06/03

(Sunday 1100). It's a beautiful Sunday morning, the sun is shining. Don't let it fool you though, the temperature is about -4. We just had the coldest week of the winter.
Thursday we were out at the range again, shooting with live ammo. The M/96 is a dream to shoot with, especially when you use the scope. As we were on the lorry driving out to the range, we all sat quietly looking at the white landscape. All of us looked like small chimneys, exhaling independently and with different frequencies.
I can't wait fot the weather to get warmer. We're all tired of the snow by now. It makes life SO much harder. Friday we were out in the terrain to practise navigating with a compass and a map. It was a really beautiful day but damn cold however our instructor made sure that we all got warm by holding a past pace up and down the hills.
This coming week, we're having a 2 day exercise, where we'll be sleeping out in the forest. We're all hoping for warmer weather...
Unfortunately, one of my friends on the team has dropped off. Taking the 17 year contract and everything else into account, he doesn't want to become a pilot anyway. Good luck my friend, you will be missed.
Anyway, I'm off to eat some breakfast now. Take care and stay tuned.
/Stephen

13/03

(Sunday 2210). Another week over and a new one is just round the corner. 20 weeks to go, and then it's on to flying school. We REALLY can't wait! On the train ride to the base, we sat and discussed how great it's gonna be when we graduate and have become sergeants...then the fun really begins.
Last Tuesday/Wednesday we had an exercise outside where we learned some more techniques and how to use different kind of equipment, among other things night-vision goggles.
After a loooong and hard day, we were driving to our 'home' in the forest, Tuesdat night at around midnight. Suddenly the lorry stopped and we were told that enemy forces had been observed in the area and it was too dangerous to drive through. Therefore we were grouped in twos and were given a map and we had to find our 'home' by foot and try to evade enemy forces at the same time. We got there at about 0130 and by the time we were ready to go to bed it was about 0215...but no! I had the first watch from 0200 to 0300.
Then it was off to bed until 0630. It was hard to sleep considering the temperature. But anyway, that wasn't the worst of it. Thw worst was when we had to wash in the morning. The clothes had to come off and it was damn cold!
Anyway, I'm off to bed...catch u later.
/Stephen

16/03

(Wednesday 1905). Today we spent the whole day at the shooting range again, using live rounds. Fortunately the weather was relatively warm (about 3-5 degrees) so we could just enjoy the shooting.
We fired about 70 shots per person, and all in all I only had 1 miss, so I'm quite satisfied with myself. I am really in love with the M/96 Karabin. It's a great and precise weapon.
Tomorrow will be one of those long days where we get back at the base at around midnight. Everyone is preparing the equipment and stuff for the exercise. The plan is to learn and try out some more tactics on the battle field, working as teams of 2 through some obstacle tracks (using blank shots of course!). It's going to be fun!
Stay tuned and take care.
/Stephen

21/03

(Monday 2210). I'm on my way to bed soon. Tody we spent the day at the shooting range again. We tried shooting from a distance of 200m, and using the basis, helmet and gas mask on! It was rather hard to see anything out of the mask, let alon hit the targets from 200m...
As I was cleaning the gun, the smell of gun-powder made me think about the good old days when I used to go hunting with my old man.
Tomorrow we're going to be at the shooting range again, this time from 0800 to 2400! That's 16 hours of shooting with live rounds. We also have to try night-shooting, so it's going to be exciting. We just finished the day with some weight-lifting and hockey. Anyway, I'm off to bed now. Take care and happy Easter...
/Stephen

24/03

(Thursday 1940) Ahhh, Easter holidays, 5 days of relaxing. The shooting went fine on Tuesday. I acquired enough points to get the bronze award. I was hoping for silver or maybe gold, but I guess silver is ok, considering that some of ud got nothing.
Anyway, now it's time to take it easy. On Tuesday we start off by going on a 3-day exercise. Fortunately the weather is getting warmer so it shouldn't be so hard sleeping outside and taking the clothes off to get washed in the morning.
Oh well, happy Easter
/Stephen