Lessons from the Forest - Part 2

Boom. Let's begin:

1. Bradleys are not subtle. Neither are they stealthy. You can hear the things from kilometres away. The droning sound actually reminds me of bees. Hundreds of bees converging on your position. Needless to say, we got ample time to prepare for an American attack simply because we heard them coming from kilometres away.
2. Digging in is dirty work. Don't throw spadefuls of sandy soil on or near your rifle. Getting said rifle clean with only a toothbrush and very little oil is almost impossible.
3. MG3 machine guns don't work. Or at least ours doesn't, ours here being the one our squad was issued. I was the machine gunner's aide and, essentially, being his aide meant I did most of the shooting, while the machine gunner swore at the MG3, trying to make the thing fire off a burst.
4. Estonia doesn't sell any black tea worthy of my thermos. However, due to incredibly cold weather I am forced to taint my thermos with fifth rate "black tea", simply in order to have something hot to drink. Honestly, the tea isn't even worth the water it's made with
5. The above also goes for the powdered milk. I mean, yes, powdered milk has nothing on real milk, but even when desperate for something creamy to put in "tea", it's still not worth the bother.
6. And cocoa.
7. Plastic sporks are amazing. Lighter than tourist sets (metal spoon, fork and blunt knife) and with better knives. Right up until they break. Then you'll wish you brought the tourist set along.
8. Feed soldiers nothing but one-time food rations and you'll have deserters in two weeks. 24h rations are advised.
9. The cafeteria is a 5-star restaurant, even when they deliver.
10. Always have a secret food horde that even you don't know of. It raises morale like nobody's business when it's finally found.
11. You can never have too many pockets. What you CAN have, however, are too full pockets.
12. If your feet get sore in the first 8km of your 45km trek, you're one sorry soldier. It's going to be a s**tty trek. Pray you don't get hedgehogs.
13. If you get hedgehogs on the first 10km of your 45km trek.... Heh.
14. If after both points above you end up in an American ambush, you better hope they're using live rounds. If you're not so lucky...... I think you get the picture. Hopefully you don't get another ambush. If you get another ambush 5km away, the world dislikes you.
15. Americans are immortal. Not even 6 Carl Gustaf High-Explosive rounds can kill a Bradley at point-blank range. And a 100 round belt of MG3 rounds will not kill your average Bradley gunner either, not even when you add a clip some 5.56mm rounds and aim for the head.
16. Americans are blind. Seriously! 5m further and you, Sir from Texas, would have fallen right on top of me! Can't you see me standing here shooting at you?! How about the MG3 right here to my left? No? OK, what about the guy, 3m tall, swearing like mad at the afore-mentioned MG3? No? OK.
17. American night-vision is OP. I died twice, as the Americans tiptoed past my position in the darkest of night and shot from behind.
18. Mornings are made by ice demons. Nights too. And days.