OCR Text |
Show When capture the flag turns ugly The, My troop was doing some river rafting down the Snake River. We had stopped for the night and set up camp in paten of trees. Behind the trees was a clearing that was obviously created by Mother Nature for the sole purpose of us playing hardcore capture the flag. The clearing was flat, covered with waist-high grass and split exactly down the middle with a game trail. Dense trees surrounded us on all sides. As soon as it was dark, we split up in two teams and went about our business. I was on offense. Being the last true Idaho ninja, I was a natural for offense; I was stealtny, patient and hard-core. flag. Over the course of an hour, I crawled, I've never really understood why it's so ever so subtlety through the thick grass. important to steal a piece of cloth from There was no way anyone could have known I was there. I was like a cat or a the other army; 1 just know that it is. In my travels around the world I've dis- really, really sneaky dog of some kind. Finally I got witnin 50 feet of the flag. covered I can't look at another country's flag without feeling an overwhelming My heart was racing as I moved forward, mere inches at a time. I was so close I urge to sneak in andcapture it. It's not that I disrespect the other coun- could hear the guys guarding the flag talk tries. I don't even really want their flag back and forth. that bad. As I moved ever so slowly forward I heard one of them announce his plans. I just want to capture it. "Need to pee, where should I do it?" I've always felt that way. At least since he asked his fellow guard who was also I was twelve and joined Boy Scouts. My troop was hard-core when it came our Scoutmaster. "I don't care," Scoutmaster Vince to capture the flag. We took it very seriously. In the pursuit of a flag I have sighed. "Over there is fine," he said, tripped over rocks, fallen down moun- motioning in my general direction. tains and been sliced open by barbed Now, the kid had a whole bunch of wire. trees to chose from, but instead, he starts None of this, however, can compare walking right toward me, stopping maybe to the time I almost paid the ultimate 20 feet in front of me. price in the name of the almighty flag. With my eyes closed, I hear our I really wish I was making this story up, Scoutmaster yell, "That's way to close to but I'm not. me. Go a little further, please." I hate to admit I'm not very familiar with the military that fights today's wars. I am, however, really familiar with the military that fought in the conflict known as the Star Wars. My limited knowledge of the current "real" military comes mostly from the History Channel and video games. From these sources I've learned the following: We really opened a can Geek Beat at Yorktown and for ^ » ' ^ - ^ » some reason, it's really important to capture the other guys' And so, like an obedient (not to mention thrifty, brave, clean and reverent) Scout, he kept walking. It was at this point in my life I realized just how good at hiding I was and how big a problem it can be, because he stopped literally right in front of me, and I heard him unzip nis pants. It was probably the hardest decision 1 had faced until that point. I didn't want to lose, but I didn't want to get peed on either. I was hard-core, but-that's really asking a lot from a twelve-year-old. Fortunately 1 never, had to make that choice because I was saved by someone else making a run for the flag, drawing the defender away before he could write his name on me. This is one of the many reasons I'm firmly convinced that Boy Scouts are just a government conspiracy to recruit and train the next generation of flag-capturing supersoldiers. Sure, it claims to teach kids useful life skills, but I'm an Eagle Scout and the only things I learned in Scouts, besides the dangers of blue darts, are flag-related: how to salute one, how to fold one and, of course, how to capture one. Not that I mind though. If I'm going to be a soldier, I'm glad I'm going to be a super one. I'll even let the bad guys pee on me if it'll help. Geek on. Steve Shinney is a senior in computer science and a one sneaky SOB. Comments can be sent to him at steveshinney@cc.usu.edu, but he'll probably be reading them over your shoulder while you write it anyway. Army Reservist professor sells smoothies US: How long have you been teaching at USU? Messmer: I've been at Utah State since 1991- I'm an extension specialist, and I also teach. I also advise graduate students and do research. US: What made you want to come to USU? Messmer: Yes. I got out for several years and then I went back into the National Guard and then the reserves. And then I got a direct commission here a few years ago in 1997 to 98 and immediately became a commander of a medical attachment preventive medicine unit. ———— Now I'm a commander of a medical battalion. Messmer: US: What do The chance \Random_Ca_mgus Profiles^you have to do to actually with the