Anxious Legs...

Dear Friends,

My Christmas leave is coming to an end, and I have to admit that it is the perfect amount of time to be on break. I've been able to see lots of family and friends (though not all), and I have enjoyed being "lazy" for a change. Going from an average of 160 lbs. and 2-3 hrs. of sleep a night for the previous 40 days to the new record 184 lbs. and 10 hrs. of sleep a day has been good for recovery. However, my legs are becoming more and more anxious. The majority of me wants to go back to Ranger School in a weird sort of way. Yes, it is miserable at times and I want to finish it ASAP, but right now I just want to get back to the routine of training. I just want to get immersed in it one more time.

Anyway, Swamp Phase in Florida is my last obstacle in Ranger School. It should be tough, but I'm more confident now than ever before about God's provision. I've thought too many times before that something would be "impossible" for me in this school...pass a phase, fight through an injury, or simply just keep walking. After all, God tends to laugh at that word. In the end, my goal is to graduate on Jan. 25. Then I'll have to play it by ear. Your continued prayers and letters will be appreciated again as I look to finish this phase of training strong. Take care!

Promises Kept...

Dear Friends,

This past week can be summarized as a week of promises kept- mostly from David F. to D. Fahs. There were many times in the mountains of Northern Georgia that I found myself making commitments to do certain things during my upcoming break. Most notably I told myself that I would deny my hunger urges nothing. Thanks to this "eat everything in arms reach" diet I have put back on the 25 lbs. that I had lost. In addition, I have spent much time next to fireplaces (since I dreamed of fires every night), a ridiculous amount of time sleeping (average 3 1-hour naps per day), and a good amount of time seeing friends and family ( because that's ultimately what the holidays are all about). Overall, I've kept the promise of letting my body recover. Now that I am refreshed I am trying to get back into decent shape. It is tough to be sucking wind 5 minutes into a run, but I'll have to start somewhere. My full recovery will have to wait until sometime in the Spring...whenever I graduate.

So yeah, I am still in Chicago and enjoying my rest. My only remaining goals are to hang out with friends (especially my best friends from high school who I have somehow managed to avoid for my first 6 days here...my sincere apologies especially to Micah- and B.P., whom I may not be able to see now) and enjoy my freedom. Merry Christmas!

Now On Leave...After Climbing My Mountains

Dear Friends,

Once again God has proven faithful to me. By His strength I passed Mountain Phase of Ranger School, and now I am on my 18 days of holiday leave before moving on to Swamp Phase. This phase was even more physically challenging than the first. I was never injured, but the level of fatigue and sleep deprivation I reached was unbelievable. As one example, during the final 5-day field training exercise I got a grand total of 2.5 hours of sleep (with 72 straight hours of no sleep in the middle of it). I just got to a point where I would look up at the Mountains around me and say to myself, "The God who created these mountains will give me the strength to continue climbing them." I can't tell you how many times I thought that I would not be able to go on. The emotional, mental, and physical fatigue were beyond description. I owe my success so far to no one except Jesus. If I make it straight through Swamp Phase in Florida too, then I will say the same thing.

In summary, I can describe Ranger School so far in two ways:
(1) It has been the most horrible experience of my life. I still don't have feeling in my toes, I can barely do 25 push-ups, and I feel sad seeing over half of my friends not move on to the next phase because they are being recycled or dropped from the course.
(2) However, this course has also proven to be the greatest blessing of my life so far. God has taught me faith of a new level, thankfulness for all the blessings of normal life, and reliance on Him.

I feel as though this holiday break will be the best of my life so far because I have such an appreciation of all that I have. It is no longer just about getting the Ranger Tab. Of course I want it badly, but it represents so much more to me now. I'll be in Chicago from Dec 19 to Jan 1. Please call me over this Christmas Break. It may be the last extended period of time that I'll be in Chi-town for quite awhile. Bye!

Quick Update...

