The Army

For three days now we’ve been practising combat fighting with loose ammunition. In other words: we’ve been shooting at each other. At the start of the week I already knew how to attack and retreat together with my combat partner. He’s a doctor from Gothenburg and we get on like a house on fire. This week, however, we started applying the techniques we’ve been practising as a pair, together with a group, and with loaded weapons.

There are a number of strategies that can be used in combat depending on the enemy, terrain and the condition of the group. Although you can learn it all in theory, it really has to be put into practise, practise, practise… Once the adrenaline or stress of a situation set in, it’s impossible to predict the behaviour of a group.

Combat really is a whole ballgame with a large set of commands and signs, and with an unpredictable variable; the enemy. As with most things in life, to truly understand it you have to be exposed to it, and then learn from your mistakes and quickly rectify.

Yesterday we added injured to the scenario and learnt how to deal with wounded and get them safe whilst retreating or finding cover. It’s all very structured, but mentally demanding – especially for the group leader, who pulls all the strings. Not to mention; physically tough. Try dragging a 90 kg soldier whilst trying to run! No wonder my back is aching today.

One person actually passed out in exhaustion during battle and had to be rushed to hospital as he was hyperventilating and shaking. It’s the second person to go down this week. I was a little taken aback by the whole thing, as I’ve never helped out as a nurse before and I probably got more emotionally involved than a real nurse would :-) It was a good experience and it also made me realize that although I am feeling exhausted, I am actually doing extremely well.

We’ve also learnt about Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear weapons this week, their devastating effects, antidotes and history. Pretty much all of them are illegal in battle, unless you use them as a smoke screen to escape, e.g. white phosphorus.

To add to all the physical work, we started the day with running 2 km in full combat clothing and weapons this morning. It was our last physical test. 

I’m actually still at the military base in Stockholm. We’ve just come back from a big pizza dinner and are getting ready for a weekend of army practise. I can’t believe we only have six more days to go! The past four weeks really has flown by. A friend told me on the phone today that I am starting to use the same vocabulary as a military person. Hahaha… I like that. As well as becoming fighting fit!