Reserve Active Duty Training - Day 2

It is day 2 of my annual Reserve Active Duty Training. Day 1 was spent checking in, moving to the airport, and flying up to Yakima Training Center in Washington State. There was the typical military hurry up and wait, but we arrived safely and moved into our squadbays.


Today was spent on orientation to the base and its training facilities. Select staff received range officer safety training so that we can run the various ranges on the base safely. After this brief class, I went out with one of the Army contractors to view the Convoy Live Fire range which I would be in charge of running for the battalion. The rest of the day was spent confirming the training plan and coordinating logistics for the next few days.


Yakima is located in the eastern part of Washington State, east of Mt Rainier. YTC is the brown area northeast of the town of Yakima and is west of the Columbia River.


The countryside is composed of a series of rolling hills. You may think of Washington as a very rainy area, but Yakima is in the eastern part of the state and is considered a high desert. The low brush is very dry this time of year and wild fires are a big concern. Temperatures today were not too bad and only made it into the high 80's. This is a bit below average and they are expected to climb into the mid-90's. Evening temperatures are chilly and average in the high 50's. Its also very dusty when the wind blows.

I told Dominic that I was leaving the day before I left and that I would be gone 3 weeks doing Marine work. I told him again on Sunday morning. That evening DominicsMom overheard him explain to one of his toys that Daddy was not home because he was doing Marine stuff. By Sunday evening he had forgotten and DominicsMom had to remind him where I was...


I'll continue to post as I have time (probably not too much as we get busier.)


SemperFi,
DominicsDad