Dear Friends,

Here's a quick update on my situation. I am currently moving on to Mountain Phase of Ranger School. Benning Phase was a huge challenge for me. I often times felt out of my element due to the constant fatigue and food deprivation, but God has proven faithful to me. At my lowest moments when I literally thought that I couldn't make it through...that is when Jesus surprised me and pulled me up. He has blessed me with a competent squad, yet we are still learning to work together well. Please pray that we bond more than ever in this next phase. A strong team is the most important tool for a Ranger student. I've also been injured quite a bit, but God continues to heal me just in the nick of time before I get dropped from the course. I've needed stitches twice (although didn't get them because of the risk of them opening again...should = sweet scars in the future), I've strained a ligament in my knee, and currently I have cellulitis on my knee. This last ailment is serious enough to get me dropped from the course if it gets any worse. I'm on the right medications, but I need your prayer.

Mountains should be even more of a challenge than Benning, but I am calmed to know that my friends and family are keeping me in their prayers. After what I've been through, I feel that I can do pretty much anything through Christ who strengthens me. Thanks and see most of you at Christmas!

Ranger School...

Dear Friends,

This Sunday I report to the school which I have anticipated for the past 5 years of my life. Ranger School is said to be "the hardest thing I will ever do." Only about 30% of its students make it through all 3 phases without recycling at least 1 phase. Overall only about 55% pass the course. The first phase is Benning phase and will be right here at Ft. Benning. If I get through that phase without trouble, then I will get to go to Mountain phase up in northern Georgia. The final stage is Swamp phase down in Florida. Each one of these phases (~20 days each) will bring its own challenges, and it is rumored that every Ranger student wants to quit at least once. With this in mind my goals are as follows: although I would love to make it through without recycling, I realize that I can't go into this school with a time line. Even those who do make it straight through admit that much of it was luck. Therefore, my overall goal is to never give up and to complete the school representing Christ as best as I can. I will have plenty of opportunities to share my faith and serve others considering the stresses and toils during training. Your prayers for my physical health, mental strength, and spiritual testing will be the most helpful thing you can do for me. I no longer approach any school in the Army with fear or timidity. Rather I go into them with faith knowing that God has given me the ability and opportunity to finish everything I encounter...the end state is really just out of my control.

During the middle of the school there is a Winter Exodus Break. It goes from 17 Dec to 03 Jan, and I will be in Chicago from 19 Dec to 01 Jan. I would love to see as many friends and family as possible so keep those dates in mind. Also, I won't really be able to have much contact with the outside world, but I can receive letters. My address is listed below, but it will change during phase changes. Thank you all for your support so far...I have been truly blessed down here at Ft. Benning.

David Fahs
4th Ranger Training Battalion
ATTN: Class 002, Company ?
10850 Schneider Rd.
Fort Benning, GA 31905

Additional Info. about Ranger School and what I'm doing can be found at... https://www.benning.army.mil/rtb/rtbmain.asp

Officially An Infantry Officer...

Dear Friends,

I am now officially an Infantry Officer. I now wear the "Infantry Blue" cord on my dress uniform, and I am now qualified to actually lead men in combat (although I do have some more training before that). Anyway, the graduation ceremony was good, and my parents were there to see it. My parents and I have been able to hang out a lot since they've been down here, and they've gotten to meet a lot of my friends. One of those friends is Tim Speace who will be here for the next 3 weeks for Airborne School. He's gonna get done with this school and then move on to Ft. Campbell. It continues to surprise me how crazy life is in the Army. My path continues to cross with my friends during the most unexpected of circumstances...standing in line at the chow hall or walking around post. The Army is certainly a small world.

My parents leave tonight, and then I have to make some final preparations for my next school. I'll send out one more post before Nov. 5 to let you know what's going on. I plan on eating lots of food, sleeping plenty, and relaxing for the next 7 days. Until then...

I Have Been "Leader Forged!"

