It has been over a month since I have written an update and as you can imagine, there is a ton of information to fill you in on. I am sorry that it has taken so long. Long story short: the charger to my computer died so I couldn't use it for about two to three weeks and then I have been busy during the weekends and I simply put the post on the backburner.
So this is what I did for the past month. The first week was spent in the field during field week, the second was also in the field and the theme was tzemed chulia (which I will explain). The third week was classes about first aid and the countries surrounding us; their political situations and military capabilities. And this past week I was sent to a driver's course. Let me go into a little detail.
The first week was called shavua sauduat (field week). This week is meant to try us to our limits and give us an idea of what it means to be an infantry soldier. You spend the week living in two-man tents that do little to stop the freezing cold. You eat combat rations on limited time for breakfast, lunch, dinner. Your commanders wake you up every night for all kinds of surprise wakeups: packing up camp and moving to another location at 3 AM, simulating a surprise enemy attack replete with tear gas, putting on gear, carrying your fellow soliders in fireman carry etc. Your nights are also spent guarding. Your days are spent on classes: camouflage, how to walk operationally, signals, how to build defensive positions, how to observe the field and what not to do. You are completely wiped and at wit's end and the commanders are down your throats at all moments. Even with all the added stress, you are expected to do the same things that you do every week: shine your shoes, workout etc. This was easily the hardest week that I have done in the army....but I loved every moment of it. I love challenges and this week of intense physical and mental challenges was just the kind of the experience I was expecting from the IDF. Whenever I had to carry another fellow soldier (and because I am a big guy, I was given all the other big guys to carry, including one guy who is easily 200 pounds/90kilos) or do other tasks, I was reminded of advice that our commander gave us that I really identified with. He said that in the army, you have to switch on a switch in your brain where you disconnect your mind from your body. If your mind says that you have to achieve this task, for example carrying your fellow soldier who represents a wounded soldier to an evacuation point, then your body will find a way no matter how much pain you are in. I was astounded by how much my company was able to achieve during this trying week. The army is a great laboratory for turning these boys into men.
At the end of this week there was a competition in my pluga between the different classes on all the stuff we learned. The competition consisted of a bunch of timed physical and mental challenges: such as crawling, stretcher runs, building positions, answering questions about the classes we took during the week. My class out of all the pluga won the competition and even though I fell on my elbow and got a spectacular bruise it was a fitting end to the week especially because it meant we got to leave early the following week!
We spent the Shabbat following field week in the mud and then were in the field again for tzemed chulia. Tzemed chulia is basically learning how the positions of how to fight and advance in two man and four man groups. This was a really cool week as we moved past stupid discipline and started the long process of becoming real soldiers. As I wrote, we got off early which was awesome.
The third week was a nice relaxing week after being in the field. Its amazing how much people take running water, hot showers, change of clothes, and cooked food for granted!! We spent the first few days in classrooms learning basic first aid and how to apply bandages and tourniquets. The last days of the week were spent learning about our enemies and their history and current situations. I won't lie- its scary knowing that our enemies are also working and organizing against us but although the classes were sobering, it also gave me motivation to know that our time spent as soldiers is not a waste, but a service that ensures our continued existence as the Jewish state. We spent the weekend on the base during guard duty and I must say that I have never seen such beautiful sunsets/sunrises than in the desert.
This past week was probably the most fun week I have had yet in the army. I was sent to a driver's course for an armored personnel carrier in a massive army base in the South. This base is amazing- it has gyms, incredible food, all kinds of courses, (girls :) and it was just a pleasure to be there. The course itself was fun. The vehicle I drove is really old and not really operational but it is used for training exercises and evacuating the wounded so it is still useful. Driving this monster up and down the desert was awesome and surprisingly easy.
And now here I am back on the kibbutz after another relaxing Shabbat writing this post to you in the late hours of the night/morning before going back to the army. I personally am doing great and really appreciating the support I get/give from the Garin, just being with everyone again is a balm to frayed nerves and stress. I definitely could not do without the framework it gives me.
Finally, my company is looking for help to raise some money to help out with gear that we need/desire for our training. Check out our donation page, written by another lone soldier in my class (shout-out to Shaul!) http://shaularmony.wordpress.com/donate/ . I would like to stress that we are not here to beg for money. If we don't receive a cent, we will survive albeit without the gear that we would like. We are looking for people who identify with and support our cause and are willing to donate. Have a great week everyone!
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