That’s what artillerymen are called. That’s what I am able to call myself now: Redleg. After three weeks of non-stop, seven days a week training, I’ve graduated from Field Artillery Fire Direction Control military occupational specialty training school (phew! That’s a mouthful!).

While I was at “The Gap,” as Fort Indiantown Gap is known by the soldiers who are stationed here or who visit here, I ate as well as I could, I ran every other day, and I did my very best to be mindful of my food, fitness, and overall health. I will find out Friday morning whether I gained any weight (or more likely, how much I gained) because the food at the DFAC (dining facility) was not quite as Paleo as I’d like, although I made the most mindful choices I could. The other issue is that I likely ate too much; the portion control was just not that good, and when it’s on my plate, I eat it.

I had a great time here, although at times it was very tiring or stressful (or both). The days were sometimes long, and sometimes filled with a lot of mind-numbing attention to detail, but in the end, I’m glad to be through it, and I look forward to applying my new knowledge and skills to my job in the National Guard.

It was also a good experiment on how to deal with diet and fitness while on active duty in the military, as I was on active duty for the past three weeks. I now know what to expect when/if I have to deploy, and based on what my weight comes in at on Friday morning, I’ll know how to adjust next time.