Dear Friends,

This last week on Wednesday my IOBC Company carried out its final mission...an attack onto a small village housing 15 bad guys. We finished the mission successfully and then realized that we were finally done (for the most part). The rest of the week went very well. I began as the Platoon Leader for our final platoon Live Fire Exercise. It was an attack on a suspected weapons cache which consisted of more than a day of planning, rehearsals, and then finally the live fire. My platoon did great, and we then moved on to 3 days straight of missions. We got very little sleep, and we were by far the hardest working platoon in the company running longer and more frequent missions. They ranged from 2 mile movements through the woods at night with our NVGs to day foot patrols through the town where we set up a combat outpost.

Other highlights included a Blackhawk helicopter ride and my company playing the role of rioting civilians. We did this to train a Military Police unit who just happened to be in the same area...they came out with shields and full riot gear. We got some of the clashes on video, and they were hilarious watching our guys get into the role.

Anyway, all we have left to do is clean our weapons, turn in gear, and begin out-processing. Another worthy mention is that I got the Company Distinguished Honor Graduate award. I was not expecting it, and it really is an honor considering the other 160 LTs that I'm being compared to. God really does continue to grant me success and favor. I am simply taking it as it comes. Thursday is graduation and my parents are coming down which is sweet. I'm looking forward to finally moving on with my training. Bye~

Light At The End Of The Tunnel...

Dear Friends,

This entry will probably be a little longer than normal for two reasons. For one, there is much to talk about, and secondly I will be in the field over this next weekend and won't be able to send out a message. Anyway, this last week went really well. It was a relatively easy week in A/C buildings with plenty to make the time fly by. I am now Army Combatives Level I certified after getting punched in the face a few times in our final test (to prove I can close the distance with a fighter and take him to the ground). I also took the final PT test and the Ranger 5-mile test which I ran in 29:37. After doing well in these it looks as though I'm guaranteed a slot in the Nov. 5 Ranger School slot. At the end of the week we took our Infantry Tactics exam which I scored well in. Overall, I'm done with most of the odds and ends of the requirements for graduation from IOBC. Now I only need to stay healthy and complete this last field week.

We have both Monday and Tuesday off, but on Wednesday we head out to the field one last time. We'll be doing a platoon live fire first in which we will maneuver and fire as a platoon. These always take awhile because the Army is so crazy about safety. We should be done with that by Friday which is when we'll start our final platoon tactical missions. We start with an Air Assault mission (helicopter insertion) into our training area. The next few days will be filled with wood line and urban operations. The coolest thing we'll be doing is probably setting up a Combat Outpost in the urban training city. We'll set it up and man it for 24 hrs straight, and it apparently is very close to what units are actually doing in Baghdad right now. The final mission will be a company level (4 platoons) assault onto a city which begins with a 12-mile ruck march from the start point to the objective. It should be a smoker at the end of 4 straight days of operations. I have no idea exactly how hard this final exercise will be for me and my platoon, but I would appreciate your prayers for safety, strength, and success in our training. It is incredibly important to me that I finish strong...too many people give up in the final phases of training when they see the light at the end of the tunnel.

For now I will continue to enjoy my 4-day weekend...also, 3 more folks from my ROTC Battalion just arrived down here at Ft. Benning. It's always nice to see familiar faces. Bye!

A Small Break At Last...

Dear Friends,

This Friday marked the end of my 3 weeks in the field. We were learning military operations in the urban environment which was a welcome change of pace from the things we had been doing. The entire week we slept in either tents or the buildings we were training in (ie. We'd run a raid on a building and then sleep there that night). Anyway, this weekend was an eventful one since two of my roommates, Josh and Paul, had their birthdays. It was a ton of fun, and we ate like kings which seems to be slowing becoming the tradition here at IOBC...work hard in the field during the week and then reward yourself with a couple good dinners during the weekend.

The coming week should be fairly easy. We do our final certification for combatives on Monday, a Ranger PT test on Wednesday, and a tactics exam on Friday. We're supposed to get off early on Friday and then be able to enjoy a 4 day weekend. It will be nice. It's kind of crazy to think about, but Ranger School is potentially only 5 weeks away. As long as I stay injury-free, then I should be going to the November 5th class. Training continues to fly by down here in GA. Without the constant routine of college, I've begun to realize that life in the Army goes by quick. I'll write again soon!

