Friday, December 07, 2007

Facing up at the sky


Second day of milluim. Unlike Jack's posting of what I probably do in the IDF, my milluim doesn't waste time.

We were simulating combat with tactical paintball rifles, and we rotated being unit commander.

I was told to advance and find the terrorist.

Slowly moving forward, I heard the noise to the left. Turning around, the person watching my back...wasn't.

Whoosh.

Splat.
Soldier down.
me.

Shot by a paintball, the rules state that I had to stay out till the next round (about 10 minutes)...and I had to lie on the ground.

With my paintball face mask still on, I heard my own heavy breathing as I looked up the slightly fogged sky through my mask.
Yellow paintball streaks continued to whoosh through the air over me, and they loudly banged into the metals walls around me. Yells and confusion as soldiers looked for paintball terrorists.
The sky was peaceful, the tall trees offering solace as I lay on the cold, wet ground, wondering if this was what the end is like.
Subconsciously, "life flashing through my head" -- flashed through my head.
The night before I had to run to my older kids' school with no time to change out of uniform, for a parent-teacher-student get-together, and as I was leaving and walking away from the school, I heard one the remnants of a conversation as a student excitedly told his father about a cool rifle that a soldier was carrying (me). The father told his son, "there's no way you're going to be a combat solider...no reason for you to be a frier...the government just released 450 Palestinian terrorists today...why bother being a combat solider...don't be a frier...don't die for nothing..."
Do soldiers really end up lying on their backs, looking up at the sky, wondering if it's worth it?
The yells of "Sof Targil, Sof Targil" (end of the exercise) brought me out of my daydream, and the terrorist who shot me extended his hand to help me up.
He said the other guy should have watched my back...but he took advantage of it to nail me.

Brushing the dirt off my uniform, I took a picture of the spot I was killed, and where I spent 10 minutes looking up at the sky.
But our trainers had more in store for us.
We did about 10 more simulations, and the last one was the most difficult.
Little did I know, but the explicit mission of 1 of the 2 terrorists was to "kill Jameel...don't worry about anyone else...just kill Jameel"
(Our IDF trainers really like me).
I won't go into details of the simulation, but the terrorist didn't succeed.
Chanuka Sameach.
Oh, and wish me luck; I may have an unbelievable post coming up next week, which will surpass almost every posting ever seen on this blog.
Shabbat Shalom,
Jameel.


Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael

10 comments:

Scraps said...

Wow. That's intense.

Did you do something to tick the commander off?! :-P

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Scraps; We all take turns being commander...we're all friends anyway :)

Holy Hyrax said...

>which will surpass almost every posting ever seen on this blog.

surpass even this?:

http://muqata.blogspot.com/2007/06/summer-blockbuster-hits.html

Anonymous said...

You. Are. Amazing.

Jameel, wow- kol hakavod to you and your peers for your continued efforts to ensure the safety of your fellow Jews there.

Shabbat Shalom to you and the entire family!

Ezzie said...

Wow, that's both cool and incredibly scary, seeing as how this is practice for the 'real stuff'. Oysh.

mother in israel said...

>which will surpass almost every posting ever seen on this blog.

Ho hum we've heard that before. ;)

Rafi G. said...

I still can't get a hold of them by phone and I am hearing from more people *I saw Loiffer in the Me'arat ha'machpela this morning and he told me as well, but he told me he is not involved..) that Sunday night is happening, but I can't get hold of anyone in charge to join in!! ARGHHHHH!!!!!

Jameel @ The Muqata said...

Rafi; Shah! Please don't discuss this publially...it's really secret (as you can see from your own sources).

Mom in Israel: YOULL SEE! :)

Holy Hyrax; If it actually happens, it will without a doubt be my post of the year...or at least so far ;-)

Ezzie: Hopefully, this sort of training will never be needed....because if it is, that means people will already be in bad shape.

tnspr569: Thx. Chanuka Sameach!

Anonymous said...

That father's comment is deeply disheartening; though not a total surprise.

So many of us (myself included) were educated to appreciate Tzahal and maximize our opportunities to serve. Rav Tzvi Yehuda related to army equipment like to 'klei kodesh'! We taught to not only do the mitzvah, but to do 'hidur mitzvah'. Since successive governments insist on resisting the flow of Jewish history, showing disdain for Klal Yisrael, Eretz Yisrael, and Hashem's Torah, and risk our soldiers' lives seemingly without care, it is no wonder that some folks are so discouraged that they would turn their children away for maximum contribution in Tzahal.

Yet, I'll bet that same father does not only his share, but extra.

Funny people, Am Yisrael.

mevaseretzion said...

mordechai, please, please, email me, mevaseretzion@hotmail.com.

Jameel, I can't wait for the next post.

Chag Sameach, Everyone!

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