Today I was promoted to O-6 Colonel in the State Reserve. It's been a long journey from April 1977 when my fiance and my mother pinned my 2LT bars onto my uniform to the promotion of today. I never expected to get this far. I was honored and humbled to receive the rank.
Later in the afternoon I did the electronic small arms simulator rifle qualification course. It's like a giant video game that you part of, sort of like being in Tron. The shooter uses a full size and weight M16 with a functioning bolt group so you get the recoil and shifting weight of the real rifle when you shoot. The movie screen has your zero target and the pop up targets. You load the rifle with a magazine and shoot electrons at the screen. In my relay of 9 shooters I was the second to zero the rifle and shot the highest score of the relay and maybe for the whole day. Not bad for a guy with 58 year old eyes! The biggest problem for me was getting down into the prone position and getting back up again. War may be hell but getting old is heck.
It was a fun day and topped off by attending Young Son's high school band banquet along with the Missus and Young Daughter who was also in the band in her day. Another of the 'lasts' as Young Son finishes each marker in his high school life. Last boy scout meeting, last prom, last high school football game, last band banquet...
Later in the afternoon I did the electronic small arms simulator rifle qualification course. It's like a giant video game that you part of, sort of like being in Tron. The shooter uses a full size and weight M16 with a functioning bolt group so you get the recoil and shifting weight of the real rifle when you shoot. The movie screen has your zero target and the pop up targets. You load the rifle with a magazine and shoot electrons at the screen. In my relay of 9 shooters I was the second to zero the rifle and shot the highest score of the relay and maybe for the whole day. Not bad for a guy with 58 year old eyes! The biggest problem for me was getting down into the prone position and getting back up again. War may be hell but getting old is heck.
It was a fun day and topped off by attending Young Son's high school band banquet along with the Missus and Young Daughter who was also in the band in her day. Another of the 'lasts' as Young Son finishes each marker in his high school life. Last boy scout meeting, last prom, last high school football game, last band banquet...
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