Knocking Out a Bunker & No Sleep 'Til Friday

Dear Friends,

This past week was once again pretty cool. We began the week with a live fire exercise in which we attacked a bunker and trench network. I got to lead the mission and my squad did a really good job knocking out the bunker. It's always exciting when you're shooting real bullets and moving at the same time. It's also very interesting when your primary means of communication and signaling (your radio) breaks half way though the mission. Thank God for backup signals. Later on in the week we got "destroyed" by our platoon trainer. He basically took us out for 48 hours straight of ruck marching and running missions in the woods. As squad leader I didn't sleep at all. It was good training but tiring nonetheless. Anyway, the weekend came and I got to relax and eat several good meals with some friends. I'm learning how to work hard down here in GA, but I'm also learning to rest hard when the opportunity presents itself such as on the weekends.

This next week should be the most fun yet. We are doing urban warfare operations learning how to assault villages, clear buildings, and fight in close quarters. We end the week by doing a "shoot house" where we enter a building and clear the rooms with live bullets. It apparently can get pretty exciting. This will also be the last of 3 straight field weeks. Please continue to pray that I enjoy my training and make the best of it. It can be easy to feel sorry for yourself during hard training, but I feel that as leaders we really don't have the luxury of self-pity. Until next time!

A Picture To Paint...

Dear Friends,

Let me paint a picture for you. (This actually happened to me this last week as part of my training). There we were moving as a platoon into our firing positions when suddenly mortars started dropping 700 meters in front of us on the objective we were supposed to attack. The night was black, wet, and hot. My night vision goggles picked up the light flashes from the mortar explosions and the lighting in the distance. I set up my 2 light machine guns where they could best fire at the enemy and then I got my other guys set in. Finally I gave my squad leader the ready signal. A few short minutes past and then the heavy machine guns started to open up. This was the trigger signal to begin the attack followed by parachute flares to light up the enemy positions. An entire platoon of 40 men fired at targets downrange as the mortars continued to rain in. It was quite an impressive display to see first hand.

In reality this last week was pretty hard. I didn't get a lot of sleep and it rained a lot, but overall I am learning a ton not only about the Army and its tactics but about myself too. I would appreciate prayer for strength, a positive attitude, and the ability to lead through serving my peers. This next week we will be doing more live fires assaulting bunkers and trench lines. It should all be interesting and also more enjoyable since it's not scheduled to rain until Friday if at all. Please keep the rest of my squad and platoon in your prayers. I'll send another update next week. Bye!

Iron Man, Meeting Gen. Petraeus, Etc.

Dear Friends,

This work week has turned out to be eventful despite only being 3 days long. First off, I took a written exam today which is a pretty rare thing for an infantry officer. We generally don't "do too good" with reading stuff. Anyway, this morning was my company's Iron Man Competition which consisted of the 3 best PT guys from each platoon competing in various events. You did a 1.5 mile ruck run, a 400 m water jug carry up cardiac hill (really steep hill here at Ft. Benning), a 1.5 mile run with body armor, 2 minutes of push-ups, 2 minutes of sit-ups, pull-ups, a sandbag carry, and finally a weapons assembly task. The hardest part was that you didn't get any rest between events. I felt exhausted, but I ended up taking first place. My roommates now give me a hard time asking me if "I'm actually made of iron." Another highlight is that two of my roommates, Anderson and Bosley, both met General Petraeus. He's the 4-star general in charge of the War in Iraq right now...aka one of the 5 most important people in the U.S. They were pretty happy about that chance encounter.

This weekend should be pretty fun. I've got friends coming in from a couple different places, and we should be doing something creative on Saturday. It's always good to see old friends. Anyway, next week we are going out to the field again. The weather is getting cooler, but I'm sure that it will still be tough. I'm going to enjoy my time indoors this weekend though. Bye!

Machine Guns & The Mountains of N.C.

