishing the rotation in about 2 hours we standby for a long wait for our turn in the trailer. I am beginning to understand the theory of "Stand by!"

For lunch we get a unique surprise, Capt Jeff Struecker was at FT Jackson and came to speak with us. If the name sounds familiar then you know your military history. Anyone who has seen "Blackhawk Down" (One of my favorites) will know he was a SSgt. and truck leader in Somalia during the highly publicized incident. Meeting him and hearing his experience first hand both energizes me and raises the hair on the back of my neck. Extremely sobering – watch the movie. He has become a Chaplain if that tells you anything.

Many hours of standing by to stand by later I get my chance to experience one of the coolest uses of tax payer monies ever. Hidden inside the façade of a Texas tornado magnet (trailer home) is a highly interactive video game; complete with a shooting line of M-16A2 weapons that mimic the real thing. On the back of the trailer – a solid wall of video. You shoot - the game responds recoil sound and all. It even has per lane instant replay and video analysis to educate you on the shortcomings of your shot. Wow - the Army really understands how to train the gamer's generation. I learned more about my shooting proficiency in that 30 minute session than in 30 some odd years of rifle ownership. I'm hooked and no matter its 17:00 and time for chow, I don't want to leave. Even after hitting 40 of 40, I, and a couple other shipmates… err battle buddies, request another "training" opportunity to make up for "deficiencies" in our shooting skills.

Here Struecker in his own words:
Staff Sgt. Jeff Struecker,
http://inquirer.philly.com/packages/somalia/who.asp#STRUECKER