18 weeks of hell

Hey everyone, this is Joe, Kyle's friend and caretaker. As of this evening, Kyle is in Kentucky heading towards Fort Knox for his US Army Basic Training. This is will last ten weeks, after which he will graduate his Basic and immediately move into his specialized training. Specialized training lasts another eight weeks, after which he may get a short leave before he goes off to ranger school.

Ultimately, he is training to become a Ranger Cavalry Scout. Kyle, being kyle, picked one of the most ridiculously dangerous jobs the military has to offer. Basically, when no one knows whats over the next hill, its his job to find out what is.

As described by the army:

The Cavalry Scout is the commander's eyes and ears on the battlefield. When information about the enemy is needed, they call on the Scouts. They are responsible for reconnaissance and you will learn about various weapons to include explosives and mines. Cavalry Scouts engage the enemy with anti-armor weapons and scout vehicles in the field, track and report enemy movement and activities, and will direct the employment of various weapon systems onto the enemy.Here are a few of the duties of a Cavalry Scout:

• Secure and prepare ammunition on scout vehicles
• Load, clear and fire individual and crew-served weapons
• Perform navigation during combat
• Serve as member of observation and listening posts
• Gather and report information on terrain, weather and enemy
  disposition and equipment
• Collect data to classify routes, tunnels and bridges
• Employ principles of concealment and camouflage

I'll be posting on his behalf, using parts from the letters we will send back and forth. So to anyone who gives a crap, check here regularly.

First contact from him via snail mail should be about a week and a half from now, give or take.