Dear Friends,

My week of training on machine guns is done, and I can tell you that all others guns now seem kinda wimpy. It was really hot out on the firing range, but the shooting was still pretty sweet. What else? I'm currently on my 4-day holiday weekend, and I just got back from a retreat with my Bible Study in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The trails were steep, the air was clear, and the weather was beautiful. The men and women there at the retreat were from all over the U.S. ranging from Ft. Bliss, TX to Ft. Lewis, WA. They all were fired up to share what God is doing in the military through their ministries. You should be encouraged to know that there are many Christians reaching soldiers in the military. God is moving.

Anyway, this next week will be pretty short. I have another PT test, more powerpoint classes, a written exam, and a combatives (hand-to-hand fighting) certification to go through. I welcome a week out of the field because it will be the final time we have such classes for 3 weeks. Just pray that I can continue to reach the guys in my platoon with their questions and needs. I've found some good friends and guys who seem eager to learn more about Jesus. Bye!

The Field Is Fun, Hard, and Hot!

Dear Friends,

I just got back from the field Thursday night at 10:30 here for IOBC. I'm not gonna lie...it was really hot outside. I guess you get used to it after awhile, but the heat makes everything twice as hard. Anyway, we shot our M-4 rifles every single day. We shot at pop-up targets, moving targets, and targets at night. We shot while lying down, walking, and running next to our buddies. I feel much more confident with the rifle now. However, I am going through some withdrawal right now. It was hard to not shoot today after 4 days straight. I think my air-conditioned room and comfortable bed will make up for it though.

So yeah, this next week we will get some classroom instruction on machine guns and then we will go out on the ranges Wednesday and Thursday and get to shoot them. It's pretty sweet. We're even letting the wives and families of the soldiers in our company come out and shoot the machine guns on Thursday. The field time will be much shorter and less intense, but it will still be hot. Continue to pray for our safety and attitudes as the training can sometimes seem to get the better of us. Bye!

p.s. The shooting at night with infra-red lasers and night vision goggles was awesome. I would look down the firing line and see something that looked like it was straight out of a scene in Star Wars...aiming light lasers shining and muzzle flashes as the firers let loose a few rounds. It was sweet!

How'd That Happen?

Dear Friends,

This week was a rather interesting one. Most of it was fairly dry sitting in classrooms getting instructions on equipment maintenance procedures, radios, etc. The highlights, however, included a platoon obstacle course competition in which my platoon ran 3 miles stopping and doing random tasks along the way like climbing a rope wall or pushing a truck across a parking lot. Tuesday was also a highlight with LandNavigation. It was interesting because I have never failed a LandNav course in my life, yet 2 hours into this test I hadn't found any points. The total test was 5 hours long with a requirement of 7 out of 9 points. Needless to say I was a little doubtful at the 2 hour mark of my chance at success. Somehow in the end, though, I came in with 15 minutes to spare and all 9 of my points. The only reason I mention it in detail is to give you all one more example of how God is blessing me down here in GA. Even when I mess up He reaches out and picks me up to help me succeed. I appreciate your prayers and support (especially if you happened to be praying between the hours of 5 and 10 am on Tuesday morning).

This next week we are going out to the firing ranges and sleeping out in the field. We'll be doing qualification ranges, night fire ranges, and a live-fire-maneuver range at the end where we get to move and shoot at the same time with our buddies next to us. It's supposed to be pretty sweet. Please pray for my platoon so that we can push through the heat down here. It's pretty hot during the day. Bye!

Week of Classroom...Running In The Woods Soon

Dear Friends,

This last week I spent the entire time looking at PowerPoint slides. It was long & tedious yet needed. We were learning the details of Operation Orders (the way we present all the information for a mission). The classes were very in depth, and I still have a lot to learn about it. Anyway, this week we'll be having some more classes, we'll be doing Land Navigation, and we'll also get to go to the Infantry Museum on Friday. Yup, I get paid to go to a museum...one more reason I love the Army. It's supposed to be pretty sweet.

My time as Squad Leader is over too, but I am expecting another leadership position in the next month or so when we start to run missions in the field. Until then I get to be just a regular guy. Also, I'm gonna list the people in my squad so you can be praying for them. I still don't know them very well, but I do know that Hill, Fox, and Hamilton are Christians. It should be nice to have them around when things get a little more stressful. I'll write again soon!

