So this past 10 days I was up in Grayling for Anual Training phase 2. I tell you what. This is probably the best time I have had since getting out of Basic/AIT. I played on AFATDS a shit ton and it including shooting LIVE high explosive and illumination rounds. I didn’t get to see them from where I was at but I hit the “RED” button to send them down to the units.

I also busted my ass a lot. I volunteered to get on AFATDS when people were going to sleep yet we were still shooting missions. If I wasn’t doing anything important I made sure the guys doing RTO were not on it for a super long time. Most of my days were from 0400 – 0130 (4am – 1am (the next day)). A few of those days I was forced out of our TOC (tactical operations center) to go get some sleep and give someone else a turn.

Wednesday I went down to the gun line of Charlie battery and watched the FDC (same as me) do their jobs when a fire mission came down. This was a first time I had seen real live action of a battery unit processing missions. When I do it, it is at battalion level and there is less stuff to do and manage. While I was down there I got to see the howitzers shoot. OH MY GOD! It was awesome. Going off topic for a second. I watch fireworks to feel the boom and intensity. I don’t know if I will like a fireworks show ever again. The blasts were intensive and great.

Last but not least. From working so hard and people actually noticing it, I got an Army Achievement Medal. One day I will scan the certificate and maybe take a picture of the medal. I am way to tired to do it today.