Final Night Land Nav

I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain -- and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.

And I passed final night land nav! It's over! It's finally over!

I was so nervous. Every hour read 100% chance of rain, the clouds were covering the moon (it was full just the other night too!), and I did not think I could handle 4 hours of this garbage. As we recall from my last post on night land nav, I had a bit of a bad time out in the dark. I had been dreading the final ever since and scared that I would fail and have to keep repeating this awful-ness. Awful-ness.

I expected 800m legs each. NO. 3 legs were on average 1000m and one was 665m. I started freaking out when I got my card. I expected it to be pitch black and that mobility would be low. I never thought I'd make it through the terrain in four hours, especially since I was so slow last time with bad illum, too.

I waited by my first box for about 20 minutes, freaking out. Trying to tell myself it'll be okay and that I could handle 4 hours. I started praying for calm and you know what, when we started, I started making it through pretty fast! I felt okay.

I got to my first creek crossing - about knee deep. It was funny to me. I even said out loud, "I can't believe I just did that."

I kinda panicked at first since I still felt pressed for time and wasn't sure when I couldn't find boxes right away that I had crossed the creek prematurely! But I found one eventually. #9. That was my next box. I didn't like that but night land nav is such a crap shoot for me that I didn't care enough and kept going.

I next ended up right on Application and turned right and found box A. Note: Yeah, I drift right. At this point, it was so humid I couldn't wear eye pro so I prayed that I wouldn't poke out my eye or perform LASIK on myself. That was a pretty risky gamble since thorns just seem to pop up out of nowhere right in your face.

Anyway, I initially freaked out that I was lost again since my next box was M. Would they really have me go to a box that far away from the one I found? Oh well. Keep going.

Made it back to the creek. Box #9 again! UGH. Oh well. Crapshoot. Keep going.

This time while crossing the creek, I just laughed. It was so...TBSish. The dude behind me was clearly in a rush and he pushed me up the hill. Haha.

Last leg! An hour and a half left! I can do this! This might be my last time! But then again...if God wants me to do this again, then I'll be doing it again. I don't understand how I drift THAT badly for night land nav so I could never guage how I was doing.

I made it to MCB #3. Box #10. I looked at it and wondered if it was, in fact, my very last box I will ever have to find as a TBS lieutenant. Oh well. We'll find out.

So happy I had 40 minutes left! I didn't have to run all the way back to Classroom 4. The walk back was nerve-wracking. I kept praying. God, I just won't expect to pass. It'll be a wonderful surprise if I do. Just whatever happens, make me the best Marine I can be, God. Let me offer up my score and my response to it to all the people I struggle to get along with...

I thought to myself, I could do this again. It wasn't that bad. It was almost fun. I won't be the end of the world if I have to do this again.

I entered the classroom, took out my card, wrote down my answers, prayed some more (Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference) and turned it in.

I faced back and prayed some more. I was being measured.

Finally the Capt butchered my name and I responded, "Yes, sir." "75."

75? 75? Are you kidding me? I...PASSED??? I even only wanted a 70! And I got a 75!

Gosh what a crappy score and night land nav is still a crapshoot to me but it's over! I mean, it now officially is ancient history.

No more boxes for me.

I saw a friend walk by on his way to the classroom on my way back to the barracks and he said, "Good?" "Yeah. GOOD ENOUGH!"

God was looking out for me.

Night land nav down. Now onto the E-course. Probably next Friday. God, get me through this too, please.