Third day at Gadna Writer: Jason Schwarz

After a long wait, I finally felt like a true soldier (at least as true as one can get). I picked up the M16, which is the gun the Israeli army uses, aimed it at the stomach of my target, and fired ten shots, hoping one of them would hit the target. Turns out eight of them hit their mark--not a bad percentage for my first time shooting a gun. After our eventful morning of shooting, we all traveled to a wide open field and learned how combat soldiers prepare themselves for battle. We learned how to camouflage ourselves with mud and twigs, how to run low to the ground, and how to dive and cover our heads in response to a grenade. It was an action packed day that allowed each of us to feel the adrenaline of shooting a gun and the anxiety of running head first into battle. Of course, after getting back to the base our commanders didn't let us rest for long even though we were all exhausted (I guess that really is the life of a soldier). Our third day in Ghadna proved to be one of the most exciting days all trip.