Balog
Member
...or, how I got sent to 29 Stumps.
When last we heard from our daring young grunt, he was in the middle of training at the School of Infantry in Camp Pendleton, CA. After graduating with honors as an 0351, he was sent to the desolate hell-hole that is 29 Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. There, he joined the fabled Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment; in mil-speak known as 3/7. His home in this happy little family of homicidal jarheads is Weapons Company, CAAT White. No, they don't play with kittens all day. It stands for Combined Anti-Armor Team, and basically consists of Humvees with TOW's, M240G's, M2HB's, and MK19's mounted on top.
Which brings us to the part where I get to play with machine guns. Since almost all of the new Marines are from MOS's other than machine gunner, the CAAT's spend a lot of their training sched familiarizing us with the various machine guns. Since I'd considered being a machine gunner I must say I'm pleased with this. And may I just say that John Browning was a freaking GENIUS! The M2 is an amazing weapon.
Enough about all that. Since Roundtable went away I had to throw a little "gun" content into this, but I basically just want to let all my friends here know how I am doing.
I'm stuck in a barracks right now. The waiting list for base housing is 2-3 months, and it's difficult to find an apartment in the area. However, my lovely wife should have got the process in motion for an apt today (I'm calling her as soon as I'm done here) and God willing we'll be moving soon. I've spent the last 7 or so months away from her; in August-September I'm going to Iraq for at least another 7-8. Even a weeks delay has me hating life. I can't wait for the weekend, even tho I don't care for moving.
Other than that annoying little situation life is pretty good. 3/7 is a locked on place to be; Wpns Co and especially CAAT White are the pick of the litter. I couldn't ask for better training.
Well, time is getting away from me and I need to go. Should anyone care to send me mail my addy here is
Pfc Handley, John D.
3/7, Wpns Co, CAAT White
29 Palms, CA 92277
When last we heard from our daring young grunt, he was in the middle of training at the School of Infantry in Camp Pendleton, CA. After graduating with honors as an 0351, he was sent to the desolate hell-hole that is 29 Palms Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center. There, he joined the fabled Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment; in mil-speak known as 3/7. His home in this happy little family of homicidal jarheads is Weapons Company, CAAT White. No, they don't play with kittens all day. It stands for Combined Anti-Armor Team, and basically consists of Humvees with TOW's, M240G's, M2HB's, and MK19's mounted on top.
Which brings us to the part where I get to play with machine guns. Since almost all of the new Marines are from MOS's other than machine gunner, the CAAT's spend a lot of their training sched familiarizing us with the various machine guns. Since I'd considered being a machine gunner I must say I'm pleased with this. And may I just say that John Browning was a freaking GENIUS! The M2 is an amazing weapon.
Enough about all that. Since Roundtable went away I had to throw a little "gun" content into this, but I basically just want to let all my friends here know how I am doing.
I'm stuck in a barracks right now. The waiting list for base housing is 2-3 months, and it's difficult to find an apartment in the area. However, my lovely wife should have got the process in motion for an apt today (I'm calling her as soon as I'm done here) and God willing we'll be moving soon. I've spent the last 7 or so months away from her; in August-September I'm going to Iraq for at least another 7-8. Even a weeks delay has me hating life. I can't wait for the weekend, even tho I don't care for moving.
Other than that annoying little situation life is pretty good. 3/7 is a locked on place to be; Wpns Co and especially CAAT White are the pick of the litter. I couldn't ask for better training.
Well, time is getting away from me and I need to go. Should anyone care to send me mail my addy here is
Pfc Handley, John D.
3/7, Wpns Co, CAAT White
29 Palms, CA 92277