In the Army Again

This story begins with a letter, like all good stories. Only that this letter was from the Finnish Defence Forces. It was an order to report for reservists refresher training. They always send it at least 4 months before the training is done, so that called reservists can have chance to arrange work and private matters. The training itself was only five days so it wasn't that difficult to arrange it free.

Now, the training camp was in eastern Finland near a town called Hamina. It's about 175 kilometers from Helsinki, the capital. Hamina's old garrison town in the coastal region. Order was to report in at 10.00 hrs. And the only bus that I would be there in time left 6 am from Helsinki. Bummer =_=


Hamina in the morning


Hamina in the morning

Got to the garrison, and reported for duty in time. After waiting for other men of my group to report in we went to get the equipment and weapons we were going to use in the training.

I was called in the training because 7 years ago, when I did my military service i was trained to be a military police. MP's just happen to be the ones that will be ordered for duty at the very instant when country lifts it's alert status.

Anyway, the equipment was exactly the same as when I did the military service seven years ago. Roughly 60 kilos of different anything.


60 kilos of equipment

Putting on the service uniform was confusing experience. Luckily I had not gained any weight after the service seven years ago. Well just little... But not much!


Private Kawamura

I belong to the coastal jäger troops, that's a roughly the same as marines. Not as tough training though...

So we were training in coastal conditions.


Ultima Thule, where snow and ice meets the sea


It was very beautiful there

It was still very cold, the nights were around -5 degrees, but it warmed up during daytime. And we had very nice sunny weather throughout the week.

Every day began 0600. The first day's battle drill was to secure and guard a strategically important target. We had to clear it, collaborate with the local officials, check the terrain, create guardposts and maintain high alert the whole day in the positions around the target. Not too difficult. Only stressing to keep on the battle gear whole day, but everyone got used to it pretty quickly.


Corporal Strömmer - second in command in my squad

Second days battle drill was a shooting against an aggressive intruders. And later in the evening a platoon charge to retake a military target.


Getting ready for evenings battledrill

The first shooting went fine. Just routine stuff everyone remembered from their military service days. But the second drill was tough. We were issued these laser vests to wear over our battle gears, so that we'd know when we're shot. So you had to be careful in the attack not to get "killed". We did it twice, the first attack was a disaster... Everyone got separated and I found myself in the frontline, when our squad was supposed to be behind the front.

So I'm trying to get back to my group, when suddenly someone starts to fire at me! I take a dive and back off behind this tree. Then I realize that my jaw is dripping blood. Apparently when I ducked from the enemy fire I had cut it in some twig or something. And not only that! My rifles magazine had cracked at the same time. So I had no other chance than to just change the magazines. And then the whole battle was raging around me. I was still unhit so I joined to fire on the enemy troops. Not sure where I was shooting, but shooting just to keep the enemy tied untill the rest of my squad got there.

Eventually the trainers ended the drill. And my chin was soaking wet with blood...


Scarred in battle - that little black smudge on my chin, there on the right side!

Last days drill was about retreating from superior force. There was a lot of running in that drill... =_= wasn't too big fan with that drill...

Finally on friday we took down the camp and started to head back to the garrison in Hamina. Never seen 150 men move so efficiently, excluding the times we were issued our rations in the forest. Of course every day we was supposed to eat in the forest, from our rationbox. At least we got to sleep indoors.


150 men waiting to get home from the island


Lining up to get on the boat

Then when we got back to the garrison there was only the returning of the equipment. Everyones always concerned if they've lost something. I had only distroyed one rilfe magazine, but that was already been taken care of... Only thing that was missing from equipment issued to 150 men was a little flask of oil you use when you clean the rifle.