My Squad: Edward Fox, Shaun Futch, David Hamilton, Stephen Hill, Matt Iglesias, Afif Karout, Dennis Kester, Curtis Knie, Michael Kolton, & Pavlos Tzouganatos.

IOBC Has Begun...But Rather Slowly

Dear Friends,

IOBC has indeed begun putting me on the next step to being a qualified infantry officer. It has started off slowly, though, only doing in-processing stuff and now sitting in classes all day. We should only have 2 weeks of the classroom stuff, and then we get to go and shoot again. In reality, it is kinda nice to have these classes because it allows me to get a good routine going. Everyone is trying to get into good shape for the next school (Ranger School for most of us). My roommates and I are having a great time entertaining each other, but we're trying to avoid some of the topics of conversation which are overused. For instance, we're not allowed to say Ranger School. We can only say Follow-on training. People think we're weird...but maybe that's because we are.

I guess I can start to tell you about my squad. We haven't really gotten a chance to mesh together yet, but they all seem like pretty capable guys. There are a few Christians in my squad too whom I was able to pick out rather quickly. Christians in the military just seem to stick out to me. In my squad we also got a couple international students including one from Greece and another from Lebanon. It seems we want to train the Lebanon officers now rather than letting Iran do it. I'll get you their names next week so that you can start praying for them. As of right now just know that I am in good spirits and enjoying the easy pace of training.

Heading Back To Georgia...

Dear Friends,

My trip to Chicago was definitely well-lived. I was able to see mom, dad, brother Chris, Sarah, Janine, Tim, aunt, uncle, Micah, Steve, Andrea, Jake, Adam, BP, Hops, and a few others along the way. Of course there were a few people I missed, but I only had so much time. All in all, it was refreshing to be back in Wheaton. However, this is probably my last trip to Chi-town for quite some time. I'm thinking that the next time will be around Christmas, but I really don't know. It's tough to know where you'll be for Christmas when all your friends and family start to scatter. I have 3 "homes" right now...Georgia, Ohio, & Chicago.

Now what to expect? I have 13 weeks in Infantry Officer Basic Course ahead of me. It should be challenging on all levels. My main prayer again is that I keep a positive attitude about the training...knowing that I will get out what I put in. I would like to stay healthy and injury-free too. We'll be pushing ourselves pretty hard in training which always carries the possibilities of sickness and injury. I'll take it as it comes though. Another update will be coming soon. Bye!

p.s. My new mailing address!

242 Lavoie Ave.

Ft. Benning, GA 31905

A Very Rare Free Escape

Dear Friends,

So today I started my 10 days of permissive temporary duty in the yonder or PTDY. Now normally in the Army you have very little time off especially with the rate people are getting deployed now. And if you do, then normally you can only take a "free" 4 day pass at maximum or leave. You have to get lucky to get a pass and leave is charged from your account (every year you get 30 days of leave). PTDY is exactly like leave, but you don't have to charge your account. All and all, it's very rare and I'm lucky to get it. I'm looking forward to my trip back to Chicago and my time off.

What else? I moved out of the BOLC II barracks today and into my house. I'm living with three other infantry officers...Paul Houck, Westby Anderson, & Josh Bosley. They all are good guys and absolutely hilarious. I have a feeling that I'm in for an entertaining stay here at Benning. I will need to prepare myself in many ways for this next school. Please pray that I stay healthy, that I keep a positive attitude, and that I learn my job as well as possible. I hope to talk to you all soon. Laters!

BOLC II Done...Chicago Here I Come

Dear Friends,
I just finished the last day of field training here at BOLC II in Georgia. It consisted of a 10 mile road march and a few hours of cleaning up our training area. I was very healthy this time which made training a lot more enjoyable. We had a couple people carted away in an ambulance from my platoon due to the heat, but they both turned out fine. The commanders here at Benning are incredibly uptight about heat injuries since at least one soldier usually dies every year here from heat stroke. It's a necessary precaution I guess. My best weapon right now tends to be my camelback.

