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Notes from the desert
A reporter's journey through training with the army
Documenting a reporter's trip through U.S. Army desert warfare training.
May 29, 2008
Even escorting a reporter provides training opportunities
My time at Fort Irwin ended quietly on Wednesday. A few early morning interviews preceded my exit from Forward Operating Base King a few minutes before 1 p.m.
May 29, 2008
Reporter-soldiers carry cameras and guns
At the bustling communications center at Forward Operating Base King, information is broadcast to troops in the field and other locations on the FOB. Military intelligence is gathered and digested. And in the middle of it all, Spc. Tye Ward prepares to grab his camera to report the news.
May 29, 2008
In training, soldiers can learn by evaluating whether to shoot
Sensors detect when soldiers, villages or equipment have been hit by fire. They're an important training tool.
1 commentMay 28, 2008
1st Infantry depends on its stomachs at Fort Irwin
Some might argue what really keeps an army going is the soldiers and their stomachs. Bad chow can demoralize soldiers, said Major Aaron Lilley, from Perry, Ga.
May 27, 2008
On patrol, danger is around the corner and over the hill
On a desert road, soldiers in training learn lessons that should serve them well.
May 27, 2008
Improvisation is the word
Troops I followed on Monday had to make quick decisions to encounter and defend against possible insurgents. That included two who set and tried to detonate improvised explosive devices, or IEDs.And Sunday night my tent almost blew over.
May 27, 2008
The (real) first day
Here at Fort Irwin, what was once a mock battlefield between American and Soviet forces, depicted by U.S. Army units dedicated to playing the enemy, is now a plot of 1,200 square miles made up to look like Iraq.
1 commentMay 25, 2008
Reporter reflects on Memorial Day as he prepares to join Army units in training
Reporter Alex Parker reflects on Memorial Day as he prepares to join the 1st Infantry Division as it goes through desert warfare training in California.
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