NTC Day 11

The FOB is pretty empty nowadays, and the "MILES" gear that we have to wear is silly.

There are two parts to it: the halo that goes around your helmet and the body piece that fits around your shoulders. On each are sensors that go off if you've been hit by LaserTag-like device carried around by the "combat trainers" or cadre. If they shoot you, a siren goes off and you're considered "dead." I don't know exactly because none of us have been shot.

"Why not?" you may ask. Because were all inside our trucks the entire time. Because our mission is to deliver stuff around, we're not exposed. For some reason (and I don't want to complain too much ) we're not getting "attacked" during our missions, despite the fact our trucks have sensors, too.

I get the impression that the MILES gear was designed for infantry training, even though we all have to wear them, even in the FOB. That part's just plain unnecessary. Everyone's out in the field. Who's here to shoot us?

Yet, because of the rules, we must obey.

Also in the box of inconvenient rules is the way we have to ride the dirt trails next to the asphault road going north. I understand that it's so the combat trainers can ride ahead of us, but it's still pretty dangerous for the refrigerated trucks -- those things were never meant for off-roading, and it gets pretty scary watching them sway from side while going over the more larger rocks. Yet there's no getting around the rule that they can't drive on the improved road.

*sigh*

We're also limited by the 15 mph speed limit. Though the biggest "hub" of a FOB is only 7 miles away, it takes at least two hours to get there, simply because someone higher than us said so.

It's almost like battalion is trying to make things harder.