I will be conducting my needs assessment on the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) located at Fort Polk, Louisiana. As an organization of the United States Army, we report information to our division located at Fort Drum, New York the headquarters for the 10th Mountain Division. My needs assessment will focus on the Personnel Status report or PERSTAT a report that is very valuable to the Strength Management Team in the Human Resources Department. The PERSTAT gives a brief snapshot of the strength or number of soldiers stationed at Fort Polk that are assigned to our brigade, 3rd BCT 10th MTN DIV (LI), that are present for duty and not present for duty. The PERSTAT is due to both the Sergeant Major and Executive…
The New Zealand Army!? What the heck is that? That was my initial thought when I was told that I would be deploying to Afghanistan to manage a property book of equipment that was being utilized by the New Zealand Army. Let me take you back on the events that transpired that led me to this deployment. 25 July 2011, I signed into Ft Riley, Kansas. HHC Company, Combat Aviation Brigade, First Infantry Division. I was in the S2 shop as the Terrain NCOIC. I was enjoying my time there in my position…
“By endurance we conquer.” - Ernest Shackleton. Polar expeditions are some of the most dangerous expeditions out there and are very demanding. Planning the trip, animals, living conditions, food and each crew member struggling to help each other out and keep their sanity are just some of the hurdles in these treacherous expeditions. You might already have a clue about how hard these expeditions are because well, everyone knows how harsh Antarctica is being known as a “frozen desert”, but in this…
He descended to the earth in ten different forms (avatars) to preserve righteousness in the world. The Himalaya has done the same: Mountains reincarnate to preserve the planet's 'right environment' for life. This Vishnu-Himalaya parallelism has mythological beauty and richness. In Hindu mythology, Himavat is the personification of the Himalayan Mountains. He is the father of Ganga, a heavenly river that flew from the toe of Vishnu, but which was brought down to the earth to purify the ashes of…
have ever seen, Beartooth Mountain. The first time I see the mountain I am astounded anything could possibly be so immense. The sun catches the snow at the top of the mountain shooting light down into the Valley below. Then my view slides down the mountain, numerous pine trees seem to wrap around the entire mountain like a child in their blanket. This is the moment I realize it is amazing that later today, I am going to be at the top. As I approach the mass of pine trees, I begin to smell the…
people I shared the chairlift with would tell me how lucky I was, but I would just smile politely and nod, unaware of my fortune. I had grown up in mountains and didn’t know anything different. As I have gotten older and been fortunate enough to have traveled outside of my familiar mountain range, I have realized how intensely beautiful mountains are. Now that I have become so attached to my activities and lifestyle in Vail, I can’t imagine growing up anywhere else. The beautiful mountains that…
Tenzing had saved Hilary’s life in the early stage of 1953 expedition. They both learned to respect each other as a mountaineers. When they reach the summit they lingled about 15 minutes at the top. Hilary captured the photo as Tenzing unfolds the flags of Nepal, India and United States. There is no picture of Edward Hillary as Tenzing was unfamiliar with the camera. Conclusion – To conclude, these personalities were totally different from each other. They do not have any similarities rather…
Climbing a mountain is a high-risk pursuit that is likely to be very difficult, but is also likely to be very rewarding. The stories, The Devil’s Thumb by Jon Krakauer and Touch the Top of the World by Erik Weihenmayer, both detail the authors’ exploits to climb the treacherous mountains, The Devil’s Thumb and Mount Everest, respectively. There are many similarities between the experiences of each climber as they went through their ascents. These similarities also are reflected in the writing of…
climbing to the tip-top of a high mountain and you’re looking for a larger, more enticing feat? Look no further! Welcome to Hilltop Anonymous, a well-organized and highly skilled guide group who will take you on an exhilarating trek up Mount Everest! This once in a lifetime deal will supply you with the safest and most reliable trip to the summit of the largest mountain in the world. Mount Everest is a beautiful mountain that everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime. The…
We’ve packed our bags and were ready to go climb Mount Everest! Wait… What? There are a plethora of safety precautions that inexperienced climbers don’t think about before going to go climb this magnificent mountain. But wait, aren’t there helicopters to come rescue you if something should happen? Think again. Helicopter pilots should not have to risk their lives for people who put themselves in danger. No Experience I don’t know why, and I don’t know how, but I am going to climb…