Chapter 4

The next morning after PT and chow, we were seated in a classroom and received instruction and explanation on how our FEX was going to be conducted. The whole Weapons Platoon would participate but we’d be divided into our respective own sections. This would be a basic Infantry Jungle Warfare training evolution.

Our travel to and from the training area was an interesting announcement. We were actually going to embark on the USS Pelilu for an approximately seven-and-a-half-hour cruise. We would then disembark on AAVs to make an amphibious landing. Then there would be a five-mile road march to a collection point. The USS Pelilu would return to its normal deployment.

We would then board trucks for a two-hour drive to the trailhead leading to the training area. We would then march a mile or so up the mountain to the base camp. Finally, when our FEX was over, we would drive back almost to where we initially landed to an airport to catch a C-130 back to K-Bay.

We were going to have an inspection of our gear on Thursday. We were going to board the ship early Sunday morning. That way we had two full days to get any deficiency taken care of. I needed to get to the uniform store today. I looked over at Norbert and Mutellip; they looked overwhelmed by all of this. It was a lot, but we’d have to deal with it. I’d need to keep a close scrutiny to ensure that my two chuckleheads weren’t overwhelmed.

They then went over a few of the items that weren’t part of our normal gear. We were going to be issued extra batteries for our moonbeams, a wet weather bag for our packs, camouflage face paint stick, blank firing adapter, a pair of leather rappelling gloves with inserts and a whistle.

The number of items we had to procure was bigger than I expected. There were suddenly more items than what was on the packing list. Handsaw, Iodine tablets, and either duct tape or electrician’s tape. We were also required to procure a Marine camouflage boonie hat. We’d all be looking like Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge. The last thing we needed was a pocketknife or a multitool. Everything else I already owned.

We received a brief overview of the training objectives. Not only were we going to be learning jungle survival but patrolling and rappelling. Once we were done, we went directly over to the uniform store. The chuckleheads checked to see if their altered uniforms were ready. I grabbed the stuff I needed, three sets of utilities which they said would be ready either Wednesday or Thursday. I was grabbing a boonie hat when Norbert snatched it out of my hands. He said they were buying it to thank me for what I was doing for them.

I asked the guy there if he knew of a surplus store in the area. I had to chuckle at the name, Bullets, Beans and Bandages. So, we headed there as soon as we checked out. We were able to get everything else we needed. I even found a Leatherman multitool; it was weird that it was in a crappy leather pouch. I needed to find a better one.

Norbert thought my taking this seriously was great because he didn’t have to. I told him that if he didn’t start pretty soon, I was just going to stop being his backstop and let him fall on his face.

PFC Dunn, the platoon driver/clerk, was waiting for us. I was told to make my way over to Gunny Owens’ office. I was made to wait for at least an hour before I was told to go back to the conference room. Then I had to wait for another twenty minutes before Gunny Owens came in. He sat down across from me.

“So how is the hunt for everything on the packing list?”

“Done other than the packing.”

“So, you have everything?”

“Everything but what will be issued to us. The chuckleheads have all their stuff as well. We grabbed everything unless something else comes up.”

“Good. Now we’re going to review what’s going to happen today and Thursday. Today you’ll go grab lunch, then come back here and take a conference call with a language tester. Today they will assess your ability to speak Japanese. Thursday morning after breakfast you’ll be tested on Polish. Because of our FEX, we’ll schedule your Portuguese test when we return from the field. Don’t make me look like an idiot setting this up for you.”

“I won’t, Gunny.”

“I’ll see you in forty-five minutes.”

“Aye Aye Gunny.”

I wasn’t going to be late, so it was directly over to the Mess Hall. I grabbed a normal lunch, though I ate it as if I was in bootcamp. I was back in the conference room with five minutes to spare.

Gunny Owens came in and dialed a phone number and then put it on the speaker and left the room.

“Good afternoon, Lance Corporal. I’m Captain Norinaga. I will be your proctor for this Oral Proficiency Interview.”

“Good afternoon, sir.”

“This interview will be conducted to test your fluency and competency in the Japanese language. This will be a twenty-to-twenty-five-minute conversation held strictly in Japanese. Are you ready to begin?”

“Yes sir.”

It was then a twenty-minute conversation. I could tell that he was moving up and down in difficulty levels in the conversation. There were a bunch of times when I had to think about my response. It wasn’t a completely fluid process. Then he hit me twice where I just flat didn’t have a response. Once that was finished, he asked me a few questions as to how long I’d be learning Japanese and what the method used was. He was impressed at how far I’d come in the time I’d been learning.

“Lance Corporal, I’d like to thank you for your time today. You are what I would call an intermediate conversationalist at this time. Quite the accomplishment for such a short time learning.”

I then explained the reasoning as to why I had started learning Japanese. He laughed then commented that men would go to great lengths for love. He explained that the certification system went from one to four. Levels two through three actually had two levels. One and then one plus, though only four had one level.

My official rating was two plus; the official certificate would probably arrive at the company office in three to four weeks. Though it would be processed into my service record immediately. I would have to retest every year if I wanted to maintain my Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus (FLPB).

“Thank you, sir. You have a nice afternoon.”

“You as well, Lance Corporal.”

I exited the conference room and knocked on Gunny Owen’s door. He told me to enter and waved me to sit down. After he finished a phone call, he then looked up at me.

“So how did it go?”

“It went well. He gave me a skill level of two plus.”

“So, here’s how the whole thing works. Your MOS does not entitle you to receive a Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus on a monthly basis. What you will receive is a yearly lump sum bonus. The amount you get paid per modality is based on what your skill level is determined at.”

“What are modalities?”

He glanced down at a paper on his desk.

“There are three modalities. Listening, reading, and speaking. When taking an OPI you will receive a modality rating for listening and speaking. If you got a two plus on both, you will receive a lump sum of one hundred dollars per modality.”

“Hey, I’m all for an extra two hundred bucks. When does that go into effect?”

“It should be on one of your checks next month. How do you think you’ll do on the other two tests?”

“You can cancel the Portuguese test. No need in wasting everybody’s time. I might be able to pass, but it’s not a sure thing. Give it another year or so with my family, it might be possible.”

“It’s good you’re honest about it. How about the Polish test on Thursday?”

“If I don’t score a four on that one, my grandfather will fly out here and beat my ass.”

“OK. So just remember that you need to be here Thursday after lunch. Now get out of my office.”

“Aye Aye, Gunny.”

“Just know this will look good come promotion time.”

The chuckleheads were full of questions when I got back to the barracks. They were interested that you get a pay bonus for knowing a language, they were disappointed when Spanish wasn’t included in that.

I fired up the vacuum sealer and started packaging up what I thought would benefit from it. I took twice the number of socks that they recommended. Keeping my feet in good shape was number one. I made sure that for most things I took one or two more than they recommended to be on the safe side. We grabbed dinner and then I did the same for the chuckleheads.