My Life In The Army

Dear Reader,

Please forgive my absence from updating this blog. I've had a very busy summer with army service and other activities. I will hence forth make a consolidated effort to update regularly. Now without further ado: The rest of my army service!

Officer's school progressed well. There were a few night time exercises which included more office/paperwork and planning than anything else. It took me a while to learn how to deal with sleep deprivation. But this, like many other things, you learn how to deal with and overcome.

Week 4 of Officer's school found us in Magglingen for a week of Sports Teacher Training. The VBS (Dept. of Defense) buildings in Magglingen are as close to a 5-Star Hotel as you'll find in the Army and considered the High Seat of Sports in Switzerland. We had toe opportunity to do many fun things and team sports as well as prepare our own sport lessons. The best food I've ever eaten in the army was by far in Magglingen as we had the choice of three different menus for lunch and dinner. Breakfast consisted of a bounty of options from bread, meats and cheese to cereals, pastries and a host of juices, teas and coffee. I now understand why assignments in Magglingen are so relished in the Translation Officer's Company.

The Fifth Week of OS was shooting week. We learned how to properly prepare and carry out a shooting program/lesson, including all the paper work and bureaucracy involved. It was fun, as I not only enjoy shooting but enjoy the responsibilities and difficulties of leading a shooting session. I also improved my skills with the Pistol, though I was unable to earn the Pistol Marksman Ribbon.

Weeks 6 and 7 were spent in Bülach with the commander of the Translation Officer's Practical Service. Whilst our comrades had multiple exercises out in the sticks somewhere, setting up antennas and sleeping in barns, our class was acquainted with the basic responsibilities and capabilities of what Translation Officers do. This includes having good manners, not being a slob, understanding Swiss History and Culture and being able to present it in such a way that foreign delegations. A Basic understanding of good conversation, what not to talk about, etc. There was also a fair deal of paperwork and bureaucracy involved as well as learning how to make a good first impression. At the end of week 6, we had a 40km march from Bülach, up to the Rhine, over to Weiach, and then back to Bülach. Our class proved again that we aren't as bad as the reputation that we inherited in that we arrived a full 30 minutes before the last of the three classes and only a mere 10 minutes after the first class.

Week 8 was spent in Andermatt, high up in the mountains, where we received instruction in basic mountaineering know-how, snow-shoeing, making a Snow Bivouac, as well as the intricacies of sleeping and eating outside in the mountains. I very much enjoyed all of it, especially the mountaineering and knot tie-ing.

Week 9 was endurance week. Its touted as the hardest thing about an Officer's School. It was one of the best weeks of my life. On Sunday night we began preparing for the week. The whole Officer's School was mixed and put into three "combat platoons" I only got around an hour and a half to two and a half hours of sleep a night and yet was well rested and ready to go every time I woke up to a new day. We did many things aimed at testing our resolve, willpower and personal strength. It was imperative to work as a team. I luckily had a great group in my platoon to work with. We had a few bad apples and some friction within our platoon. I credit Platoon Bravo's (my platoon) success in the strong leadership that came from one of the four women aspiring to officer in our OS. Lara did a great job of keeping our platoon in line. She took over command of the platoon late Monday night and was in command until Wednesday afternoon. The moment Lara was in charge, we started winning, and we wound up being the best of the three platoons in all the sports and other challenges.
On whole, Endurance week was one of the greatest weeks of my life. I was not only relieved, but also sad when it drew to a close with the 60km March from Weinfelden to Bülach. We finished the march to steaks, beers and cigars in around 12h33m.

Week 10 held the final inspection, our promotion to Sergeant First Class and the logistics of returning all the corps material and preparing to exit out of Officer's School. The Final Roll Call on the parade square of the Barracks, in the low February sun, was a very odd experience. I had grown so close to these aspiring officer's all around me, especially in the last week and a half. Now we would go off to our separate bases and continue with our practical service. For some that would mean commanding a platoon. For others, specifically us Translation Specialists, it meant 15 weeks of training and learning in a host of subjects. After a final salute and the best wishes from the Colonel, we took our full kit and made our way home, wishing each other a good weekend and good luck at our new postings.