16 DEC 04: READY TO RUMBLE
The members of Fort Benning's Third Brigade rolled out of bed early Wednesday morning, for a three-mile run at 6:00 a.m. They went running outside in below-freezing temperatures - so based on a comment my Pastor made at church years ago, every soldier in the Third Brigade is a fool.
The predawn run was part of a mass pep rally for the Third Brigade. Wednesday marked the last time the soldiers will be together before they deploy to Iraq -- where the running is a lot harder, with all that desert sand.
Only at a place like Fort Benning would a three-mile run in below-freezing weather be considered "bonding." Or in this case, the soldiers might have frozen together....
After the run, the Third Brigade received a pep talk from Commander Stephen Salazar. He reminded soldiers the assignment ahead will be to "serve Iraq." I'm glad we settled that issue! If Iraq's new government tells the troops to get lost, they'll come home early.
Col. Stephen Salazar noted in his pep talk the Third Brigade is likely to lose some soldiers while on duty in Iraq. There's one way to increase your chances of survival. Pack your knapsack with as much scrap armor as you can find.
Col. Stephen Salazar says the Third Brigade will focus on security while overseas. Among other things, they'll train Iraqi police officers -- hopefully in things such as how not trip over suspects lying prone along a roadside....
Another task for the Third Brigade will be to monitor Iraq after its Presidential election. Am I the only one who finds the timing of this vote interesting - on the "dead Sunday" before the Super Bowl? The better for keeping a soldier's attention, I suppose....
Col. Stephen Salazar believes the Third Brigade will be better prepared for duty in Iraq this time, compared with 2003. Soldiers have had plenty of training. There's additional armor for their humvees. And they don't have to worry about their every move costing their Commander-in-Chief his job.
The Third Brigade will go its separate ways for the next couple of weeks, to be with friends and family. This time also will give soldiers a chance to think long and hard about whether they want to go back to Iraq. If they don't, they merely have to go out to dinner at Coach's Corner.
BIG PREDICTION UPDATE: Much to my surprise and delight, the price of gasoline actually dropped again in parts of the area Wednesday. This is why I've never considered giving stock picks....
One of the leading stations in the big price-drop is a Mystik on Broad Street in Phenix City. Its price for regular unleaded fell to $1.63 Wednesday - but with a name like "Mystik," are the managers doing this by sticking pins in an Arab oil sheik voodoo doll?
Now the final rush for Wednesday:
+ WRBL reported passenger traffic at Columbus Airport was up two percent in November. The airport manager calls this significant - but any employee would tell you a two-percent raise isn't much.
+ Students at J.D. Davis Elementary School went on a "field trip" to Peachtree Mall. Hopefully the teachers were tall enough to block their view of the Victoria's Secret windows.
+ Auburn University Interim President Ed Richardson extended holiday break by two days, to cover the Sugar Bowl appearance January 3. So why didn't he do this when the Auburn swim teams actually WON national championships?
+ Instant Message to Superior Court Judge Bobby Peters: You won. You're now in office. You can take the reminder to vote July 20 off your web site now.
SCHEDULED FRIDAY: Nothing but your e-mails, as we clean out the InBox....
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