The week-long field experience for Chaplains (officers) and Religious Personnel (enlisted)
This was my experience of RMTEX
To be clear - part of RMTEX is to up the anxiety factor by us not knowing the schedule or times of anything.
Day 1:
We boarded the vans with our 65 lb. packs at 0600 and drove to an obstacle course.
The purpose was to build teamwork and communication between chaplains and RPs with the hope of fulfilling the objective. The obstacles included having to use planks to get an oil drum or an ammo can or the whole team from one side to another side.
After lunch (MRE - meals ready to eat), we reviewed what we had learned regarding care in combat and then were sent into a simulation with real victims, loud noises, the sound of mortars falling, smoke everywhere - it was chaos. The point was for us to experience what care in combat really feels like. I appreciated all my time on the ambulance because I felt more prepared for what I saw.
We got to the campsite and set up our tents - one chaplain and RP per tent. I picked Seaman Arnold.
Once our tents were set up, it was light out enough that we tested out our land navigation skills. It was a great first effort.
Dinner was... you guessed it...MREs. And of course, what would camp be like without watch duty at night. I got the 2100 to 2300 shift.
Day 2:
Today we faced the Confidence Course. For someone who does not enjoy heights and is only 5 feet tall, this was going to be a physical and internal struggle. Some obstacles were individual and some were group efforts and in my case, it was a team effort for me to get through some of the individual obstacles. There were obstacles like '5 walls' where you have to get your whole team over the wall. Each wall was taller than the last one. I finished about 80%+ of the obstacles. By the end, I knew my arms and legs were going to hurt. I was very proud of being able to overcome some fear of heights and gain lots of confidence.
You would think that after a morning like this that we'd be done. NOPE.
Once we got back to camp and it was dark out enough, we had our first night navigation practice run. Epic fail. But it was fun hunting around in the dark for 2 hours.
Day 3:
Victory tower has 4 parts. There's a ladder climb, a repelling wall, commando crawl (lay down on the rope and pull yourself across - you're about 50 feet off the ground), tight rope bridge uphill and a descending cargo net.
Victory tower - conquered.
Next up, the gas chamber. We had our gas masks on and they threw in CS gas with us. They had us do jumping jacks to get our heart rates up while our skin began to get irritated from the gas. We had to remove our masks and put them back on, remembering to clear the mask so we don't breath in the gas. At the end, I breathed in the gas, started choking and my eyes burned. After being outside the gas chamber for about 5 minutes, I was feeling better but my eyes still burned and the CS gas was on/in my uniform. The van ride back from the gas chamber was WORSE than the gas chamber itself because we did not have our gas masks on.
And all of this was before 1300.
After lunch, we ran through a shorter version of the CFA - the combat fitness assessment. It is the Marine Corps version of the PFA (Physical Readiness Test or Physical Fitness Assessment - basically a fitness test). The difference is that we run 2 laps in our combat boots, ammo can lift for 2 minutes and an obstacle course that includes an ammo can run, a body drag, fireman's carry, grenade throw, push-ups and sprints.
And it was my pleasure to have watch duty again from 0100 to 0300.
Day 4:
Today we woke up late. 0600. We were gone by 0725.
We were divided into teams of 6 and given one MRE for the whole group for the day. We could drink as much as we liked.
We headed over to the land navigation site and were there for about 6 hours navigating from one point to the next using a compass, map and protractor. At some point, we decided to take an hour's nap. When we returned to base camp, we were given a GPS and found the final 2 points in half an hour. When we returned to base camp the second time, we napped for a few more hours while waiting for the other groups to return.
We drove to another site and got our packs and hiked into another part of the base for night navigation. We were there for hours. My partner and I found 2 points. (Night navigation is done with no lights whatsoever.)
At the end of the night navigation, we got our packs and hiked. It was not an easy hike with a 65lb pack on my back and having to bend forward to keep from falling over. If I had known had far the hike was, I would have pushed myself a little harder. I am just glad to have accomplished it.
The staff ended RMTEX with a meeting at base camp and food.
Day 5:
We got back to the hotel at 0045. I was not ready to sleep so I unpacked my pack, emptied out my dirty laundry and showered. I was in bed by about 0200.
We reported to the classroom at 1000 and were out of there by 1100.
I spent the day doing laundry, cleaning, trying to nap and prepping for Shabbat.
Highlights from RMTEX:
Conquering victory tower
Getting to know just about all the RPs
Having the war-wounds from my successes
Night navigation
all around competence
If offered the opportunity, I would do it all again.
I would not have this opportunity in the pulpit.
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