July 22, 1997 - I'm Not Superman
Note: While at Basic Warrior Training, I was unable to write in my journal (the horror!), so I have one long entry that covers all three days. In order not to spoil anything here, I will only include the journal entry portion relevant to the given day.
Rappelling training was definitely fun, though not without its misadventures.
Prior to beginning the actual rappelling though, we naturally had to have lots of instruction about how it was going to take place. Additionally, we had to be taught how to tie a harness for ourselves out of a 4-foot length of rope. The rope harness took some recruits longer than others; I seem to remember that I had a bit of difficulty getting it right on the first try. Eventually, though, we were all ready to line up for rappelling.
As the journal indicates, the first type of rappelling was the typical, run-backwards-down-a-wall type. When my turn came, I climbed the staircase up to the top of the wall, got locked in to the ropes, yelled the requisite things ("Recruit Bailey on rappel!"), listened for the requisite things ("Sgt. ____ on belay!"), and then leaned out away from the ledge.
It's a very strange feeling to be essentially sitting in a rope harness, hanging 47 feet off of the ground, with only your feet touching the wall. I'm not afraid of heights, so there was no real terror, but it was still a strange feeling. Eventually, I was given the command to rappel, so I moved my brake hand. One hand always holds loosely onto the rope at the front of the harness to help guide it; the other hand, the brake hand, holds the rope behind the back to stop and to the side to go. I started descending, then got spooked, moved my brake hand back onto my back, let my feet drop, and swung into the wall with a dull thud. The instructor told me how to correct myself and explained what I had done wrong. I got situated again, and on the second try was much more successful at jogging backwards down the wall.
Then it was time for the "free fall" as I called it in my journal. In reality, it was a simulated helicopter (or "helo") skid jump. The Marines are often dropped into position from helicopters and, naturally, there isn't a wall to run down if you are rappelling off of a helicopter. The fundamentals are basically the same though: you still stand at the top and lean way out, until you are in a sitting position with your feet out in front of you, touching the bar. Then you move your brake hand and drop. When you get close to the deck, you brake and slow to a stop, then you're done. Simple.
Or not.
When I did the simulated helo skid jump, something went wrong. Everything started fine. I got locked in, said what I was supposed to say, and slid to the awkward sitting position, hanging out above the ground. When I moved my brake hand, though, I somehow turned completely around. I have no idea how it happened, but I found myself falling, face-first 47 feet. My brake hand could no longer stop me, so I fell faster and faster, like a paratrooper but without a chute. Fortunately, there was a Drill Instructor on belay. He slowed my fall to an embarrassing rate and I slowly, oh so slowly eased my way the rest of the way down to the deck, with Drill Instructors calling out ridicule the whole way down. No sooner did I get unhooked from the ropes but my Senior Drill Instructor was screaming for me to "Get over here, BAILEY!!" I ran to him.
SSgt. B____: What the hell is wrong with you, Bailey?!? Do you think you're superman or something?!?
I could tell that he was very frustrated with my performance and embarrassed that one of his recruits had screwed up so comically and so publicly. I was more terrified at this moment than I had been on the tower, or when I had been "playing superman." I began to stammer some kind of excuse, but I really had no idea what to say, because I had absolutely no idea how I had done that. I still don't. He watched me struggle to find words, and instantly his entire demeanor changed. He shifted from the fuming, explosive Heavy, to the caring, fatherly Senior Drill Instructor right before my eyes.
SSgt. B____: Unless, you were scared...were you scared, Bailey?
This was it. He had given me an out.
Me: A...a little bit, sir.
SSgt. B____: Well, that's ok. The important thing is that you did it, and you conquered your fear, do you understand that?
Me: Yes, sir.
SSgt. B____: Go back to the platoon.
And that was it. I had narrowly escaped some crazy punishment, just by acting at though I had been afraid of heights. Who says being active in theater in high school doesn't help in the Marines?
