Getting Ready

Hey everyone, just wanted to let everyone know that I passed the AFSOC test this last Tuesday. The results for my test were: 63 sit-ups in 2min; 68 push-ups ins 2min; 14 pull-ups in 2 min; three (3) mile run 22:05min; and 1500 meter swim/fin in 25:38min; total score is 550/700 putting me in the "excellent" category.

Things have been progressing pretty fast this week. As said above, the AFSOC was on Tuesday, and today one of the officers had to take his AFSOC, then we went to our logistics building and to what we call VIDMARS (basically our equipment locker room). While there, we got issued our equipment that will be needed for team. This includes a new CSAR ruck, body armor, Kevlar helmet, tactical vests and much much more. Also, once we were done with getting our equipment, we went to the Medical Equipment Packing room to make a bunch of things for our rucks. This involved making bags full of equipment needed to secure a person's airway (such as an ET (Endotracheal) tube), Bleeding packs to help stop a person's bleed like a tourniquet and bandages. Also we made IV start kits that had IV fluids, needles, IV tubing, and other things necessary to give an IV. Once done with that, we were released for the day and were able to grab some lunch, but we had to go back to VIDMARS to pack our rucks with the medical kits we made. Once that was done, then we were able to go home.

Tomorrow, the team is going on a trail run in the morning, then we have a team car wash to raise money for the team fund, and some guys are going to the Senior team's graduation tomorrow night as well (though I'm not). Then starting on Monday, we officially start PJ-U as team 09-003. We will be starting our first block of instruction as well on Monday; this will include a history lesson of the Pararescue community, then flow into weapons training.

Here is what the layout of PJ-U is:

Weapons Training
Land Navigation
PJ Medicine-3 weeks with one being in San Antonio, TX
Tactics-3 weeks with one spent in the field
Mountain Rescue-
Air/Water Operations-mostly at Patrick AFB in Coco Beach, FL
Field Training Exercises (FTX)
Graduation- Sometime in December

Well, that's about it for right now. I'll keep you updated as much as I can about whats going on in training, and try to put some more pictures up as well.