A new Soldier and a Javelin, a love story

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class William Tanner | Pv2 Jessie Saldivar, an infantryman assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment fires a M98 Javelin Weapon System at Grafenwoehr Training Area located near Rose Barracks, Germany, Sept. 24, 2014. (U.S. photo by: Sgt. William A. Tanner)  

VILSECK, BY, GERMANY

09.26.2014

Story by Sgt. William Tanner 

2d Cavalry Regiment

ROSE BARRACKS, Germany – To most Soldiers a day at the range can be long and arduous. The day usually starts with an early morning when a unit comes together to get an inventory of their equipment and personnel before heading out for the day. This is commonly followed by a long day of Soldiers patiently waiting to fire their weapons.

For some veterans and seasoned Soldiers this can seem time consuming. For new Soldiers it can be a time of anticipation and nervousness, especially with weapons they have never fired before. But for PV2 Jessie Saldivar, an infantryman assigned to 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, this was a day of more than anticipation. It was a day of excitement. This was to be his chance to fire a weapon that not many others have fired nor seen fired. Today was the day he was going to fire the M98 Javelin Weapon System.

“This will be my first big range and I am excited about it,” Saldivar said with a huge smile. Having only been with his unit for the past 10 months, he couldn’t have hidden his excitement even if he had tried. The feeling was electric and could be felt throughout the entire range. Everyone seemed to feel right at home as they laughed and joked together while they waited for the experience to begin.

Saldivar, a native of Angleton, Texas, welcomed the feeling of family. “I love being here with this unit,” said Saldivar. “I’m from a small town and being here, with all of these new people who treat me like family is amazing.”

For Saldivar, that family feeling is a familiar one. As for many Troopers, the transition from their hometown to the military life can be a jarring one but it seems that this particular Soldier has found a place he can fit in.

For all of the love and excitement that Saldivar has for his newfound home he shares that same enthusiasm for his future outside of the military. “I am already looking to re-enlist for one more term and then after that I’m hoping to go back home and become a police officer,” said Saldivar, whom is currently looking into registering online to take classes for a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. His intent is to try out the new culture that surrounds him. “Back home we go hunting on the weekends, but here they go to Oktoberfest,” said Saldivar.

That zest for new adventures couldn’t have been more evident than the excitement he showed knowing that he was about to fire a Javelin. When it was his turn to fire, his look changed from excitement to one of determination as he picked up the weapon and walked to his firing position. All of the confidence that his recent training had instilled in him was on display as he took his time to sight in on his target.

As he mounted the weapon onto his right shoulder, he paused briefly to adjust to the weight of the weapon. One of the Noncommissioned Officers in his unit, acting as a range safety, stood to Saldivar’s left and walked him through the steps of firing the weapon. Once he was ready the range safety yelled “Fire in the Hole” three times as loud as he could.

Without hesitation, Saldivar fired the weapon which started with a soft, audible click, enabling the missile to be released into the air with a large, bright flame following it. There was a high pitched noise as the missile soared through the air and made contact with a target 2,200 meters away.

With an explosion that could be heard all the way back at his firing position, Saldivar stood up, put the weapon down, smiled and with a look of satisfaction walked away as though this was going to be a day he remembered for a very long time.

• Date Taken: 09.26.2014
• Date Posted: 09.26.2014 15:07
• Story ID: 143420
• Location: VILSECK, BY, DE
• Hometown: ANGLETON, TX, US