Ardennes was a proving ground……. An essay by William Marshall

No walking on Ardennes between 0630 and 0730, if you did, you heard about it.  Ardennes was a proving ground for us.  We ran Area J, we ran Longstreet for the Division run but for the most part we ran Ardennes.  I grew up on Ardennes. There we times when we brawled with our brothersContinue reading “Ardennes was a proving ground……. An essay by William Marshall”

Whose to blame (Your life matters to me)………… An essay by William Marshall

Most of us have been touched by suicide. If you haven’t, it will come. It is particularly confusing to us when we watch our mentors, our leaders succumb to some crazy call to end their lives. It always makes me look at myself. Look inward. Try to place blame on……. On……… I guess I haveContinue reading “Whose to blame (Your life matters to me)………… An essay by William Marshall”

Cherryyyyyyyy!!!!!! An essay by William Marshall

The Cherryyyyyyyy just seemed to go on and on.  In my world of the 82nd, if you dropped something in the mess hall, fumbled your weapon, messed up just a little somehow, and you heard it from your buddies……. Cherryyyyy!!!@@@@ AATW!

Sergeant’s Time……. An essay by William Marshall

I remember the first time I heard the term, I think I was a SSG. I thought, this is kinda silly, isn’t every day SGTs time. Turns out, looking back, SGTs time was a great program. It made you stop, prepare for, and conduct training at a level that previously was overlooked. SGTs time allowedContinue reading “Sergeant’s Time……. An essay by William Marshall”

Advanced Airborne School History

Advanced Airborne SchoolThe Advanced Airborne School maintains the readiness of the 82nd Airborne Division by preserving the ability to deploy anywhere in the world in 18 hours by either an airborne or airland assault. It trains selected personnel in Jumpmaster, Air Movement and Basic Airborne Techniques. It also advises and assists unit Commanders in theContinue reading “Advanced Airborne School History”

Name dropping……. An essay by William Marshall

Blankenbecler, Thagard, Santana, Arroyo, Calderon, Cranston, Gillings, Oxendine, Paternostro, Leach, Bennett; Squad leaders Cuevas, Rodgers, Diggs, Hunter, Godwin; Platoon Sergeants King, Hilton, Lehr, Chavez, Stout, McGovern: First Sergeants Parker, Adams, Harvey, Patterson, Miranda, Eimer, McBride, Tilley: Command Sergeants Major Burnley, Foley, Harris, Martinez, Davis, Brown, Copeland, Ferrierra, Buynar, Hayward, Felicetti, Craig, Friend, Smith, Miga, Feilmeier: Continue reading “Name dropping……. An essay by William Marshall”

Rookie Numbers…….. An essay by William Marshall

Dan tells the story about how when they got back from Desert Storm, we had so many new TURDs(Trainee Under Rigorous Development) that they couldn’t remember their names.  One of the old school hats, may have been Tim Bingham, started giving them numbers, those number became the Rookie numbers we all know and love now……..