The Youth of Today

[Dangermouse]

Now, you would be forgiven for thinking that I had misplaced this item and that it should be in "Grumpy Old Men", but read on.

On Friday evening I picked up 8 of my Cadets and we headed of to a Military training area in the South of England, not far from the A3. The reason for us being there was a company wide inspection and involved every unit in the Southern area - minus the Falkland Islands! Almost 120 cadets I am told.
We arrived early and sat in the pouring rain waiting for everyone else to arrive whilst the training staff got their heads on.
Eventually we were paraded in the poring rain and given the normal welcome speech and introductions as well as a sworn declaration from every person present that they had not brought any ammunition on to the training area.

At around 2330 hours we picked up our Bergen's and webbing and marched off in to the complete darkness of a wooded area. What was probably only a 500 meter walk felt much longer as every step had the dread of personal injury (I am getting old).

Eventually my unit were shown some trees and we were to set up our Bashas there. All my unit, including 2 who had never been in the field before, set to building their shelters, got some hot food on and then retired for the evening, at what was well past midnight.
I had to return to the HQ area for a briefing on my weekends activities, which amounted to little more than being a Serbian gang member for two days - suitable attire had been packed. The walk back was interesting in the pitch black, but with a few well placed glow sticks I found my bivy.

0600 next morning and thankfully the rain had stopped. I woke up to cramp in by leg, found the quick release zip on my Gucci sleeping bag jammed and ended up somehow hopping around the camp with my sock on. More worried that the noises from within my bivy may have sounded self pleasing than kicking the cramp out.
If nothing else the CO was pleased to see me changing my wet socks and everyone else followed on.
Fed and tided away the cadets then went of to be closely watched for two days as they conducted a number of exercises that tested their field craft and map reading skills.

By 2030 hours on Saturday night everyone returned to the camp area and quickly sorted their personal admin before making like snoozing green maggots. No chatting, straight off to sleep.

0600 Sunday morning saw us all wake to a much colder day. On my way past our transit I checked the temp gauge and it showed just 1 degree. My Gucci bag and my gortex liner had done their job well and had kept me warm. The cadets got their bodies warmed up and the final day was started.
The training area was truly beautiful, with dew in the spiders webs and a low mist in the hollows.
My task of being a Serbian was with a couple of other staff, to hang out in the woods just after a blind corner. If we saw a patrol we were to engage in chat etc, if we saw them creeping around we upped the anti a little and threw some insults. Imagine meercat.com style accents shouting insults.
We had cadets who completely panicked after stumbling in to our position, through to some who we hardly knew were in the area at all. I was most impressed with our final group who only sent 2 to watch us, both in ghillie suits and one with a digital long lens camera.

Sunday took a log time to finish with us all wanting to get home. Final parade saw my unit pass all the tests, some were not so lucky but had arrived with all their cadets having never been in the field (new units).
We had a much quieter drive home as everyone was exhausted and sat reflecting on the two days in the field.
I have to say that over the two days, despite the rain and the extreme cold on Sunday morning, I did not once hear any of them complain. They all got on with what needed doing and whats more, enjoyed themselves.

A great reminder for me that not all teenagers are sitting around smoking cannabis and scaring old people,

DM

[ovenpaa]

Sounds like a good weekend was had by all DM, and you are right, not all youngsters spend their time scaring old people. The Army Cadets go out around the woods and fields in my area for evening training events. I was out one early evening with the Weim from Hell when I spotted a dozen or so in front, periodically someone would shout something and they would all hurl themselves into the nearest ditch or bramble patch. As I got closer I could make out the words 'TAKE COVER!' I spotted one in a ditch right along side me and we made eye contact for a brief moment, she looked to be about 14, had a blacked face and an unblinking look of steely determination, t took a lot to not smile or nod to her, instead I called the Weim who was watching her with interest and we carried on.

[Christel]

DM,

Good write up and well done for being out there Sunday morning

Funny, sleeping bags and leg cramps, always happens :roll:

[GazMorris]

A great reminder for me that not all teenagers are sitting around smoking cannabis and scaring old people,

Fantastic stuff and kudos to you for volunteering to do this sort of thing with your spare time. I was lucky enough to get to do all sorts of similar things (albeit with the Royal Marines cadets) when I was a teenager, so your report brings back seriously good (in hindsight) memories of hanging around Proteus, Leek and Otterburn in crap weather with assorted CTT, RMR and 45 Commando RM.

Gaz