Friday, October 15, 2004
I Almost Asked to Drive
The gunner/driver rotation went by the wayside so after it was enacted as the rest of my truck went on leave. I prefer to gun anyway; you get to see everything going on. Driving is done with the windows up, so not only are you limited in what you can see, you also can’t hear the sounds of the place, like music and kids yelling as you drive by.
But the other day, I seriously thought about asking to drive. Our "plus up" (a substitute for a Soldier who is on leave, detail, or sick call) made me nervous taking turns in our top heavy vehicle. After driving for many years, I’ve learned to be smooth, saving the clutch, brakes, and tires, fuel, and passenger’s drinks. But with what we do, it’s gas – brakes – gas – brakes. The younger guys, of course, excel at this. I decided not to ask to drive because once you give up your spot like that you can find someone else in the turret, with the TC saying, "Oh, I thought you liekd to drive."
At the end of the mission, we rolled up to the FOB gate and the Cav gate guards decided to institute a rule having all gun turrets point to the right. Since they were such stylish people, they decided to be subtle with their instructional signals, like a third base coach telling me to bunt. When I wasn’t getting it, the gate guard standing next to the vehicle yelled, "Turn your turret to the right!" I complied, and then our driver put the vehicle in neutral, gunned the engine. The up armored humvee has a turbo charged 6.5 liter diesel with an exhaust output like a leaf blower, so the guy who yelled at me got covered in dirt. I’m glad I didn’t ask to drive, I never would have thought to do that!
The gunner/driver rotation went by the wayside so after it was enacted as the rest of my truck went on leave. I prefer to gun anyway; you get to see everything going on. Driving is done with the windows up, so not only are you limited in what you can see, you also can’t hear the sounds of the place, like music and kids yelling as you drive by.
But the other day, I seriously thought about asking to drive. Our "plus up" (a substitute for a Soldier who is on leave, detail, or sick call) made me nervous taking turns in our top heavy vehicle. After driving for many years, I’ve learned to be smooth, saving the clutch, brakes, and tires, fuel, and passenger’s drinks. But with what we do, it’s gas – brakes – gas – brakes. The younger guys, of course, excel at this. I decided not to ask to drive because once you give up your spot like that you can find someone else in the turret, with the TC saying, "Oh, I thought you liekd to drive."
At the end of the mission, we rolled up to the FOB gate and the Cav gate guards decided to institute a rule having all gun turrets point to the right. Since they were such stylish people, they decided to be subtle with their instructional signals, like a third base coach telling me to bunt. When I wasn’t getting it, the gate guard standing next to the vehicle yelled, "Turn your turret to the right!" I complied, and then our driver put the vehicle in neutral, gunned the engine. The up armored humvee has a turbo charged 6.5 liter diesel with an exhaust output like a leaf blower, so the guy who yelled at me got covered in dirt. I’m glad I didn’t ask to drive, I never would have thought to do that!
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