Pre Deployment Training

To prepare for my trip to Africa, the US Military Observer Group sends the observers through many training evolutions. From off road driving school, hand to hand combat, weapons training, and combat life support medical training, they try to provide training for any situation that might arise. The training took place mainly in Quantico, VA and DC, but we did travel out to CA for the medical portion of the training and to Winchester, VA for off road driving school. All of the training has been great. A lot of good/useful information and practical stuff that we might encounter while in country.

This was out at the the range in Winchester, VA. We had to qualify on the 9mm and the AK-47 (one of the most highly proliferated weapons in the world) and be familiar with assembling/disassembling it.

Off road driving course was also pretty intense. Some of the obstacles we went over where eye- watering. The picture really does not give it justice, but we drove up a narrow creek, driving over boulders and logs, side hilling creek beds, and through 4 feet of standing water. It was very impressive and I felt sorry for the vehicles. We left a lot of metal on some of those rocks.

Training wraps up tomorrow and I am confident I have all the necessary tools to be dangerous while on mission.