BMT 6 Day Field Camp

Day 1, 27 July 2007

Putting on the heavy field pack, walking to the outer path of BMTC2, mentally preparing myself for the 8km route march; I had to fall out from the 6km route march at 4km held last week. The first 2km felt great, with a light spring in my step and singing out our army songs, even national day songs. However after that the weight began to set in, the rocky, uneven road had me always trying to keep balance, the heat and the sweat start to irritate. Stopping at about 3km for a break was welcoming, but we were supposed to walk 4km before the break. The load off for just 5 minutes helped us continue for the remaining 3-4km. It was great managing to keep up the pace, but I slowed down at the last 500m. Overall I felt it was a good achievement, since I missed most of my route marches. It wasn't really 8km, but just at my limit then at 6-7km, it was a good challenge. When we took off our LBV, field pack and helmet at the camp site, we could see steam, like, emitting from our bodies.

We then went to build up our bashas and dig drains to prevent water flooding in. Just when I was wondering how useful the drains can be, it started to rain. Quite heavily, in fact, until our drains were half filled, and the bashas on the lower ground started to accumulate a mud pool beside them.

Lunch was the first time I had combat rations where I was supposed to, out in the field. I tried combat rations before, and it was really nice, the pasta, nasi briyani, so when the others said it'll suck I totally believed otherwise. And it really was great. Eating from that green pack was interesting, kind of like eating from a squeeze tube, like toothpaste. Not that I've eaten toothpaste before! Well maybe in primary school when was tasty. Lol you know kodomo children's toothpaste?

But I digress. IFC, Individual Field Craft, was particularly straining, since we just completed the route march. We learnt things like FCO, Fire Movement, and crawled around quite a bit. In the mud. But I guess not as muddy as my last IFC where I changed my no. 4 into US desert camo.

Dinner, then we had our powder bath. Amazingly it really works! Not really as good as water, but the prickly heat powder is really cooling and kind of like cleans a bit. E spring squeeze trigger lol. We powder bath in our underwear only.. And that command means pull your underwear forwards and let go, lol. To pass a powder cloud must form, if not you powder again! Our commanders really don't like to see our, ahem. So we're supposed to keep a distance, but some guys still end up so close to them, the powder cloud flies into their faces, lol. I think one guy even pulled his undie down for the e spring haha.

We wore our spare set of uniform to sleep in, but we're going to wear the same dirty one used today for tomorrow. I was like, eww.

Sleeping in the basha was ok, but was a bit uncomfortable because of the uneven ground below me. I think I forgot to clear the ground properly before setting up.. This night I woke every 30 minutes or so to see our prowlers walking around the campsite, because I couldn't sleep soundly.


Day 2, 28 July 2007

It was gross trying to wear the wet uniform for today's stuff.

This day was more IFC and also a test on our IFC skills. They include marking a range card,
observing at a observing post. Today began my noobness in doing all these skill things. Firstly using proper cover during fire movement. I always stay quite clear of the tree, which is wrong, because I'm supposed to stay close to cover. I'm not used to being so close to vegetation, literally in your face. Plus when you are tired, you can't really think. It isn't really as easy as pressing down the left trigger in R6 Vegas. I also screwed my observation post test because I was so far away in cover I couldn't see 98% of what was happening, doh. I didn't want to cramp up together with the rest of the section in the other cover, because it doesn't really make sense to have 8 guys clumped together next to a large bush, right. But that's just dilemma and this is an artificial test anyway.

We got to fire blanks today! But the damn rifle kept IAing, or jamming, and we had to remedy no feeds and half feeds mostly. I think double feeds are due to hitting the magazine when firing or some shit. Some suay guys had sniper rifles. Fire, cock, fire, cock. M16 sniper rifle la.

And it rained again. Crawl in mud again yay. And the high kneeling everytime we gather (to keep low profile when outfield to prevent enemy detection, but of course not at our level la, freaking 40 men together who dunno sia) is starting to hurt, because the previously tested knee pads suck, only helping to cut the thigh muscles with the hard velcro.

We had night training also today. We were thought how our eyes can play tricks on us at night, how we end up seeing what we want to see. How light blinds us and everything else darkens. Identifying the different sounds at night, like cocking of weapon, dog tags clinking together etc. We also had this night walk, but it was too easy because of the full moon light and the white tape reflecting it. The white tape was for safety, but I guess you got to make do.

Integrity. When others are doing their best, do you slack and make others eat shit and get tekan? Everyone is tired, not only you. I got mistaken for an integrity problem because during push ups I was using my knees as support, mostly due to not having enough space, partly because I was really tired. Lieutenant Teo is a great guy, has great values and is skilled at his stuff, and is really concerned with our learning. I talked to him after the tekan session because I felt I was wronged. We talked it out, and can really see his concern.

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In fact I can see that from all of my commanders. There's true concern for our learning and also well being, that's really something to appreciate. You may not see this type of leader in the workplace.. The only thing about officers is they really get stressed.. With the rank comes much responsibility. At the Lieutenant level, from what I see is the toughest, you do most of the grunt work of officers, you keep in contact with all your men, you go through almost all the things they do, and you still have to keep control of the activities, make sure everything goes smoothly. Much respect.
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Finally recieved a new set of uniform that we packed into a resupply bag. We're going to use this for the next day's pajamas. The method is like, one uniform is worn for 2 days, and before being worn for real stuff, a new set is used as pajamas, so that at least we sleep in dry clothes.


