When I was in the 7th ID in 1982 and went to Arctic weather training with the 1/32 Inf I thought I was getting the short end of the stick because at the same time my battalion, 1/79 FA, was sending teams to Singapore and Japan for CPXs with their national forces. However, in Alaska I learned all about snowshoes, skis, field-expedient snow caves, and wearing clothing in layers.

The knowledge has come in handy around here, where we sometimes get 24 inches of snow every now and then. I've gotten some people out of the ditch by the side of the road when there is ice and snow all over.

The one thing I wish to say is that my old units, 7th ID, Task Force Faith, 1/32 Inf, were virtually annihiliated during the run-up to the USMC's epic stand at Chosin. We took the main punch the Chinese had to offer and we died with our boots on. Were we yet another incompetent Army unit, or did we die fighting? Probably a combination of the two, if the truth must be known.

When I ran this theory in about 2004 by the late Brig. Gen. Edwin Simmons, the former chief historian of USMC, he wanted to have nothing to do with it. I knew his son during high school in Alexandria, Virginia in '69-'70. Gen. Simmons was a good man and I hope I didn't p*ss him off too much.