What else? Next weekend I am in Chicago to see friends and family. It will likely be the last time I am in Chicago for at least a few months so if you'll be around give me a call. Also, next Thursday I move out of the BOLC II barracks and into a townhouse with 4 other guys. I am very much looking forward to the change of scenery and the new found freedom. I'll be starting Infantry Officer Basic Course (IOBC aka. BOLC III) the following week after my trip to Chi-town. That training should be a lot more demanding and challenging...perfect for what I am looking for right now. I'll write again soon.

Week At The FOB

Dear Friends,

As you might recall I had been at the FOB (base in the woods of Ft. Benning designed to imitate the bases we have in Iraq right now) for the last week. Despite being a little sick the training was awesome. We fired our weapons almost every single day...learning how to move and shoot in an urban environment, firing huge weapons like the .50 cal machine gun, and training to run convoy missions (while reacting to sniper attacks, IEDs, and other hazards...one of those hazards was a funeral procession of mourning women who claimed American soldiers had killed her husband. Of course they were all actresses, but it was challenging to deal with the whole situation. We ended up getting attacked in the middle of negotiations with the women. It was crazy.). The temperatures were usually in the upper 90's with high humidity, but the barrack's air-conditioning made it more than bearable

On Monday I passed the last big graduation requirement. We were given a map, a compass, and 5 hours to go out and find 5 of 8 points in the woods of Ft. Benning. It was fun, but I am relieved to have a small break now. We get Thursday and Friday off for the 4th of July weekend.
I plan on enjoying my time off and making the phone calls I've been unable to make for so long. I'll update you all again soon!

Shooting, Running, and Having Fun

Dear Friends,

This last week was great. Things I did: ran around in the woods doing Land Navigation stuff, shot at the firing range, and took a Physical Fitness (PT) test. Probably the coolest thing I did was put on Night Vision goggles at the night range and shoot my rifle using infra-red laser sights. Those of you who know me probably understand how excited I'd get about something like that- in reality it was stuff like that which caused me to join the Army in the first place. Also, your prayers definitely are working because my platoon is performing incredibly by winning every competition so far in training (out of 6 platoons). I also got the male high PT test score for the company (I finally broke 11 minutes on the 2-mile run after 5 years of trying).

What to expect next? I haven't had much responsibility in the last week or so. I'm expecting to have more leadership opportunities when we go to the FOB (fancy acronym for a base out in the woods where it's easier for us to move to our training sights). We move to the FOB this next Monday. I'm looking forward to it. It will "feel" more like the Army since we'll be doing more intensive training.

My attitude has still been kept in check, but there have been times where the Georgia sun starts to take it's toll. Overall, though, the training is fairly easy and fun. Right now I'm planning on visiting Chicago on July 22-24 in between training sessions. If you'll be around, then let me know. Thanks.

I'm Getting Paid For This?

Dear Friends,

This week's training was great. I got beat up doing combatives with the rest of my platoon. I relearned lots of stuff dealing with rifle marksmanship. Above all we get to run around in the woods next week (Land Navigation Stuff) and shoot at the firing range. Of course the weather is still hot here, but it's funny how 80 degrees and sunny feels cool after a few 98 degree, 100% humidity days. I often times have to remind myself that I'm getting paid for doing this stuff. At times the routine can drag and the field conditions can be ruff, but I daily remember just how lucky I am. I am doing something that I love...which is something many people can't say.

What else? I'm getting closer with my platoon. I'm gonna list the people in my squad at the end of this post so that you can pray for them by name too. They are all good people...some of them a little "edgy", but they really all seem pretty good. Then again, I get along with most. I'll try to get more posts in with more detail of what I'm doing. Just continue to pray for my attitude, confidence, and peace. Thanks.

Members of D Co. 1st Plt. 1st Sqd.

