03/05

(Tuesday 2025). Another loooooong day! Yesterday we finished our group work after midnight. Boy we were tired...and the worst of it was that it wasn't good enough, so we had to correct it after work today, and have just finished. Oh well, now I got my frustrations out, so back to business.
Last Thursday we had the LMG shooting. Unfortunately I didn't earn enough points to get any awards. Oh well, you can't win 'em all.
Today I I had to teach in First aid. All went well and I got good feed-back from the instructor.
Fighter activities here are quite good at the moment. We get F16s doing touch and gos almost every day.
Life is hard at the base. And when you think that things are well, think twice! Today I was enjoying a warm shower after the physical lessons, when I suddenly got a cold bucket of water on my head...I'll get revenge, you bastards!
Keep your eyes in the back of your neck!
I'm off to bed soon. On Monday we have the final exam in 'weapons,' so I better dig into those books...
/Stephen

07/05

(Saturday 1320) Here I am at home enjoying a good game of Flight Sim 2004 on the net. The weather is beautiful today. It's perfect for gliding. I was out shopping this morning, and couldn't help looking at the sky above. I miss gliding alot, but looking at the bright side of it; It's going to make me want to fly, so when the time comes, I'll be ready for flying school. As Leonardo Da Vinci once said:
When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.
See you up there....
/Stephen

09/05

(Monday 1955). We had the weapons exam today. All went fine, however we get the results tomorrow. There shouldn't be any surprises, so we're all nice and calm about it.
We just had dinner after a work out and some indoor-football. Now we're going to watch a movie and relax the rest of the evening. Viggo wants a game of pool, he says he wants revenge. I'll probably disappoint him again.
Catch u later...
/Stephen

10/05

(Tuesday 1835). We just got off. We got the results for yesterday's exam. All passed and generally we did very well. I got 93% in theory and 83% in the practical exam, which gives an average of 88%. It feels good to be done with the weapon/safety exam.
Tomorrow we'll be spending a whole day and night(until 1am!!) at a new shooting range where the targets aren't stationary. We'll be using both the M/62-LMG and the M/96-Karabin. It's going to be good fun I think. Let's just hope that the weather is in a good mood. Lately we've had rather cold temepratures with occasional heavy showers. Anyway, we've ordered some good weather, so let's hope for the best.
Now we ordered some pizza, which will be here any time, so I better finish off. After that, it's home work the rest of the evening. Catch you later...
/Stephen

10/05

(Tuesday 2330). Finally, I'm done with home work and I'm off to bed very soon. I'm dead tired. Most of the guys are still doing home work, so it's going to be another late night. I feel like I did a good job so I can go to bed with a good feeling inside. G'nite all
/Stephen

12/05

(Thursday 1925). Almost weekend again. Wednesday proved to be a looong day at the shooting-range. We were there at 0800 and were back in bed at about shit o'clock! That's 2am Sergeant school time... It was great to use the M96 again. What a wonderful weapon.
Today we had to work with the assignment that we wrote Tuesday. Our job was tactical defense of a hangar at the airbase. Then after many hours of planning and exercising, we were 'attacked' by the other half of the class, who played 'terrorists.' It was great to try to defend the hangar and see if the plan would work out.
After that, it was time to test their plan, so they took positions and we 'attacked' them. This week I was assigned as gunner on the LMG (Light machine gun), so it wasn't exactly easy running towards the target with an LMG in my arms and shooting with it at the same time. Anyway, we learned alot and it was good fun.
Back at the school, it was less fun to clean the bloody weapon.
Anyway, now it's finally time to relax a bit. It's first time this week, so we've damn deserved it! Catch u later...
/Stephen (very tired indeed!)

14/05

(Saturday 1135). Finally weekend again. Now it's time to recharge the batteries, 'cos on Tuesday we have a 3 day exercise which will absorbe alot of energy. We will once again get pushed to the limit, both physically and also by getting as little sleep and food as possible. However, this time they will test our ability as leaders more than they've done before.
Last Monday we had the Obstacle course for the last time. We took time to see how long it takes us to do the 20 obstacles on the course. It took me just about 5 minutes, which isn't too good. The course really takes all you have. The instructor said that you use just as much energy on the course, as you would when you run 8km. So that's some very intensive 5 minutes of work out!
Anyway, now I'm off to buy an MP3 player, so I can listen to some music in the train on those long and boring trips from home to work and back.
Catch you later...
2½ months to go...and counting!
/Stephen

