23 MAR 07: TV SPECIAL-IST

There's always something momentous about a graduation day - whether in the military or in school. But admittedly, when I was young I wondered why my grade school and junior high school didn't have graduation ceremonies. It was almost as if the teachers were happy to get us out the door.

Thursday was a basic training graduation day at Fort Benning - and one of the new soldiers had a story which was anything but basic. Specialist Jerry Jacob joined the Army, after working for about 20 years in television news. This will certainly be different - because the enemy usually doesn't stop every eight minutes or so for commercial breaks.

Jerry Jacob was a TV newscaster in Springfield, Missouri, but felt a need to change careers after the September 11 attacks. As he put it Thursday: "I'd been serving myself all my life, instead of serving my country." Some would take that to mean he dodged federal income taxes....

(Jacob worked for a station which years ago had the slogan: "KY-3 - as far as the eye can see." Perhaps he was looking so far, he never really looked in the mirror.)

Jerry Jacob couldn't join the military immediately after the September 11 attacks, because he was too old. But the rules changed last year, allowing people as old as 42 to enlist. Keep that in mind, the next time the Army brags about making recruiting goals - it's looking for people almost too old to play major league baseball.

(Hey, wait a minute here! If Jerry Jacob was an "anchorman," shouldn't he more logically have joined the Navy?)

So Jerry Jacob came to Fort Benning for basic training - and his drill sergeant admitted the former TV newsman was not quite in shape at first. There's a reason why you can't see below the waist at the anchor desk....

Yet Jerry Jacob kept working at it - and when graduation day came Thursday, he was the honor graduate of his Fort Benning platoon. I think that means he was awarded a ribbon at the ceremony. It certainly didn't look like his beret had an extra tassel on it.

One TV reporter said Thursday night Jerry Jacob had "traded his microphone for an M-16." Here's hoping he never gets the two confused, and points the weapon toward his mouth.

Jerry Jacob gets back to military business today, after Thursday's graduation. He travels to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, with the goal of becoming an Army combat medic. This seems strange to me. Jacob doesn't want to be a public affairs spokesman -- ducking behind podiums in Iraq, like the United Nations Secretary-General did?!

The idea of "specialists" from television news really isn't new. About 30 years ago, a TV station in my home town called all its reporters "specialists." There was one for education, one for health - and they didn't even wear channel number lapel pins, much less ribbons.

It's easy to admire what Jerry Jacob is doing. He's giving up "stardom" in the Missouri Ozarks, to show dedication for his country. Come to think of it, I haven't heard from Third Brigade blogger Chris Sweigart in a while - do you think he's trying to track down Usama bin-Laden?

But it was interesting to note Jerry Jacob is engaged to be married. In his early forties, he doesn't have a major family commitment as he serves in the Army. He'll be somewhat on his own - although he might still need to look to a meteorologist from time to time, to help him make plans.

A man who made local sports news Thursday stands in interesting contrast to Jerry Jacob. Craig Fitts resigned as Shaw High School's football coach, after making the Georgia state finals in his first year. He says he's doing it to spend more time with his four children. A team of four certainly should be easier to handle than 22.

E-MAIL UPDATE: Now to the great land swap, involving land on Macon Road....

The trees are gone..That is right..The huge pile of large expensive trees that were never planted and allowed to die has been removed from the library site on the side next to the old Sears..There had to be 15 to 20 trees with roots still wrapped in burlap in one big pile...Guess when the library was about to be first page media the decision was made to remove them..I wonder if they paid their landfill tipping fees?

Huh?! There were trees stored on Rigdon Road? I never saw this - but maybe they've been moved to the Brookstone neighborhood, and planted so future tornadoes blow them toward streets and not houses.

Here's one more item, with a political bent:

Hi Sir,

Could you notify your bloggers and conservatives in Columbus, that we have organized a new " Georgia Conservative Republican Voters Coalition" and would like to invite any conservative republican, who is a voter, to join our group. We are not a political party, we are only a Coalition of conservatives, who happen to be Republicans, that meet for the sole purpose of " Finding Conservative Republican Candidates - who would like to run for a political office, from City Council through US Congressional seats.

Anyone can contact me (Chuck) at (706)577-5544 or conservativecoalition@yahoo.com.

Thanks,

Chuck Wells

OK, there's the invitation. If you prefer liberal Republicans - well, you're a little late. You missed Governor Sonny Perdue's appearance at Green Island Country Club Thursday night.

Now for other things you may have missed Thursday:

+ The Census Bureau reported Chattahoochee County had the largest population growth in the country last year, increasing 13.2 percent. The question now is whether two factors will lead to a decline this year - the Third Brigade's deployment to Iraq, or the elimination of the county police department.

+ The Auburn University Board of Trustees approved Dr. Jay Gogue as the campus's new President. His last name is pronounced "goozh" - so please don't ask him if he's related to Vincent Van.

+ Alabama Governor Bob Riley was presented two jugs full of fuel from the state's first biodiesel plant. I hope those jugs are clearly marked - because in some corners of Alabama, it would make even the most devout moonshine drinker sick.

+ Instant Message to WRBL: Bless you! For showing the Kansas win over Southern Illinois from start to finish - why, you ARE on my side! Or were you really answering some hard-nosed lobbying by Southern Illinois grad Dave Platta?

(And as for my beloved Jayhawks - you might as well have been a Thursday night "Survivor" episode. But somewhere the headline today will read: "KAN TOPS SOIL.")

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