Westby Anderson, Bruce Clark, Dan Digiorgio, Greg Black, Josh Bosley, Lonnie Colbert, Megan Bradner, Morgan Boyd, Shawn Atkins, Terrika Boyd, Vergil Decker, & Weston Amaya

Week 1 Down...6 More To Go

Dear Friends,

The first week here at Benning was that of extremes. I started off being extremely lonely due to the transition, then I was extremely busy being Squad Leader (in charge of 12 people), and finally I have become extremely excited to start training this next week. We'll be doing an introduction to hand-to-hand combatives and an introduction to more advanced rifle marksmanship. My platoon is becoming closer, and I've already found a church and a Bible Study. I'm being stretched, but it's exactly what I need.

Another note-worthy announcement is that I got to see the Cubs play the Braves in Atlanta on Saturday with some guys from my training unit. It was a sold-out crowd, and even though the Cubies lost it was an awesome experience.

It will be hot and humid in Georgia this summer so please pray a few things for my platoon and I. First please pray that my platoon will be safe and not fall victim to the weather or training. Pray also that I will maintain a good positive attitude during all my training. I have 2 goals here at Ft. Benning. I never want to be caught complaining. I also want to maintain faith in my abilities...not being afraid to fail or to accept challenges. Ultimately I want to be different...representing Jesus to a bunch of people who are desperate for Him...they just might not know it yet. Laters!

P.S. My mailing address is listed below...

2LT David Fahs
D Co. 1/11
BOLC II 1st Platoon
BLDG 2839
Fort Benning, GA 31905

Night of Relaxation in GA

Dear Friends & Family,

Tonight I am sitting in a rather nice hotel room just across the border in Georgia. People talk funny here, but they seem a lot more friendly than the Chicago-ans I'm used to. Tomorrow I officially report to my first Army training course at Ft. Benning (BOLC II). I have been organizing papers, checking last minute details, but mostly just relaxing since this is going to be my last night of uninterrupted freedom for quite a long time. I know what you are asking. Am I nervous? The answer is no. I'm also not alone down here since I know a few people already here...some in BOLC II with me, some in the Columbus area, and others within driving distance. You can just pray that I keep a good attitude towards the training. I never want to be negative or whiny about the Army. I am incredibly blessed with this job. This is where God wants me to be, and I am at peace because of that.

Amy J. asked me to specifically mention her in this post so here you go Amy (Ann Karl also gets a hello). The only useful information I can give you right now is that I am free on weekends, national holidays, and most nights after 6pm. I'll update my mailing address and all that other jazz as soon as I learn it. Thanks.

Dear Friends,

It occurred to me yesterday while having dinner with some family and friends that very rarely do people know what is going on in my life. Well, following is a brief past, present, and future summary of just that.

The past...for the past 5 years I've taken classes both at Wheaton College and Illinois Tech for civil engineering. I just finished that degree a few weeks ago. At about that same time my Army ROTC career culminated in my commissioning ceremony where I was promoted to a 2LT.

The present...I am currently waiting in "limbo" as I close things out here in Wheaton (like my apartment check-out, good-bye's to friends, etc.) and wait to go down to Georgia.

The future...I will report to Infantry Officer Basic Course on June 3rd in Ft. Benning, GA. The first phase of the training is a 6 week refresher course of my previous 5 years of training. The second phase will be more intensive and specific to the branch I was assigned (namely Infantry). After that I may have an opportunity to go to a variety of Army schools like Ranger School, Mechanized Leader's Course, etc.

I think that catches everyone up. Until the next time!

Dave Fahs

First Post...

Dear Friends,
The date is May 24th. The time is 12:54 am. I am writing from my practically gutted apartment here in Wheaton, IL. Presently I just got back from a night out with a friend. It was great weather and even better company. Anyway, it is T-minus 10 days before I leave for Ft. Benning, GA. I am not nervous...just completely clueless on what to expect for my life in the near future. It's great to know what I'll be doing for the next year (namely training to be an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army), but change always has the potential to be daunting. Luckily I am surrounded by those who support me. Their prayers and encouragement definitely help me a ton. Now I really need to get to bed if I am going to get up at a decent hour tomorrow. Laters!
Dave Fahs