I Sell Body Armor for a Living but.....

Another day in Kuwait. Today was a "sighting in day" where we had to make sure our rifle and pistol were sighted in correctly. Officers are rewarded with having to carry 2 weapons but I much prefer the pistol. I'll be able to stow the rifle once I get to our base in Iraq.

We drove about an hour to the firing range in the middle of the desert. The only thing I saw were camels, young and old, moving about. The weather was hot but not humid. It was also quite windy with sand blowing everywhere. Imagine sitting at the beach in Ft. Lauderdale on a windy day. It blows in your face (and everywhere else) and plays havoc on your weapons. While waiting for our turn to shoot, we practiced several shooting tactics, including the prone position. Try doing that with full body armor (front and sides) and a helmet to boot. I sell body armor for a living but wearing it all day long is not my idea of fun. I have a new found respect for all the war fighters who have to work in body armor day in and day out. At least I can say I understand their business and mean it.

We pulled out the MREs for lunch. Mine was beef stew. It was another great meal but I couldn't help think how much better it would be with a good Spanish Rioja or Bordeaux wine. Then I got to thinking I won't taste wine for another 6-7 months. That was hard to imagine.

When it came to my time to shoot. I had to carefully get down in the prone position, making sure I did not bury the barrel or magazine receiver in the sand. Then I had to get my cheek (face) on the butt stock, somehow overcoming the obstacles of the body armor below and helmet above. I am usually a good shot, but in this case I just wanted to get through this as soon as possible. Again, I have great respect for the guys who do this all the time.

The first responsiblity after shooting your weapon is to clean it. So as soon as we returned, following a nice shower, it was off to the armory to clean my pistol and rifle. Sand was everwhere. I was suprised the weapons worked at all. Now I have to carry both with me everywhere until we get to Iraq. There's no threat here. I just have to hold onto them whether I shower or write emails, such as now. The rifle is on the desk in front of me and the pistol under my arm. They're like another appendage! It reminds me of boot camp.

I had a nice dinner at the Dining Facility which offers almost anything you want, including great deserts and ice cream. I have held off until now, finally submitting to the desert gods with some vanilla ice cream (Loretta, I had a salad with tomatoes). If you don't like their dinner you can buy meals at the local Subway, KFC, Pizza Hut, or McDonalds on base. A touch of home!

Well it's late here and I must catch up on my beauty sleep. More to follow in the days ahead.