Robert’s Much Needed Post

Hey everybody,

I am terribly sorry I haven’t posted anything in a while.  I have been extremely busy most of the time and when I am no busy, I am focused on resting or fishing lol.  Anyways, since the last post back in February, a lot has happened.  I will start with the end of whiskey school.

I went through the 7 day field training exercise in early march.  The first couple of days, we went to the ranges and shot M16’s and got oriented to the FOB (forward operating base).  The third day, we did a patrol starting at 0400 going for 4 miles.  We had two different run-ins with the enemies and had to take care of 5 different patients, carry them up a very steep hill for 200 yds, put them on a stretcher and take them back to the FOB, then that afternoon, after chow, we had to do MOUT Training (military training in a civilian quadrant).  Here we busted into buildings, breaking down doors, killing the enemy and caring for any wounded prisoners they had housed with them.  That was by far the coolest day of training ever.  Another cool day came two days later where we worked in Battalion Aid Station.  Basically, it is MASH all over again where we got to play the role of the medic bringing the patient in, the nurses, the doctors and the surgeons.  The interesting thing with that was we got gased while this happened, so we had to put on our gas masks, close the doors to the tents and seal everything off.  Then our power got cut, so we had to perform all care with flashlights.  The two beds that I was in charge of were most proficient, getting 6 out of the ten patients through before the MEDEVAC helicopter came.  It was a lot of fun and wonderful training all at the same time.  Once FTX was over, we went back to Charlie Company, cleaned the barracks for a few days, obtained orders, graduated and moved out to our next duty station.

Lucky for me, I was the last of the enlisting soldiers to get the M6 Nursing School Option.  I was sent about 2 miles up the hill on Ft. Sam Houston to C-company 264th medical battalion for the first phase of nursing school.  It was about 8 weeks of straight classroom work…basically the worst time in the military I’ve had yet.  Once I graduated that school, I was given orders to Ft. Lewis, WA.

That is where I am currently stationed since June 3rd.  This is the second phase of M6 training out of three total.  The first 3 weeks up here was straight classwork again, but it is more interesting because we began to incorporate clinical rotations on the floor.  The first rotation was a five day rotation at the Veteran’s Nursing Home.  This was an introduction to clinicals so the main care we gave was showers, toileting, walking, and games.  We then went to the seventh floor of the hospital, which is where patients getting out of surgery go.  We are finally allowed to administer medications with the instructors present, we put in and pull out IV’s and foleys (both you’re not allowed to do in the civilian world), we draw blood and provide for the patients care.  We still have tests every couple of weeks, our last one being last friday.  It was the psychology unit about schitzofrenia, suicide, bipolar disorder, etc.  I got a 94%

I am tired cause it is 2300 (11 o’clock pm) and I have to get up at 0430, so I will finish this note tomorrow.  I love you all and appreciate you reading.  I am terribly sorry for not writing and I promise to keep you updated more efficiently.  Good night and I’ll talk to you all tomorrow.

Sincerely,

PFC Pate, Robert

United States Military