970724 - Mon: morning, nothing really. Afternoon: moved out to bivouac area for BWT, set up hooches (tents). Evening: 6 mile night hump (hike)...very challenging. Tue: Morning: Mock PFT (7 pull-ups, 87 sit-ups, 20:40 run), rappelling off a 47 foot tower once with a wall, once as a free fall (FUN!); Afternoon: classes on tactical weapons, Laws of War; Evening: moved to a cabin because of the threat of lightning, M______ was on duty...
Rappelling training was definitely fun, though not without its misadventures.
Prior to beginning the actual rappelling though, we naturally had to have lots of instruction about how it was going to take place. Additionally, we had to be taught how to tie a harness for ourselves out of a 4-foot length of rope. The rope harness took some recruits longer than others; I seem to remember that I had a bit of difficulty getting it right on the first try. Eventually, though, we were all ready to line up for rappelling.
As the journal indicates, the first type of rappelling was the typical, run-backwards-down-a-wall type. When my turn came, I climbed the staircase up to the top of the wall, got locked in to the ropes, yelled the requisite things ("Recruit Bailey on rappel!"), listened for the requisite things ("Sgt. ____ on belay!"), and then leaned out away from the ledge.
It's a very strange feeling to be essentially sitting in a rope harness, hanging 47 feet off of the ground, with only your feet touching the wall. I'm not afraid of heights, so there was no real terror, but it was still a strange feeling. Eventually, I was given the command to rappel, so I moved my brake hand. One hand always holds loosely onto the rope at the front of the harness to help guide it; the other hand, the brake hand, holds the rope behind the back to stop and to the side to go. I started descending, then got spooked, moved my brake hand back onto my back, let my feet drop, and swung into the wall with a dull thud. The instructor told me how to correct myself and explained what I had done wrong. I got situated again, and on the second try was much more successful at jogging backwards down the wall.
Then it was time for the "free fall" as I called it in my journal. In reality, it was a simulated helicopter (or "helo") skid jump. The Marines are often dropped into position from helicopters and, naturally, there isn't a wall to run down if you are rappelling off of a helicopter. The fundamentals are basically the same though: you still stand at the top and lean way out, until you are in a sitting position with your feet out in front of you, touching the bar. Then you move your brake hand and drop. When you get close to the deck, you brake and slow to a stop, then you're done. Simple.
Or not.
When I did the simulated helo skid jump, something went wrong. Everything started fine. I got locked in, said what I was supposed to say, and slid to the awkward sitting position, hanging out above the ground. When I moved my brake hand, though, I somehow turned completely around. I have no idea how it happened, but I found myself falling, face-first 47 feet. My brake hand could no longer stop me, so I fell faster and faster, like a paratrooper but without a chute. Fortunately, there was a Drill Instructor on belay. He slowed my fall to an embarrassing rate and I slowly, oh so slowly eased my way the rest of the way down to the deck, with Drill Instructors calling out ridicule the whole way down. No sooner did I get unhooked from the ropes but my Senior Drill Instructor was screaming for me to "Get over here, BAILEY!!" I ran to him.
SSgt. B____: What the hell is wrong with you, Bailey?!? Do you think you're superman or something?!?
I could tell that he was very frustrated with my performance and embarrassed that one of his recruits had screwed up so comically and so publicly. I was more terrified at this moment than I had been on the tower, or when I had been "playing superman." I began to stammer some kind of excuse, but I really had no idea what to say, because I had absolutely no idea how I had done that. I still don't. He watched me struggle to find words, and instantly his entire demeanor changed. He shifted from the fuming, explosive Heavy, to the caring, fatherly Senior Drill Instructor right before my eyes.
SSgt. B____: Unless, you were scared...were you scared, Bailey?
This was it. He had given me an out.
Me: A...a little bit, sir.
SSgt. B____: Well, that's ok. The important thing is that you did it, and you conquered your fear, do you understand that?
Me: Yes, sir.
SSgt. B____: Go back to the platoon.
And that was it. I had narrowly escaped some crazy punishment, just by acting at though I had been afraid of heights. Who says being active in theater in high school doesn't help in the Marines?
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