The amount of technology that goes into a modern tank continues to amaze me. The training I've received as a gunner is extensive to say the least. We've learned the ins and outs of the tanks weapon systems. We've disassembled and reassembled the main cannon in under 15 minutes. We've disassembled and reassembled the machine gun so many times that we can all do it blind folded. We've spent countless hours in the simulator learning the finesses of the controls as well as developing the second nature of reacting to different targets and understanding how to combat them.
I've volunteered to be a NCO as well as a candidate for officer, I was promoted to soldier at the beginning of week 8. On that Friday, the aspiring NCO and officer candidates had the honor of partaking in exercise "Grenatieri" at the end of which we earned the grenade insignia for our uniforms. Grenatieri was fun, the first station was to run through a 12 by 2 yard mud/water obstacle, on the other side we had to take off all of our gear and then neatly place it on the ground and then run back through the mud to the side where we began. We then had to select two stones from a large pile, (there weren't any small ones) and then crawl back through the mud to our gear. The next step was to put all of our gear back on (this includes combat backpack, utility belt and assault rifle, in total weighing 20 kilograms) and then run down to the next set of obstacles which were 4 tank stairs (which are used by the repairmen if and when the tanks need to be fixed) the fun part about that was we had to climb up the side that didn't have stairs, then run down the stairs to the next set. After helping our comrades over the last set of stairs my patrol (group of 11) set off to the next obstacle which was moving as quickly as we could up a hill through the trees and undergrowth. At the top was my staff sergeant who sent us to the next station. Now I failed to mention a few important details about all of this. First off this took place at dusk, in the rocky, rugged, uneven terrain of the off road tank track, next we had to carry the stones with us through every obstacle of the first station (we deposited them at the end in a pile that was arranged into the grenadier's grenade), furthermore we were split into patrols of 11 people who started at different times (to avoid chaos and enable closer supervision) finally all of this was done under time pressure, with officers and under officers yelling at us to pick up the pace.
The next station was under the supervision of the staff sergeant from Bivio. He instructed us to get in to push-up position, which we then held for close to two minutes. After that we had to take all of our gear off and pick up a tree trunk and carry it a good 750 meters with a PFC sitting on it. The last stretch the PFC got off as we carried the tree trunk up a 50 degree incline. After depositing the tree trunk where we found it, he had to to get a quick sip of water before we had to run down the hill to the next station run by the staff sergeant of Ambos.
This station was by far the hardest as we had to carry the heaviest man in our patrol (he weighs roughly 88 kg) for about a kilometer without having him ever tough the ground. This required someone to grab all of his gear, two other people to carry him and a fourth person to lay down on the ground so the "injured" comrade could stand on the back of the man laying on the ground while one or two replacements jumped in to continue carrying the "injured" comrade. The last 250 meters we were put under time pressure to reach the finish line (which was pre-determined before the entire exercise began). We made it in time and crossed the finish line with our battle cry. We were then instructed to put all of our gear in a neat row about 150 meters off to the side and wait for the other two patrols to finish.
We then had a small ceremony in which a ceramic grenadier grenade with cardboard flames was lit on fire and then smashed by our company CO. Within the grenade was a satchel wrapped in aluminum foil which contained our insignias. We were each called by our staff sergeants and each staff sergeant distributed the insignias one by one. Now there is a special tradition within the grenadiers, that upon receiving the grenade insignia, all of one's officers congratulate you, and then punch you as hard as they choose in the chest where the grenade is on your uniform. So it was with us. One by one my staff sergeant and all four of our PFCs congratulated me and punched me in the chest. Looking back its a night I will never forget.
The moment a recruit has both the rank of soldier and the grenade over his heart (on his uniform), we are no longer allowed to announce ourselves as recruits or soldiers or anything else, but as Panzergrenadiers.
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| The Grenade of the Grenadiers |
GREN CHARS! QUEL EST VOTRE METIER?!? AOUH! AOUH! AOUH!
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