19/05

(Thursday 1855). Back at the base after the exercise. It was hard! We're all so tired that we'll be off to bed in no time. It was nice to get back, eat some decent food, take a warm shower and I can't wait to sleep in a bed tonight.
On the exercise we had to deal with terrorists, civilin trouble makers and regular military forces. It was very physically demanding to manage the tasks with very little sleep.
At one point, I was at the toilet (a hole in the ground, that is...) and we had an alarm, so I quickly had to get the clothes back on, grab my equipment and run towards the 'alarm position.'
Anyway, we're all happy that another 3-day exercise is over. Now we have one 3-day exercise and two 5-day exercises left in the remaining time on sergeant school. Hopefully it'll get warmer soon. Last night we had below freezing temperatures...
Oh well, that's all for now. Take care and enjoy your bed
/Stephen

23/05

(Monday 2315). I'm off to bed now! Just finished for today. That was a hell of a long day!! Over 17 hours of hard work. I better find my way to bed and prepare for tomorrow. Take care and sleep tight.
/Stephen

24/05

(Tuesday 1655). Off for today. All that's left now is an hour of home work.
Today we learned about how to stop and search a veichle among other things, and finished off with trying it first hand of course. We also had a few more lessons about Rules of engagement, Geneve convention and Haag convention. On Monday we'll head off to a military shooting range (the biggest in Denmark!), where we're going to be there for a couple of days. We'll be practising group-leading while in hostile territory...and shooting with live rounds at the same time!
So we better do a good job out of it. We won't take any chances when we're working with live rounds.
Tomorrow we're going to be out all day, practising some more leading techniques in capturing enemy forces, attacking and patrolling as a Quick Reaction Team.
Oh well, I better do the last home work and also start thinking about the LSP exam, which is a 6 page assignment that has to be delivered in about 3 weeks. Jesus we have no life!
/Stephen

25/05

(Wednesday 1735). Done for today; and the home work that I have can wait until the weekend.
Today we were out all day again, giving orders and playing soldiers. It's good to get the fresh air, as long as the weather is ok, that is...
At the shooting camp (Monday and Tuesday) we'll also be throwing hand grenades (live) for the first time. I think that I'll have mixed emotions when I pull the pin out of it's hole.
The plan for tonight is to go to the cinema with the guys. We'll probably watch Star Wars. I hate Star Wars myself, but I do it for the company and for the sake of relaxing a bit, and getting out of the base into civilian life.
Take care and stay tuned.
/Stephen

27/05

(Friday 1745). Home again. Today we had a lesson in fire fighting, where we got demonstrations in fire fighting, and then we had the opportunity to try different kinds of fire fighting equipment.
One of the things was a kind of gun that shoots bursts of 1L of water at a time. It can be described as a hand held water cannon. The thing gives more recoil than any other weapon than I have ever tried! ...And it can do some serious damage too when it hits. However I wasn't too impressed at the way it fights fires...
This morning we also had a theory lesson in hand grenades, so we're ready for Monday. I think it's going to be exciting to throw the thing. As a safety requirement, one has to be able to throw a dummy grenade 20m before being allowed to throw the real thing. The shock wave alone will kill you within a distance of 8m, so you can imagine what the shrapnel can do when it hits you!
Anyway, I finally got the opportunity to take a couple of pictures of an ex-RDAF F104 Starfighter, so I will upload the pictures in the gallery later on tonight. Catch u later...
/Stephen

28/05

(Saturday 1840). Forgot to mention that we had an orientation race in the forest last Thursday. I placed 3rd, so I'm quite happy with that. I haven't done anything today, just relaxed and was at the computer for a few hours. Sometimes it's good just to take it easy.
I'll just do the home work tomorrow after a good night's sleep...
Take care.
Stephen, 2 months to go...and counting!

31/05

(Tuesday 1940). Just had a nice warm shower after 2 days at the shoot-camp. Well, it was more about group-leading than shooting, but anyway, they call it shoot-camp. We shot quite a few rounds too though, and even tried throwing real hand-grenades for the first time. They really kick ass! The shock wave goes right through your body and the sound is extreme every time...and you want to be in cover when the shrapnel comes flying from the explosion.
The camp was going well, until we auddenly were called away from the camp to help extinguishing a fire a few km away (on the other side of the military area). So now we've tried being firemen too...but I think I'll stick to flying. Actually, I KNOW that I'll stick to flying.
Tomorrow it's on to some more group leading, this time here on the base, where our objective is to search a piece of forest for enemy forces.
I'm off to check my email, and then it won't be long before I slide under the blanket.
/Stephen