Learning to drive ... Humvee style

Today we received another call from the our favorite warrior. His platoon just concluded three days of training maneuvers in Kuwait.

Day one was a class on counter IED (Improvised Explosive Device) training. They were learning to identify tell tale signs of IED on or near the road. If you have been watching the news, you know that this has been one of the most effective weapons against US military personnel.

Day two was a mock convoy. They were being transported in an "up-armored Humvee". On their way back from their training convoy they encountered a herd (do you call a flock of camels a herd?) of camels. He said that the herdsmen looked exactly like the desert dwellers in "Star Wars" -- right down to the brown robes and goggles. Several of the men in the platoon took a brief camel ride. Time ran out before Kyle and his buddy Josh were able to cruise on the "Camel-lack" (yes, this is a play on words - Camel-lack ... Cadillac ... get it?).

Day three was the best from Kyle's perspective. The driver from the previous two days was replaced. Apparently he had gotten their vehicle stuck twice. So they decided to give Kyle a chance. What Kyle had noticed in the previous "sticking" incidents is that a 12,000 lbs. vehicle has a tendency to bog down if you go slower than 30 mph. So he determined not to get stuck. With a chuckle he said, "Ya know, you can get 12,000 lbs airborne if you hit a sand berm going fast enough." He explained that after Kyle had bounced the Sgt. off the roof twice, he decided to put his seat belt on. Good idea!

He said that they have figured a way to pass the long hours between training exercises. Someone in his platoon brought a wireless router so they have been playing strategy games on their computers. After beating the Sgt., Kyle was overcome with joy. He paraded around the platoon tent doing the happy dance. The Sgt. was NOT amused and promised to "smoke" Kyle sometime. So, it looks like Kyle's exuberance will insure that he doesn't forget how to do push-ups (the usual disciplinary tool for "smoking").