I'm back in civilization, sorta! I'm still on base, but at least there's, like, electricity and running water and stuff. That wasn't the longest I've gone without a shower while on duty, but I swear it was the filthiest. I once, as a kid, covered myself entirely in mud after jumping in a mud pit, and I still didn't feel as dirty then as I did by the end of this exercise. I ended up taking a shower for over an hour yesterday, and I still couldn't get all of the cam paint off of my face. I had painted a Punisher-esque skull onto my face, and that left a ring of black paint around my eyes that made me look like a glam rocker, haha.

The exercise wasn't that bad, though. I've certainly been through a lot worse. Acting as light infantry while wearing gear that basically turned it into an elaborate and expensive game of laser tag, my company participated in three raids, and got ambushed once, and I lived through all of them. Pretty sure I scored a couple of kills too, but with a combination of lasers and blanks, it's hard to tell sometimes. The battles are all pretty awesome, especially in the chaotic urban environment, but the build-up to it sure is long, tedious, and difficult.

Oh, and I also got my first taste of the shotgun, and learned how to breach a door with it. That was neat.

I'll be cut loose from this place and back in my home town by the weekend. Looking forward to finishing some artwork and getting back to work on my house. Hope you've all been well!