We slept in until 0900 this morning to adjust to the drastic time change. It didn't help much, but I am never one to complain about not getting up early. Most of the morning was filled with paper work. The army does love paper work, which now is more so computer work, but somehow still takes just as long. So now our ID cards are scanned into the system so the guy at the gate will let us in and we are in the Grafenwoehr system to use computers. And of course we sat through the obligatory briefing about everything. We had lunch at the DFAC, that's modern Army for dining facility or for old timers - "chow hall". The food was pretty good with the most important part being, the ice cream machine was working. That is happiness for any kid or GI. I think in many ways they are much the same.
Through it all it rained like crazy. This made some of our troops pretty unhappy because not only did they get wet, but they had left their windows open and all of their clothes and even in some cases their beds got wet. Now that is unhappiness. If all of your stuff is wet, you may as well be in the field. One more day of processing and that is where we will spend most of our time.
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| Grafenwohr Water Tower in 1911 |
We met up with the key players at range control - a bunch of crusty old Master Sergeants - who directed us to the major training events that are happening over the next couple of weeks. We are setting it up so that our troops will be working with tanks, MRAPs (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles), helicopters, and even Air Force Jets that are working with the Army for some "combined operations". Our interest in all of this, they are loud, make lots of dust, and look cool as hell as they come over the horizon. This is the stuff of good training. We get all of this combined with rain, which means they are also throwing lots of mud in the battles.
Our piece in all of this is to capture it on film or video and produce 60 second pieces primarily for AFN (Armed Forces Network) but also for other media sources. I have been on the tanks and other equipment, but it is also pretty interesting setting up multiple shots as the battles go on. They certainly are not going to stop for a pose. We have to get it as it happens. The great thing for our troops is they get to be in the middle of the action as it develops around them. In addition to this we put them in the armored vehicles so they can capture that perspective as well. Being in public affairs has to be one of the most interesting jobs in the military. We are everywhere and everyone welcomes you because they all want to be on TV or in the newspaper. It benefits everyone.
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| German Soldiers at Grafenwohr in 1919 |
After work tonight we walked off post into the old village of Grafenwoehr, stopped by a bakery for some peach strudel, before walking on down to a restaurant for some schnitzel. It was great and filling, just as we had expected. After dinner we walked the cobblestone streets checking out the churches and stores.
Just as we were about to head back to post we saw a trail that headed up a wooded hill. It was dark and creepy so of course up we went. Glowing in the distance was a cave illuminated by candles. It turns out this was sanctuary constructed in the 1840s. Someone in the village must walk up this hill every night to light the candles and to place fresh flowers at the feet of the statue of Mary. You have to love these old European villages.
So far it is good to be at the famous training center. Sooner or later, everyone in the army ends up here, even Elvis,
Savannah, and now me too.
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