IDF

SGT G

Active member
I am an Artilleryman. I have become very adept to shooting counter fire missions. I have been to Iraq twice. This is my first time in Afghanistan. I am on a tiny Combat Outpost call Zerok. I have been here for 8 months now. In one day we have taken more IDF than both of my tours in Iraq combined. It has been very accurate. We have lost several people here due to it. As a Redleg, I am used to running out into the middle of it to shoot counter fires. I'm not going to lie, loud noises and whistles freak me out a bit. I am just wondering if there is anything in particular I need to do when I get back home to try and keep from freaking my family out?
 
Why is it that every ones that that shoots a gun in anger expects to PTSD. SGT G it is not that you have clear up the mess from your counter fire mission, lets face it you are a 12 mile sniper and you do is hear the gun go bang.
 
No, I don't mean PTSD, I mean hittin' the floor when something heavy gets dropped. Its just a natural reaction, just don't want the wife to be all wierded out.
 
You're probably right. I just wanted to see if anyone else had the same issue and find out what they did if anything to overcome it. Apparently no one here has been through this type of fight before. From SFC on down this is the first time we have actually fired artillery in a combat zone in self defense. Most of us infact have never fired artillery and have been doing the job of an infantryman in Iraq. Don't get me wrong this does not stop us from being very proficient at the job we do here. With 2 guns on the ground out here (a platoon element) we can deliver a very effective 5x5 sweep and zone mission, one gun shooting HE and the other shooting WP in under 8 minutes. That is until rounds complete on both guns, 50 rds total. Most of our counter fires are 3x3 S & Z. It kind of gives an idea of how rough of a situation we have had to be applying this much force in return. Thats a lot of fire power to be comming from a COP with less than 150 people on it.
 
I'm not sure if we even have any active artillery members here.

Personally, I don't think you'll freak out as much as you think will. I can't recall hearing any noises similiar to a war zone while at home, except for perhaps military jets and choppers flying over head and I served 22 years.. :lol:
 
Probably will be more glad to be home than anything. I'm sure I will have plenty of other stuff on my mind, if you know what I mean...;-)
 
Probably will be more glad to be home than anything. I'm sure I will have plenty of other stuff on my mind, if you know what I mean...;-)

Sure do mate! Tell the wife to get plenty of rest in before you're back!! :lol:
 
She deffinately is. Said she will be joining me in the shower since that will be the first of my priorities when I hit the ground, not to mention she said she will have all my favorite foods cooked at the house ready for me. Can't wait. :thumb:
 
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