Final Days of Training

Well, the whole three weeks was in preparation for our "Superbowl," our convoy exercise.  Each platoon had a convoy of about six or seven humvees with a mission to accomplish.  Along the way, however, we had to avoid IED's and shoot insurgents.  On the first mission, I was a scout so I just was ready to open or return fire when we exited our vehicles.  On the second mission, I was the driver.  But when our gunner was killed, I also became the truck commander who radioed in when we cleared our checkpoints and kept communication for our vehicle.  It was pretty cool driving a hummer with one hand and holding a radio with the other hand.  But unlike most other platoons, we successfully completed both our missions!!

Saying goodbye is never easy, even when you've only known people for about three weeks.  But like they say, it's a small Navy and I'm sure I will see them again-- hopefully not in medical though.

Here's a picture of the female barracks as we were packing up



Here's a pic of the first group to leave

Here's a pic of my two favorite IT2's.  They bunked right next to me and kept me laughing constantly.

Here's me with LCDR Anna Miller.  I didn't have to tell her good-bye.  We'll be going together to Djibouti and she'll be the ER doc while I'm the anesthesiologist.