One Month Down---11 to follow?

It is hard to believe that we are through February and I have been on active duty just over one month.  I wish I could say the time flew....but to tell you the truth, I feel like I have been at Camp Shelby forever.  The past week or more since I last wrote has been productive as we move toward validation (which we need before we head overseas.) Last weekend my company conducted a two day  counter-IED (improvised explosive device) training.  Day one we learned about different kinds of IEDs and what to look for and ways to avoid them and the next day we actual went through a practical exercise where we got in a convoy and went out in the woods to find IEDs and avoid getting blown up.  At one point we went to a "village" (which consisted of civilians dressed up as Afghans) and negotiated with the village elder to allow us to convoy through his village.  He stated that somewhere on the road we were taking there were hidden IEDs and that if we found and safely destroyed them we could use the road through the village.  So we set out on foot carefully scanning for danger.  I saw an IED hidden under of a culvert and notified my commander.  Unfortunately as I was heading back to the convoy a suicide bomber came up close to me and blew himself and me up.  I was dead.  But later I claimed it was just a flesh wound and got up and continued the mission.  Overall it was a good day although it rained the whole day.  The next day, I went out to the M4 Range and qualified with my weapon.  (by the skin of my teeth---I ain't gonna win any marksmen awards.)  Next week we have Base Operations training and then a five day field training exercise the following week.  So things are busy here at Camp Shelby and will be for the next month.  On March 26 I will be returning to Albany for a week of leave.  I look forward to that.  Until then I will keep on dealing with the training and the Mississippi mud.