Sunday, May 24, 2009

Almost There

This is just a little short excuse of a post to tell you two things:

A) Sorry for a coming lack of posts in the next two weeks;

B) It's because this is the hardest month in an infantryman's training.

That being the case, I haven't had the time or the energy to write any new posts. Also, I'm getting off much less, so I just don't have the computer time to physically write. I have posts in my head, don't get me wrong, but I am just plain exhausted. This month has consisted and consists of the worst of the worst, a veritable hell-month. Here's the schedule.

1) "Platoon War Week" - A week of non-stop movement, fully geared up, helmet on for 23 hours a day, drill after drill after drill, two hours of sleep here and there, on and on and on. About 80 kilometers of movement in three and a half days. (Finished)

2) "Beret Masa Preparation" - The second to last masa, the last being the one where you earn the coveted brown beret of the Golani Brigade. This preparatory masa was 38 kilometers. At the end of every masa, you take out the stretchers, load them up (at first with people, now with many sand bags), and continue on. We started way back when doing 1k, then 2, on and on until this masa, which was 10k. For the last 4 or 5 of those kilometers, however, we climbed a mountain. It was literally so steep that you had to have two guys up front pulling the arms of the guys under the stretcher, and at least two behind pushing them. It was so hard for me, so awkward, and I was so exhausted pushing and pulling, that I just grabbed one of the heavy sandbags and threw it on my back, trudging up in that manner for a solid couple kilometers. (Finished)

3) "Tarpal" - Company-wide battle movements. This is the culmination of half a year of training in how to move in battle, starting at doing it alone, and ending here. This honestly is the most important thing, besides urban combat, that you learn. It also sucked, physically, considering you're charging mountains. (Finished)

4) Advanced urban combat training. Self explanatory, no? (This week)

5) Company War Week - The hardest thing an infantry soldier will ever do in training. It's like the platoon war week, except that you go about 120 kilometers, and of course it's company-wide, making it all the more complicated. (Next week)

6) "Masa Kumta" - Beret masa. (First week of June)



OK???!!!!

12 comments:

Katherine said...

wow! goodluck with all this. im glad we have soldiers like you that are preparing this way. chances are that you are going to see combat within the next 2-3 years (or less.)

I pray every morning for two things.

1) To keep our jewish soldiers safe.

2) Death to arabs who seek our destruction.

Unknown said...

Wow.... that sounds like it's a huge accomplishment. I salute you. Good luck.

J. said...

איזה בלוג! גם הייתי במחו"ה אלון בנוב 08' (פלוגת אלון). רק השתחררתי מפיקוד העורף, היה סתם ש'רות. לפעמים אני מקווה שעשיתי קרבי, אני זקן, בן 26

it's so weird, and now i actually sort of miss the army (life as a jobnik, it's tough lol) there was lots of shmira haha. anyway, awesome blog, kol ha'kavod!

Mrs. Hirschhorn said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Do you know Marcus (he is a chayal boded n the 51st in your draft)? I am his mother and my husband just discovered your blog. We plan to come to Israel June 11. Is there anything we can bring you from the States? Please speak with Marcus and let us know.

Anonymous said...

I love u bro. Sorry I wasn't able to respond to ur texts. I can't use my phone at work. Please be safe! We love u!

Israeli by Day said...

marcus's mom - I am very familiar with your son. He's a friend. Quite a character, though, I have to say!

Thank you for the offer, but I think I'm pretty well set. I got a care package from my parents, as well as having another friend bringing various things. But thank you very much for offering!

And don't worry about marcus, he's a stronger guy than me!

Anonymous said...

1. I assume you still feel the same way though, that you are doing an awesome thing (i.e. you aren't having second thoughts because of how hard it is?)?

2. how much free time do you get

Golani question said...

Hey Danny! I have a quick question. I'm enlisting soon and I was wondering if there are any soldiers in golani with glasses? I have glasses but I really want to get into golani. anyway I'll take wtvr unit they give regardless. I was just wondering if it was possible to get into an elite unit with glasses.

Anonymous said...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XJhoTvUK79o/SMBnACdeiKI/AAAAAAAAAW4/vMpEuBYu3dM/s1600-h/n7600539_31630561_6506.jpg

I believe that was the author a few years back?

Golani Question said...

lol, I saw that but for some reason those seemed like fake glasses (for the sake of taking a nerdy picture). I dont know but he doesnt seem to wear glasses now, does he?

Anonymous said...

Since the last Gaza war whenever I think of a Masa, I think of the guys walking into Gaza on foot in full combat gear, we saw on TV.
Seems like it's not for nothing.

Married to a Glonachick