HOST/Dunker

This week I got to participate in one of the best trainings the military has ever offered me. Helicopter Overwater Survival Training and Dunker. Don't get me wrong, I was terrified, but this training is legit! There are several courses covered but the main goal is to egress from an upside down, underwater helicopter. It starts out slow and gets progressively more advanced. I did not enjoy holding my breath while being strapped in to a 4-point harness. Even though you get out pretty quick, I felt anxious each time.
Once you have mastered the breath hold ditching, they train you up on how to use compressed air. I've never SCUBA dived but I loved having the air. You still get strapped in, turned upside down and dunked but before trying to egress, you put your mouth piece in and clear it. Once you have taken a couple of calm breaths, then you can begin the methodical egress process.
Let's be honest, I did not achieve even one calm breath upside down and underwater. Each time I cleared my mouth piece, I inhaled like a fat kid eating a piece of double fudge chocolate cake. Thank every god that man has created, that there was never any water in my mouth piece or I might not be here today. I don't think I could have made it out if that were the case. Egressing the death trap didn't come naturally to me. This was evident once the multitude of bruises I acquired, started appearing. I was not as graceful as I thought. You really can't tell that you're hitting and kicking everything around you on the way out because ALL that you are thinking about is getting air into your depleted lungs.
After it was all over, I loved it and had a great time. I'm hoping that this day of torture helped prepare me for my next training, SERE. I leave on Sunday and will be gone for 3 weeks. I'm thinking of taking before and after pictures. People come back different. It's weird.

Each door on this fuselage is a replica of a different Army helicopter. You sit at each station and practice egressing from the different doors. 

The SWET chairs on the left are practice before the bigger trainer

Shallow Water Egress Training (I freaked out a little on this one and tried to kick the instructor)

There are several instructors each time it goes down to make sure everyone gets out safely. Right before it goes underwater they yell, "Ditching, ditching, ditching". I now hear that in my nightmares.

The Apache trainer

Airborne

Corey was at Ft. Benning for 3 weeks for Airborne training. It is located about 100 miles from me so I have been busy driving up to see my war hero on the weekends. He absolutely hated the training and the jumping, but it's over and he only has to jump once a quarter. His last jump was rough. He hit the plane, spun around, didn't get his parachute open until 400 ft and then had a hard landing. No broken bones or serious injuries though. I would LOVE to attend this training but they typically don't send pilots...challenge accepted :)

Training field

The Silverwings dive team jumped in for the graduation

The grass was slippery

This was one of the best graduations I've attended

4 platoons double timing in

Corey was in the back row. I had to find him when it was time to pin him.

We spent a day at the National Infantry Museum. It is beautiful!

Waiting to do their 3rd jump

In the Company area after the ceremony

A new frame for his office :) 

NOLA!

I was lucky enough to be squired around New Orleans by a native, over Memorial Day weekend. It was as amazing as I've always imagined! Of course I loved it and want to live in one of the cool neighborhoods and never leave, but it turns out that I have a job (yob) and can't really do whatever I want to. I learned a lot of great things about the area and was able to visit the WWII museum so it was the perfect minication.

The French Quarter

I loved it there

St. Louis Cathedral

Jackson Square and the St. Louis Cathedral

Southern trees

Field of wild flowers

WWII Museum

Go Army!

The Battle of New Orleans

Chalmette Battlefield

Malus-Beauregard House 

Chalmette National Cemetery

St. Roch's Cemetery

Cemetery

Second lining a New Orleans wedding...incredible

Week of Funtivities

All I want in life is to play everyday. I just want to do something fun every single day and it has to include a variety of activities. Last week I kayaked 3 times, ran through the woods with an organized group of crazy people, went to the shooting range, had girl's night at a Brazilian restaurant and did Land Nav twice. I failed my Land Nav test which is why we had girl's night at a Brazilian rodizio. I needed to drown my sorrows with filet mignon.

Hash House Harriers run

Lake Tholocco

PMS Thursdays at Lock-N-Load

Land Nav gone wrong...ugh

Dressing up and overeating to soothe the pain

Econfina Reserve in Florida

The world's most gorgeous water!

Such a fun group of kayakers!