Morning! Wait it’s 4:00 a.m. Well, It’s time to load the truck.

Get up.

Do the usual morning hygiene process.

Load the truck.

5:30 a.m.

Go over to have breakfast.

Prepare equipment for the day.

Is there ever an easy day?

Training from 6:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Brutal!

Physically and mentally worn out, he goes to eat at seven.

Finally a chance to relax. Then reality sets in.

Wait, we have to do this all again tomorrow?  

Glen Rock science teacher and track coach, Brian Luckenbill, has recently returned from a three week army training trip in South Central Virginia. The training was located in an army base called Fort Pickett.

Luckenbill grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania and got his college education at Millersville University. He had always found an interest in engineering.

Having to go through a series of horrific weather days, Luckenbill was able to pass the three weeks and enjoyed the experience.

Luckenbill enjoys the army training but to him it is part-time.

“As far as an everyday life goes, I’d prefer teaching and coaching,” Luckenbill said.

Though it is not his preferable job, Luckenbill still enjoys the experience with the army training.

He was fascinated by many interesting and cool exercises they did up at the base.

One specifically was the live fire exercise.

His group destroyed obstacles and on the last one, they used real ammunition.

Luckenbill was the demo man. He used a bangalore, which is a steel pipe full of explosives.

Once set in place, it blew up the obstacle.

“That was a pretty cool moment at least for me because it was the first time I got to work with live demo and specifically with the Bangalore,” Luckenbill said.

While Luckenbill was at the base, he grew closer relationships with others in his group. Already knowing most, they only saw each other two times a month for monthly training.

“Even though I knew them already, the three weeks allowed me to grow closer relationships with them.”

Currently Luckenbill is an enlisted soldier. He is a twelve bravo which is a combat engineer. He was a part of a thirty person platoon.

He was apart of second squad bravo team. His group was there to set obstacles in place or blow them up.

“We were kind of the special group out of the set,” Luckenbill said.

Out of the tree squads Luckenbill’s got to do the “fun engineering stuff.”

Luckenbill describes combat engineering in three words: “Mobility, countermobility and survive mobility.”

Mobility is needed so troops could move freely while counter is important that the enemy does not move freely. Survive mobility is important to help the troops have a high chance of survival.

“It’s an important job and one worth doing,” Luckenbill said.

Luckenbill expected to come in and work hard to get some good training out of the experience. That’s mostly what happened. However, when there was free time it gave Luckenbill time to build strong friendships.

These moments gave him great satisfaction while going through intense training almost everyday.

The next training is next year in August so this time it will not interfere with what Luckenbill really wants to continue: teaching and coaching.

“Overall it was an enjoyable experience. One worth doing and the next one is next year in Michigan so I am looking forward to that.”