#tzava

I just finished my first week of the army on Thursday. I actually got out earlier than I was supposed to because this weekend I have a garin Shabbat. Everyone in my garin is getting out of the army for a weekend so we can all be together. I'm really excited about it because we haven't all been together since December.

So my week started on Sunday morning with the long ride to my base located in Rishon LeTzion, south of Tel Aviv. When I got there we were split up into our permanent classes of 13-14 girls or boys, then into our larger unit of around 4 classes, and then into 3 units of 4 classes making up a company. We met our mefakdim (commanders) that were gonna be with us for the next 5 months. 2.5 months of basic training, and another 2.5 months of specified commander school. At the end of these next 5 months I will be a basic training commander.

The first few days were learning about our base, about our job, filling out paperwork, meeting the higher up commanders, and getting to know how the army works. We also got our work uniform, baggier and older uniforms to use in the field and day to day that can get dirty. We also got our big vest, helmet, tent and more of the things we'll use when we go out to the field.

On Wednesday we got our gun. First we had extensive lessons about it and then we each got our personal M-16 that is ours for the rest of our training. We leave it on base when we go home for the weekend. We had a lesson about the gun parts, and then with our class of 13 we took it apart and learned to check it to make sure there are no bullets in the bullet chamber. We learned how to hold it properly, we learned the correct positio for shooting while lying down and all of the commands during shooting and checking our gun.

Thursday morning I was released to go home for my garin Shabbat and I missed a day of more lessons about the different shooting positions that when I get back to base I will make up.

I'm so excited that I finally started. It was tiring, standing all the day in two straight lines and in the proper position with your hands behind your back. It was so worth it to feel like I have finally started what I came here to do. I'm also excited for more of our gun lessons, I learned a lot and it was really interesting for me. I'm also really excited to get close with the girls in my class. I already really like them and I'm excited to spend the next 5 months with them.