On predators and prey

This past weekend, I got shot at. Bullets landed not 10 m away from me. Pretty unnerving stuff.

We were conducting training with live ammunition, and the final assault on an enemy position involves crawling up to the position (with your comrades' rounds flying overhead) and clearing it.

The whole time, I was paranoid about getting shot. We trained in pairs at first, and then in groups of four. I had a really good teammate, so no worries there, but the other pair were pretty green. First couple of times, I sent the green troops up to the position, but eventually it was my turn (lead by example). I think next time, I'll choose my teammates more carefully.

For the latter half of the weekend, I led a reconnaisance patrol out to observe an 'enemy' position overnight. It's a strange feeling stalking through the forest, hiding in the darkness of night from patrols and spying on people. On the one hand, we're outnumbered and outgunned, so engaging in firefights and heroics is out of the question - we are clearly the prey in the big picture. On the other hand, we're stalking unsuspecting people who neither perceive us nor understand our intent, and are apprehensive (if not terrified) of our imagined presence. In this sense, the roles are reversed. We are the predators and they the prey. When morning comes and the sun rises, the roles revert back to their original state. We hide like frightened mole rats from the searing brightness of the sun, and they try to flush us out.

-d