When in the military, what was the most memorable battle training you had?

This will seem a bit weird but the most memorable part of my military training wasn't really battle training at all. Most of it was just... doing stuff, and learning how to do stuff. Very mundane and repetative. But the most memorable for me was during basic training, what folks in the US would call "boot camp" I guess? It was a few weeks in and we went to this place designed to be kind of a team building thing. To let everyone socialise and mix with each other. Complaining about how crap the food was, and being allowed to just chill out, not being in uniform, lol.

That was memorable to me because it was the foundation for how you see people around you in military life. The bonds you form with people that last for a lifetime. A lot of those folks I never saw again after we went on to our different specialisations and career paths... but for a loner kid who ran away to sea to escape being bullied... having actual friendships based on mutual respect and not being looked down on was kind of massive for me. And stuck with me for life. It reinforced a kind of fierce loyalty towards my friends that I don't think I've ever really lost.

After active duty, I joined a national guard unit. During a two-week training exercise near Boise, my unit was playing with C-4 explosive, while a mile or so away another unit was doing mortar training. One of the mortars mistook our C-4 detonation for a targeting smoke and their battery dropped 3 rounds on us. No one died. I remember standing on an embankment when the first mortar shell landed somewhere behind me. I thought I was being attacked by a swarm of bees before I was knocked down by the concussion. I'm not sure there's a moral to this story, merely a memory.

Yikes!

Quote from: Mrs. Oliphant on March 30, 2025, 05:44:15 PMI'm not sure there's a moral to this story, merely a memory.

Probably should put a warning label on C-4. "May lead to errant explosive ordnance. Or particularly angry bees."

We were doing tank tactics training in Louisiana. At night, we would set the tanks up into defensive positions and just sit there. We had FO (Forward Observers) out so they could alert us if anyone tried to sneak into our perimeter. There was no one out there and it was really boring.

The Colonel, our battalion commander had declared radio listening silence. We were only to use the radio if we had enemy contact.

Around 2:00 a.m. one of the tank commanders couldn't stand the boredom. He keyed his radio and said,

"Are there any friendly bears out there?"

A reply came, "I'm a friendly bear."

Then another, "I'm a friendly bear too!"

The Colonel jumped on the radio screaming at us for ten minutes about radio listening silence and proper radio procedures. He was hopping mad. Probably because the radio disturbed his sleep. 

After he got off the radio, it was dead silent everywhere.

Then the radio keyed up, "You are not a friendly bear."

You could hear the entire battalion howling with laughter all through the forest.

The next morning, before breakfast, all tank commanders were instructed to report to the Colonel's command vehicle. He ripped on us big time and swore that he would find out who was on the radio last night.

He never did. And we continued to chuckle over it.

@ChrissyRyan  @Sephirah  @Mrs. Oliphant  @Lori Dee

I didn't do service on Ships or Submarines, pilot military Jets, playing with C-4 explosive, or drive Tanks as described by other military veterans on this Topic/Thread.

At the US Air Force Academy the only weapons I was involved with is when I took firearms training, including the Security Forces Qualification Course (SFQC) and Combat Arms Training and Maintenance (CATM)

After I was commissioned as a First Lieutenant-(O-2 rank) I was assigned to Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas... my specialty was AFSC 36B (same as MOS 36B in the US Army)... my college degrees qualified me for Financial Management and Comptroller Specialist. In that job, I was responsible for managing accounting records, processing payments, and ensuring responsible financial resource utilization during my time as staff at the Air Education and Training Command Lackland AFB.

After my military service, thanks to the GI Bill I went back to college on their dime to earn my post graduate MBA degree-Masters in Business Administration, and took additional training to pass the certification exams as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)

HUGS, Danielle [Northern Star Girl]
                              US AirForce Veteran

@Northern Star Girl

OK, maybe not "battle" training, but surely you have a "war story" that was funny, interesting, or memorable.

Most people don't realize that there are more support and administrative jobs in the military than there are combat jobs. Personnel, Finance, Medical, Logistics (Supply), Transportation, Intelligence, Mechanics, JAG (Lawyers/Judges), Inspectors General, Schools Cadre, Recruiters, General Staff, Press Corp, and so much more. And we couldn't do our jobs without them.

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 30, 2025, 09:13:34 PMWe were doing tank tactics training in Louisiana. At night, we would set the tanks up into defensive positions and just sit there. We had FO (Forward Observers) out so they could alert us if anyone tried to sneak into our perimeter. There was no one out there and it was really boring.

The Colonel, our battalion commander had declared radio listening silence. We were only to use the radio if we had enemy contact.

Around 2:00 a.m. one of the tank commanders couldn't stand the boredom. He keyed his radio and said,

"Are there any friendly bears out there?"

A reply came, "I'm a friendly bear."

Then another, "I'm a friendly bear too!"

The Colonel jumped on the radio screaming at us for ten minutes about radio listening silence and proper radio procedures. He was hopping mad. Probably because the radio disturbed his sleep. 

After he got off the radio, it was dead silent everywhere.

Then the radio keyed up, "You are not a friendly bear."

You could hear the entire battalion howling with laughter all through the forest.

The next morning, before breakfast, all tank commanders were instructed to report to the Colonel's command vehicle. He ripped on us big time and swore that he would find out who was on the radio last night.

He never did. And we continued to chuckle over it.

Funny story Lori.

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 30, 2025, 11:45:03 PM@Northern Star Girl

OK, maybe not "battle" training, but surely you have a "war story" that was funny, interesting, or memorable.

Most people don't realize that there are more support and administrative jobs in the military than there are combat jobs. Personnel, Finance, Medical, Logistics (Supply), Transportation, Intelligence, Mechanics, JAG (Lawyers/Judges), Inspectors General, Schools Cadre, Recruiters, General Staff, Press Corp, and so much more. And we couldn't do our jobs without them.

I see US Army Corps of Engineers signs near reservoirs, dams, waterways, etc. far away from any Army base. 

Tipping my hat to all these engineers, they support not only the army but us all with their services.

Chrissy