Reflecting back 24 years ago today

"Duty-Honor-Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you
ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be. They are your rallying
points: to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when
there seems to be little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes
forlorn." - excerpt from General Douglas MacArthur's farewell speech to the United States Military Academy Corps of Cadets, May 12, 1962 Where has the time gone? It seems like just yesterday that around a thousand young men and women who comprised the West Point Class of '87 marched onto the field at Michie Stadium and graduated. Just four years prior to that I had reported to USMA as a mop-topped 17-year old. July 1, 1983 was "R" day for the Class of '87. We met the "man in the red sash" and the words "step up to my line new cadet" became forever burned into our memory banks. We were quite the motley looking bunch on that day. But over the next four years we became more than just friends and classmates. We became brothers and sisters for life. Our motto, "Our Country We Strengthen, '87," is proudly emblazened on our rings that we earned through sweat, tears, laughter, and teamwork. Today is the 24th anniversary of our graduation from West Point. I am proud to say with unflinching confidence that the Class of '87 has lived - and continues to live - its motto, which we forged as a promise to each other and our Nation so many years ago. Our Country We Strengthen, '87 - We will always fulfill that promise.

It was hot in Iraq today. My Soldiers were busy as always. Convoys were heading outside the wire. On top of it all we held a PT test. It's the same test the Army used when I reported to West Point so many years ago. The events are push-ups, sit-ups and a two-mile run. Each Soldier has two minutes each for both push-ups and sit-ups and is then timed in the run. The raw scores for each event are converted into points using a conversion scale. There are a maximum of 100 points per event for a combined total of 300 possible points. I never have had to study for this test. I always score 300. My challenge is to have raw scores that beat the best my Soldiers can put up. It gives me great satisfaction to beat kids who weren't even born the day I graduated from West Point. The Soldiers take great pride in having a Battalion Commander who lets his performance do the talking. There are too often double-standards in this arena. It doesn't happen on my watch though.

Iraq is an unforgiving place to take a PT test. Even though we took the test during a cooler time of the day, there is still so much dust in the air it makes breathing difficult at times. The dust dries your throat and irritates your nostrils. It burns the eyes once mixed with sweat. I've been sneezing ever since we completed the test. It will probably be a restless night.