Hello Tree - Ranger School, 1988

THIS IS A TEST - it's a short story about one of many experiences in the Army - I NEED TO KNOW IF IT'S INTERESTING - IF IT IS I'LL CONTINUE

Hello Tree

US Army Ranger School, 1988

 

They were told to avoid “Dinosaur Land” but did they listen?  They did not.  The tired young man that had been designated as patrol leader and his tired young buddy designated as assistant patrol leader had plotted our patrol on the map in straight lines.  The shortest distance between two points, right?  Wrong.  That might be true in a two dimensional world, but the many contour lines on the map of Camp Darby, Georgia told a different story. 

                Dinosaur land

Anyone familiar with map reading knows that when the contour lines on a topographical map are almost touching, the “ground” it represents something more to be climbed than walked on.  “At the bottoms of all the draws is blue,” The Ranger instructor had told us.  “That’s water.  And where there’s water, there’s vegetation.  Avoid the bottoms of the draws or you will be wasting your time fighting through Dinosaur Land.”   There are no trails in that mess.

They plotted the route straight through the land of “wait-a-minute vines”, mud, and water.  Just as they had told us, we were battling the terrain, which is a notably tough enemy to battle on cold dark nights.  I was carrying “The Gun” that night.  That’s the M-60 Machine Gun " which I thought of as 23 Lbs. of “easy-rust”.

                The Gun

And for anyone whose military experience is Full Metal Jacket, Boys in Company C, Platoon, etc. and you are thinking “This is my rifle " this is my gun”, yes, the M-60 is called a GUN and not a weapon or rifle.  It is a gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed, automatic machine gun.  Firing it is heaven, carrying it is hell.

We were carrying rucksacks that were full of cold weather gear we weren’t allowed to use and meals we weren’t allowed to eat.  We were told every day that if we completed that night’s mission and moved into a patrol base quickly enough, we would be allowed to eat a meal and get some sleep.  We never made it.  I carried 9 M.R.E.s with me for 4 days and was allowed to ONE meal on that 4^th day.    

                                Rucksacks

The rucksack (ruck) is the large pack that soldiers wear on their backs.  You will also hear it referred to as an A.L.I.C.E. pack.  Depending on the mission, that ruck can get very heavy.  Infantry soldiers refer to this weight as the “Gravity Monster”.  For Ranger School, the students carry EVERYTHING " just short of small cars and trees.  We carried training aids that were shaped like, and weighed the same as, mines and live ammunition.  Including the rest of the gear and water, we were carrying well over 100Lbs.   

At one point during that patrol, we were crossed through a small valley with a dark pool of muddy water at the bottom.  Late October in Georgia had made this pool of muddy water awfully cold as well.  The area was dark.  It was very dark.  Although there were no trees and bushes blocking the starlight over the water, everywhere behind us, around us and in front of us was absolutely blacked out.  Only our Ranger Eyes kept us in visual contact with the people in front of us.

                Ranger Eyes

On the backs of each of the Ranger students’ patrol caps was a set of “ranger eyes” which are ½” by 1” pieces of luminous tape.  They are part of the Ranger School ritual and are sewn on, by hand, during the first week.  Each of the two ranger eyes are sewn on using dental floss in a specific pattern.  There are six double loops on each eye.  Each of those 6 pair are individually sewn and secured by tying with a square knot and two half hitches.

Walking through the water, we were trying to keep away from pitfalls such as submerged branches, rocks, holes, etc.  It’s hard to pull your legs out of the mud with that much weight on your back and a 23 Lb. machine gun in your arms.  The mud tried to suck the boots off my feet with almost every step.  A couple of guys slipped and fell in completely and some slid into sinkholes which those behind were then able to avoid.  At the deepest part, I found myself trying to find footing to stay just high enough to keep my groin dry.  I didn’t make it.  There are some parts of your body that create havoc for your entire existence when doused with cold water:  feet, back, stomach, armpits, back of the neck, and the testicles.

When I made it through the water, the line in front had moved out without waiting for the rest of us to get through the water.  I couldn’t see anything at all so I had to use my ears.  I moved forward quickly, listening for the sounds of soldiers movements (leaves, branches, heavy breathing, and of course whispered swearing.

It was during those next hurried few moments that I encountered one of those “What the hell was I thinking?” moments.

Reviews

[NoneOfYourBusiness akaK..]

I for one am always interested in the human story especially one I wouldn't otherwise encounter than through personal accounts such as this one~ I like your opening into this specific reality you experienced~ concise~comprehensive~ perfect balance of personal thoughts and descriptives~