Day 3, 29 July 2007

This day we had our movement to the new campsite, a 4km movement in our sections which had us in file formation, and practise our taking cover skills. Again my noobness showed and I was like, proning too far from the tree, kneeling/squatting when there's not enough concealment, gah. Insects flying round your head when taking cover, not easy to get used to! And the prickly pin point itchiness on my back later on, like from what I don't know. We then had our battle course where we were tested in a 3 man team our movement, how to react to enemy fire, how to attack an enemy location, how to react to enemy vehicles on the road. Fire Movement, I keep not being able to see the enemy! And I'm just supposed to move forward to see the enemy, not knowing if the enemy's shooting. Like a game without feedback, meh. Again.. noobness meh. The Land Rover went past and I just proned in an open position on the side of the road. I actually wanted to take good cover but my physical just said no. Like wth.

There was only a short drizzle today during the battle course.. And bloody jams!

After reaching the end we had quite a bit of rest, then proceeded by tonner, a huge truck for transport of goods and personnel, to our new campsite, a FIBUA (Fighting in Built Up Areas) area. Basically some urban stuff around. We went to sleep in some small forested area though. Slept without any cover, just two groundsheets, one on top like a blanket and one below. Even though stuck in quite a lot of trees and insects all around, I had a good and somehow, insect free sleep..


Day 4 30 July 2007

Had to go shit in the morning, damn. But managed to find a good clean place to do so.. My first time in the open. But it didn't feel very awkward or dirty.. maybe I'm already used to the mud and dirt.

Spent the whole day digging the damn shell scrape! Its a knee deep body width wide and about slightly more than 2m long rectangular hole in the ground. Really tiring to dig, even though we were taught proper techniques, like how to get the most soil out with one hit, and how to use the alternate arm.

We had fresh rations today! But meh, I somehow think combat rations taste better.. But its good to have some warm food. Even though they make you shit.. Combat rations.. I think they have added digestive enzymes to reduce shit production. Its like, $10 a meal, I think.

Sorry to those allergic to shit talk. lol

Also got to bathe in water today! From a jerry can, in the open. But better than nothing! Actually, it made me feel hotter. In the end still put prickly heat powder..


Day 5 31 July 2007

True enough, had to shit this morning. Again. Damn.

We have urban ops today! This is the thing I've been looking forward to since the start of field camp. We learnt how to clear a room, individually and in groups. And finally after about 20 blank warm up the rifle started to IA less, even though there's like more carbon stuck in there by now.

We had to go through this test which includes crossing an open danger area, going round a corners, and clearing 3 rooms in succession. And also avoiding grenades. Like, shout "grenade!" everytime and run out to the nearest cover. We all went through once, then we have like, so many excess blanks we went another time. And another. I went about 10 times lol. I took some of the other guys blanks and went even more times lol. And spent awhile being an enemy firing back. Like so damn fun la. And by now my rifle is super warmed up, finally can fire 10 rounds in succession! Non stop succession.

Side note, the M16 in close quarters is like, you know a metre ruler is always unwieldy, right?

Picking up the blanks is a pain.. lol. It's like, each of us issued about 80, 40 of us means 3200!

Most of the guys in our section came together and had a short chat in one of our shell scrapes. Talked about games, old school games mostly since the new generation systems are expensive, and lots of random stuff. Like parents.

We had to be 1/3 alert when resting today, to simulate defense during a real mission. This means at least 1/3 of us must be awake to keep a look out for enemies. We all knew that there definitely was going to be an attack, just a matter of when. I hoped it was during my awake period at around 1am, but it was not to be. Heard people outside, most probably commanders simulating enemies, talking loudly and heard 0545, so it was mostly likely around then. True enough it was then, and we woke up and shot our measly 4 blanks while lying in the shell scrape. Shooting at non existent targets la, while commanders were standing around our shell scrapes firing in full auto to simulate enemies, but like, meh.


Day 6 1 Aug 2007

Finally the last day of field camp! All of us were still a bit worn out from the lack of sleep accumulated plus the 1/3 alert in the morning. We still had to fill the shell scrape and by then I'm like so slow. The dirt I dug up already got compacted outside my shell scrape and it was even harder to dig through it to put it back than the first time I dug it out. In the end I think mine was the worst refilled shell scrape.

But we were all rushing back for the BIC, Battle Innoculation Course. We were to leopard crawl and back crawl about a total of 100m, with real bullets flying over our head. Well actually they were like 1 storey above our heads, but still. By 3/4 way I really can't move already lol. And my speed is already so slow.. max speed as still slower than Solid Snake in stealth crawl la. And I scratched my watch and my no.4 top got a slight tear at the back. Meh.

But field camp over! Finally got back to rest, and spend all the remaining time cleaning rifle..


Overall it was a great experience, pushing a bit of my physical limit, and a great military feel, get to learn a lot of interesting things. Wouldn't mind going for more of this, but of course, physically being able to do all of this helps a lot.

Looking forward to have an interesting SITEST, a shorter but more siong 3 day field camp, as well!