An emotional roller coaster of a week.

Last week (April 4-9) we spent a week working on all of our shifsoriems (ties) and having a misdar. A misdar is a check made by either the MM (second in command) or the MP (first in command). The highlight of the week was on Thursday when we went on a 36k march through the field. While the march as a whole wasn't hard, the last leg of the march (the final 6 k, when we open up the stretch), was the hardest part.

We also go to meet our medics for the first time. While we were at basic training, our medics went to the medical training course to learn to me combat medics. These guys are really cool and they fit right in with us.

The next week (April 12-15) was also a relaxing week. Half the group, went to Beslach (a base used for advanced training or officers course.) Once we reached the base, we were split up into our learning groups. The options were either: GPS, Radio, Makach (a 50.cal machine gun), Machlar (an automatic grenade launcher), Mortar, Driver for an Amour personnel charier, or MishMish (someone who works half the day in the kitchen, and then half the day guarding our stuff). I was picked for the Machlar,which is this really big grenade launcher. The gun alone weighs 34.3 kg and that's not including the stand, ammo or a variety of other parts that need to be carried along with the gun. The crew that has to use this gun is made up of 4 people, each of which has a special job. The breakdown is like this:

#1 - shooter

#2 - commander of gun - says where to shoot and what's the range and so on

#3 and #4 - help to carry things and then help to set up.

When it comes time to shoot, #3 and #4 are sent to the bottom of the hill to protect the back, while #1 and #2 stay at the top of the hill with the gun and shoot.

Even though the gun weighs a lot, shooting it will be something i never forget. The gun makes such a big boom, that you scare yourself the first time you hear it.

The course only lasted 4 days. The first two days were spent in class, the third day was spent shooting and the last day was spent cleaning up and having a celebration for the end of the course. The class included the four of us (Nachlawim) as well as soldiers from the Golani Brigade and the Gadsar Bedouin brigade. At the celebration, Chayal Mitzdayen was chose. A Chayal Mitzdayen is a soldier who works really hard during the week and is someone who helps out when needed and is willing to give of himself. Its basically like the good student award. Every group got one (from the GPS, Mortars, Makach, Machlar, MishMish, drivers and Radio courses), so in total there were 7. I was one of the lucky 7 and as a result, i got to leave the army early on Thursday (while everyone else got to leave on Friday.)

Of course Murphy's law has to come in sometime during the week and this week it hit us hard.

While half the group was away at Beslach training, the other half of the group was at our advanced base guarding.
The medics however, went to our basic training base. The reason was so that they can learn a little about what we learned in the basic training course. While they were there, on of the medics committed suicide. Its often funny how it takes a tragedy to bring people together, but that is life. As a result of this, now more then ever, the group feels like a family, supporting one another through our time of pain and suffering.

Here's hoping that next week goes by smoothly and without any other incident.