out until Monday
Posted: 26 May 2005, 21:48
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Posted: 27 May 2005, 04:02
Lucky bar steward!
Posted: 27 May 2005, 10:52
Have fun Steel, take pics!
Posted: 30 May 2005, 15:10
was a great event...
there is no possible way i can take pics. there is just no time... if i was a trooper, then maybe.
the thing that gets my gourd the most is the young folks - teens through 20's - that can not keep up with me. i am sure some of them will request to NOT be in my platoon next year...
some pics will start to show up today i am sure - links will be in the forums for the event...
there is no possible way i can take pics. there is just no time... if i was a trooper, then maybe.
the thing that gets my gourd the most is the young folks - teens through 20's - that can not keep up with me. i am sure some of them will request to NOT be in my platoon next year...
some pics will start to show up today i am sure - links will be in the forums for the event...
Posted: 30 May 2005, 15:46
What can I say Steel? Not everyone can be an elite hardcore SF guy!Steel wrote: the thing that gets my gourd the most is the young folks - teens through 20's - that can not keep up with me. i am sure some of them will request to NOT be in my platoon next year...
..
Posted: 30 May 2005, 17:14
Steel has a very good point though here. Admittedly not in great shape at the moment myself understandably. However, even when I was, and with my knackered knees, it never failed to amaze me just how many youngsters would be trailing behind., Thing is, most of them were at least 6ft tall, carrying less percentage bodyweight, hell sometimes you'd find out they were either dumping the weight as we ran (sand running out of the holes in the ammo pouch it was in, as ballast for the run - during training runs of course they couldn't do it on ops or exercises) or they were under weight in the first place. Now THAT pissed me off, considering I would be carrying at least 10lbs overweight just to help the old stamina along. Most training runs I carried almost half my bodyweight, which was about 55-60lbs for the run, even during fitness test runs - that way I knew I could do it under some element of pressure. because they don't care about excuses like " Well I know I was 5 seconds late over the line, but can't you see I'm carrying an extra 30lbs?!" No, you just get the fail cert like everyone else. :lol:
Anyway, point is - us old farts are out there pounding the course, carrying extra weight so we are able to hold station with these youngsters and they're too busy moaning about it, falling behind, and sometimes even crying like babies. And it doesn't matter if I've got a hang-over either. Gentlemen, I give you the PLAYSTATION GENERATION! :roll:
It's just the same in our military now Steel - log runs, bergen runs, APFA, BFTs, assault courses. A lot of them just don't have what it takes anymore. In basic training, if any of us fell over from exhaustion or fatigue during a run or tab, you got fuckin kicked & punched (literally)along the trail until you got back up on your own two feet - it was a self-respect thing, personal courage, just how far could you drive your body. You didn't want to be the guy on the floor who didn't have the strength to get up on your feet, so you fought against that. But everyone had their turn, and that was what it was designed for - sometimes the aim was not to reach the finishing line, the training staff were only interested in how much personal effort you were prepared to make, how unselfish you were prepared to be in the effort to reach that goal with your team, and as a team. Gritting your teeth and going for it, doesn't seem to be in their vocab these days. :shock:
Anyway, point is - us old farts are out there pounding the course, carrying extra weight so we are able to hold station with these youngsters and they're too busy moaning about it, falling behind, and sometimes even crying like babies. And it doesn't matter if I've got a hang-over either. Gentlemen, I give you the PLAYSTATION GENERATION! :roll:
It's just the same in our military now Steel - log runs, bergen runs, APFA, BFTs, assault courses. A lot of them just don't have what it takes anymore. In basic training, if any of us fell over from exhaustion or fatigue during a run or tab, you got fuckin kicked & punched (literally)along the trail until you got back up on your own two feet - it was a self-respect thing, personal courage, just how far could you drive your body. You didn't want to be the guy on the floor who didn't have the strength to get up on your feet, so you fought against that. But everyone had their turn, and that was what it was designed for - sometimes the aim was not to reach the finishing line, the training staff were only interested in how much personal effort you were prepared to make, how unselfish you were prepared to be in the effort to reach that goal with your team, and as a team. Gritting your teeth and going for it, doesn't seem to be in their vocab these days. :shock:
Posted: 31 May 2005, 13:40
I could'nt keep up with either of you. LOL. Most people don't realize the amount of physical training that goes into being a professional soldier, and when they here what it is, they are too ignorant to realize what PT really means. Kodiak nails it: Playstation generation. I'm sure a lot of the young guys running behind you Steel, were weekend warrior types, like me, who are not physically active enough. Something I've been meaning to change about myself btw, and I've finally got the go ahead from my doctor, so PT for me starting this coming weekend. A nice "leisurely" hike up Blue Hills Mountain (a wee hill to Kodiak) to start things off and I'll get it into gear. Still, a lot of these guys just can't hack it because they don't have the intestinal fortitude, because they don't expose themselves to strenuous activity on a regular basis. They're slobs. I'll be glad when I trim my waste line a bit myself ;-)
Posted: 31 May 2005, 15:22
I have brains but no brawn! :lol:
Posted: 02 Jun 2005, 05:34
Panz, brains are as important - you need those to stop your head being shoved up your ass by some modded TMPR mounted sideways on a tree or something. But we're not talking about brawn here, we're talking about having a pair of balls, guts, courage, call it what you want.