mediTerry Messmer cine unit? teach and do North Dakota research. I came Messmer: Professor from North As a medical Dakota State Natural Resources commander, University, ^ ~ ~ " " " " ~ ~ " " — ^ - ^ ^ you're ultiwhere my mately responextension appointment did sible for the training and not allow me to do teaching preparation of the soldiers so and research. And it was also they can do their job, their a chance to deal with other mission. You're also responissues. In extension we focus sible for recruiting, retention on trying to help our clients and making sure that the - citizens of the state that unit has all the equipment it we work with and citizens of needs to do its job. So essenthe country to address some tially you're the boss. You of the difficult managing evaluate personnel, recomissues. mend promotions, make sure they are taken care of and US: Where are you from paid. If they get in trouble, originally? you make sure they are punished. You make sure that Messmer: I was raised in the appropriate correctional North Dakota on a small action is taken. It's different family farm. I'm the second than being a dean or a colof two brothers. My older lege president because I can brother got the farm, and actually put my soldiers in I volunteered for the draft. jail. You have a little more And why I volunteered for control over their daily lives. the draft was because it was a way to pay for school. US: How much time does Vietnam was going on, and being a commander take? in my small community in North Dakota we had five Messmer: In my role as an men killed in Vietnam. It's Army commander I am on pretty amazing, considering call 24/7. Last night I had the community was about meetings. This weekend I less than 1,000 people. It have meetings, and in the just seemed like something I next month I will be gone had to do. every weekend because of some conferences and some US: Did you go to Vietnam? other things that I have to work on. Messmer: No. I was made Depending on where an MP, Military Policeman, you're at in the guard or a correctional specialist. And reserves, you may just have then I was sent to Okinawa, the one weekend a month where I spent 16 months. and two weeks in the summer. But because of modUS: Now you're a major, ern technology, because right? of e-mail, cell phones and Blackberrys, my unit can WHM stenRing.com Tungsten Sing... (or the 1 " sophisticated, hardworking man. Customizing to fit pur needs Get Back to Square One. •Your Choice for Wedding Invitations k 630 West 200 North 753-8875 sou are one p r i n T i n s Mixing School MATERNITY INSURANCE Costs as little as $75 - $175 / MONTH Pays out as much as $5000 - $7000 Must be in effect 10 months BEFORE you deliver Works great with other health insurance policies Great prices on all Life, Health, Auto & Renters Cache Valley Insurance, Inc. 94 South Main, Logan (435) 7524560 Ask for Quent Casperson or Curtis Craig tf little Caesars S3 little Caesars HOT-N-READY rTAUAN CHEESE BREAD FRESHLY BAKH) BREAD WITH MELTED O t E S E AND TOPPED WTTH ITALIAN SPICES, 10 DEUOOU3 PIECES ! $ 99 2 cuunr wmw wja IBJI I tf© little CMsarr »99 Photo courtesy of Terry Messmer TERRY MESSMER IS A PROFESSOR at USU as well as a commander of a medical battalion in the Army. This photo was taken in Iraq near the city of Urr. reach me any time. And they do reach me anytime. It's no longer one weekend a month and two weeks a year. For most reserves, it's become more because between battle training assemblies, all of us have to balance that with our chosen careers and any other things we get involved in. US: I understand that you have a son in Iraq? Messmer: I have a son that is in Iraq for the second time, yes. US: How long has he been there? Messmer: He's been over there for the second time since October. He went over shortly after I got back. He also went over in August of 2004 and spent the year there. m am Friday Night Activity US: Are you nervous about him being over there? LARGE PIZZA I UP TO 6 I TOPPINGS! PIZZA CRAZY I CAESAR WINCS $ R O O 13 I'-:-:t" LJ.-rf*-r 1^*W 9 Messmer: You live it every day. You just live it every day. The thing people need to understand is joining the Army is kind of "buyer beware." Sure, initially a lot of soldiers got in with the idea that they would have all these education benefits. And then sometimes things change. But there are options. You can leave it. You can get out. I have the ability that I could walk away tomorrow. I've put enough time in. But my family is not unlike any other family. There was a decision made, and the reason why we do what we do is because of a sense of duty. I stay in because of the things I think > CAUGHT see page 8 "Go Nuts For Service" Institute Cultural Center 8:OO pm 'till done Service and a Movie. Come see ice Age 2 and "Co Nuts For Service." We will be amaking quilts, beanies, painting blocks, and toy cars, The service will be benefiting local organizations in the valley. 99 cmvovT HJBSTMM |