The evening before going to the firing range, we attended a didactic lecture regarding the use of firearms.  They also offered a special course for people “who are not comfortable with weapons.”  I opted for it to satisfy my curiosity. 

A young woman, barely more than five feet tall, marched resolutely into our classroom at the precise starting time, quickly taking command with her presence.  My curiosity quickened.  She began by relaying the following story:

I know that many of you are medical types, and that you don’t have much use for weapons.  I have considerable experience with people like you and intend to shake your beliefs for the purpose of saving your lives.  About four years ago, I trained a female doctor, and did so two more times before her third deployment.  She finally came around the third time and it saved many lives.  While she was working at a forward medical facility, an insurgent attacked her clinic and killed her medic.  As he was preparing to kill the Iraqi patients on her ward, she moved out of the adjacent room where she was not seen and caught the eye of the attacker.  Before he could move, she ensured he would not be able to hurt anyone else, ever again, by calmly and professionally using the skills she was taught in my class.  I intend to do the same for you.

Needless to say, I paid attention in this class.  The following day, while on the firing range, I took advantage of her tutoring, and became very comfortable with the weapon.

On hill training days in Kuwait, April 28, 2007

Last but not least, we learned how to escape from an overturned HUMVEE through lectures and a simulated model.  This was the physically challenging part.  Without the added armor, particularly what is added to the turret to protect the soldier operating the machine gun, the HUMVEE is quite stable and not too susceptible to rolling over.  However, with the above modifications, it can turn over easily in certain circumstances.  Thus, though we were adding extra protection to safeguard soldiers from high-velocity lead poisoning, we were increasing their risk of injury and death via HUMVEE crashes.  As a result, the Army established another training procedure to counteract this new threat.  I believe most soldiers prefer the armored HUMVEEs and do not mind the added turnover risk.  The doors are extremely heavy with all of the extra armor, and it takes strength and skill to open them when the vehicle is turned over.  It is easy to get disoriented.  Once we got out of the overturned vehicle, we then practiced establishing security around it.

At the gym later that evening, one of the other trainers told me I would be leaving on an early morning flight and would need to report to the airport around midnight.  He would pick me up at my tent around 2300 (11:00 p.m.) to drive me there.  I was disappointed.  I was going to miss this place.

After I finished packing in my cavernous tent, I lay back on my cot one last time.  In many respects I was pleased with this experience.  I learned a great deal despite myself, and perhaps I had grown some as a person, but I wondered how long I might retain this knowledge or perspective.  Would I need to learn some of the lessons over and over again, or had some change taken place within me that clearly established a new foundation for my future?  Only time would tell, and I hoped I could continue standing as time tested me, and that I would learn what was truly important before time ran out.    

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A member of the Community Health Planning and Policy Development (CHPPD) Section worked with the Iraqi Health Ministry, and others, to support medical and public health infrastructure development. His first stop was Texas, where he experienced an abrupt transition from civilian to military life.  He then traveled to Kuwait via some stops in Europe. He is en route to various locations in Iraq where he will support civil affairs activities.  He has been sending periodic e-mails on his experiences. Excerpts of e-mails were selected by Priti Irani, past CHPPD newsletter editor.