Just returned yesterday from Camp Dodge, Iowa for our Fall FTX. It was a great weekend, even though the weather was not the greatest for training.

When we arrived on Friday, we moved into the barracks and did some basic rifle marksmanship (BRM) and land navigation and map reading training, then had chow and discussed LDAC with the MSIII cadets (juniors).

As MSIVs, we were tasked with running the weekend’s training. On Saturday, we got up at 0500 and had breakfast of (Meal, Ready to Eat) MREs on the way to the 25 meter M16 range. We received a safety briefing from our Senior Military Instructor (SMI) MSG Christopher Whitehurst, and a training briefing from CPT David Jones, our Assistant Professor of Military Science (APMS). The MSIVs were to qualify this weekend, and the MSIs, IIs, and IIIs were to group and zero their rifles.

It took all day—about 11 hours at the range—but I was able to qualify as a “Marksman.” I haven’t been able to qualify on the M16A2 weapons system until this weekend, so I was pretty relieved to have finally made it.

After the range we moved back to the dining facility (DFAC) for chow before moving to the Night Land Navigation Range. I needed some more practice on land nav, so I participated in the training along with the Is, IIs, and IIIs. The course was pretty well flooded from the rain all day, so some of the points were inaccessible. Even so, we set out on the course, and I found three of the five points I was assigned to find.

By the time we returned to the barracks for the evening, it was about 0130. The MSIIIs received their Operations Order (OPORD) for Sunday’s training and issued it down the cadet chain of command. I am a squad tactical officer, so it was my duty to evaluate an MSIII serving as squad leader each day. I stayed up to hear her issue the order to her cadets.

Sunday we were to conduct rappel training along with the Field Leader’s Reaction Course (FLRC). Saturday’s rain kept us off the rappel tower, but we were able to complete FLRC. It was great to see the cadets working together to overcome the obstacles and complete the assigned missions. It brought me back to my prior experiences as a cadet—I wish I’d been able to participate, too.

By Sunday’s ride back to Creighton and Omaha, we were all exhausted, but we’d had a great weekend of training.