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Tuesday: 15 March 2011 I know what many of you are thinking at this point: Enough writing about the build up to it, already. The first record APFT has come and gone, and was like quickly ripping a band-aid off (you think it’s going to be rough, then it isn’t). Just like every other PT test I’ve ever taken, the nervousness naturally came beforehand, but all that went away once the test got rolling....read more
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Today is the day. Well, ok, I lied. Tomorrow is actually the day, but saying a day kicks off with height/weight is like saying you get to start your day by watching 4 non-stop hours of CSPAN. (Some might rather subject themselves to watching this, rather than going through height/weight. CSPAN reports that the voting on that issue is YEA: 58, NAY: 38 ABSTAIN: 9) Unlike the diagnostic APFT at Ft. Lee, the record APFT is split...read more
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Day 27: “Why Does It Say Paper Jam if There is NO PAPER JAM?!?”
March 19, 2011
By: Captain Thomas Harper
What better way to start a day than with a mock Army Physical Fitness Test?? I for one can think of about 4,567,987 ways. I realize that I likely come across as a PT-centric person who thinks that fitness stands above all else. While I will be the first to point out the importance of PT because of its far-reaching impact on your service, I’m absolutely not the guy who comes sprinting and clapping up to every PT formation or APFT....read more
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Although our class has seen a bit of training in less than ideal weather conditions (see my post about Warrior Day in the middle of one of Virginia’s mighty wind storms), rain was an element we hadn’t really experienced. Those with some time in service under their belts will undoubtedly roll their eyes and blurt out something like “if it ain’t rainin’, we ain’t training,” when they...read more
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We've kicked off the official academic session here at Fort Gordon (which will last the next 3-1/2 months or so) by "thinking about thinking." One of the overall goals of the course is to teach us "how to think, not what to think" (and this is an important difference in philosophy from some other military services) but I'm still sorting out how serious we really are about this. On the plus side, I have to admit my early skepticism is quickly being worn...read more
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Day 25: These Boots Were Made For Walking…Slowly and For Short Distances
March 16, 2011
By: Captain Thomas Harper
If you’re coming into JAOBC as a soldier fit to have a GI Joe action figure created in your likeness, don’t hold it against the course or your classmates for the introductory way in which the class is made to do things. Basic soldiering tasks especially warrant that sort of self-control, including ruck marches. (If I'm in Walmart and find an action figure like this that accurately represents you, you may want to learn to take deep breaths and count to 10...read more
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I hate repeating themes in posts, especially this close together, but you get to deal with it. Today’s airborne PT saw an inventive workout that sounds fun in theory, but was less so in practice. (This is probably the face and reaction of the average reader right about now. TWO PT THEMES IN A ROW?!?!?!) We got out there about 20-25 minutes ahead of the rest of the company so that we could get on the pull up bars (which...read more
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Here comes the blitz: after losing my collection of daily notes over the weekend, I’ve found them and intend to not stop until I’ve caught the blog up to date. To save all the readers from early onset cataracts, I’m going to post them in pairs, rather than all at once. I realize that I could skimp by cutting down on material and combining days, but that would be violating my trend. Those...read more
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Back in November, Don't Ask Don't Tell was all over the news; it was even beginning to develop a presence here on ArmyStrongStories.com – I mentioned it, and LTC Andre Dean posted a few times about (more about that later); since then, Cadet Ulrich and LT Harper have both mentioned it; 1SG Hynes and SSG Chase have both shared great, personal stories; and ArmyStrongStories.com resident super-star, LT Kayley Nammari talked about the personal blowback she's gotten (even though...read more
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A Picture Says 1000 Words, Unless It's of JAOBC..Then It Only Says 42 Words
March 12, 2011
By: Captain Thomas Harper
This week's posts are on their way, but I thought I'd share some pictures with everyone. Thanks to the fine work of LT DuBre (our unofficial class photographer), we have a massive stable of pictures from just about every event imaginable. Enjoy! (9mm range: Fact of the Day: JAGs are world-renowned as the world's most elite shooters ever. Maybe I'm getting the meaning of words wrong again...elite means wildy inaccurate, right?) (9mm range primary...read more
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