When I joined-up, there were plenty of big 'fit' lads who could just about pick me up with one hand, I had the pleasure of being partnered with one of them for our mandatory 'milling' session at PT one day. generally speaking I always fought against guys bigger than me, so no big deal usually. This guy absolutely nailed me to the floor that session; sure I got a shot or two in but I spent most of the session getting off the floor - that's what the DS are looking for, a guy who has enough bottle to get back up and have another go. It didn't matter to me, because one hour later, we were stood in the med centre getting our shots, and the same guy screamed his way through the first shot and fainted with the second. Guess who was stood behind and helped him back onto the chair for the 3rd, 4th shots, keeping him calm? O.h.h.h.h.h.h.h.h.h.h YEAH!!! :roll:
When I joined-up, there were plenty of big 'fit' lads who could just about pick me up with one hand, I had the pleasure of being partnered with one of them for our mandatory 'milling' session at PT one day. generally speaking I always fought against guys bigger than me, so no big deal usually. This guy absolutely nailed me to the floor that session; sure I got a shot or two in but I spent most of the session getting off the floor - that's what the DS are looking for, a guy who has enough bottle to get back up and have another go. It didn't matter to me, because one hour later, we were stood in the med centre getting our shots, and the same guy screamed his way through the first shot and fainted with the second. Guess who was stood behind and helped him back onto the chair for the 3rd, 4th shots, keeping him calm? O.h.h.h.h.h.h.h.h.h.h YEAH!!! :roll:
Posted: 02 Jun 2005, 09:58
it is all inside guys - just like Kodiak said. It is fortitude, attitude, heart, and the ability to drive on under adverse condistions - be that you hurting physically, inclement weather, other folks shooting at you, or some combination of all or some of the above.
brainpower gives you a lot of ability to handle that, but it is more than just smarts too...
brainpower gives you a lot of ability to handle that, but it is more than just smarts too...
Posted: 04 Jun 2005, 02:28
Speaking as a member of the Playstation generation (i'm 22) i think that it's true that there was a time when i was a plain idle arse. Didn't help when i left school and stopped regular rugby training and playing, but that's no real excuse. Currently i'm carrying about 3-4 stone too much weight. However, now that i've decided to get back into shape i regularly run till i hurl, and then go again. Bascially a return to the ethos that my rugby coach had 'If you throw up, you know you're training hard. Take a couple of minutes to recover, then get back onto the pitch you lazy fat git' (direct quote)...he had several nicknames, believe me.
I think the other element, as has been mentioned, is that no-one really wants to be the one guy that couldn't hack it. During my training there was absolutely no shame in going down, as long as you got back up again and finished off whatever drill we were doing...of course that's the big plus of training with others.....finding a bit more tricky doing it solo
I think the other element, as has been mentioned, is that no-one really wants to be the one guy that couldn't hack it. During my training there was absolutely no shame in going down, as long as you got back up again and finished off whatever drill we were doing...of course that's the big plus of training with others.....finding a bit more tricky doing it solo
Posted: 04 Jun 2005, 03:18
We walked up Gorge d'Heric yesterday for a picnic. The old man was carrying a lounger and a brolly, and I had the picnic box (man I thought there was a friggin' Challenger tank inside. :lol: :shock: Anyway, it was quite dangerous off the gorge side of the road, so I was staying at the back to keep an eye on the kids. To be honest, my legs and arms were killing me, my chest heaving at times trying suck in enough oxygen. The chemo kicks your system to shit for months after I guess, and being out of shape now probably doesn't help, seeing as I can't get right into any intense training yet. But I was damned if the old fart was going to leave me draggin - as he turned round to see who was there ready to cross the footbridge (Guys, there was no railing at all, and it was only wide enough for one person really! :shock: ), I was right there, waiting for him to go ahead. :lol: A personal triumph!! :lol: