Smoking OK for Now

I read today in Army Times Online: A recent report from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs, called for eliminating tobacco sales at all military installations and setting a “specific, mandatory date by which the military will be tobacco-free.”

The Secretary of Defense agreed with the assessment that smoking is not good for one's health, but he declined to place a ban on smoking for the troops. Personally, I quit smoking many years ago. It's definitely not good for you. But then a bullet in the butt isn't good for you either, so I say if those who place their lives on the line every day choose to smoke, then that's their business.

Somehow, however, I suspect this issue will come up again, and maybe in the future smoking will be a banned substance for those in the military . . . given that it's easier to enforce such a ban on those in the military, as opposed to doing the same thing in the civilian world.

Alaska Railroad

Getting from place to place in Alaska is made much easier when you ride the Alaska railroad. Trains are frequent and usually on time. Tradition has it that one will stop to pick up passengers anywhere along the line, when flagged down. Given that the tracks pass through very wild and sparsely populated areas with no roads, this is a major benefit for hikers or hunters. When trains meet side-by-side as shown in this photo, passengers tend to make wild faces at each other through the windows. The trains don't go that fast, maybe 40-50 mph as average, so you can usually see through to the adjacent train. Food and drinks are excellent on the train too.

Sled Dogs

Wasilla, Alaska is a town not far from Anchorage, where I'd choose to live full-time if that were an option, which it's not. Not too big, but still having all the sorts of things we'd like to have available in the way of shopping and so forth. It's home to the soon to be ex-governor Sarah Palin, but way more important is that it's the home of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race headquarters. While there on my recent trip, I took this photo of a few of the pups there, soon to be potential race champions. Having owned two of these type dogs, we'd love another. But, I'm afraid that's not going to happen. Cats are much easier to take care of as you get older.

First Female Drill Sergeant Academy Commandant Appointed

For the first time, a female Command Sergeant Major has been appointed as Commandant of the U.S. Army Drill Sergeants Academy at Fort Jackson, SC. CSM Teresa King is a 28-year Army veteran. Given the history of the Army's Drill Sergeant program, including it's very rigorous and demanding training designed to prepare NCOs to become the number one trainer for all recruits, this is a very significant appointment. I wish her well.

More on Alaska

This photo was taken while flying in a helicopter over the Yanert Glacier near Denali National Park. We landed next to the bright blue pool shown, and walked around on top of the very rough surface (following the lead of the pilot because there are some pretty impressive bottomless crevasses all over the place) all the while marveling at the beauty and wonder of what we were experiencing. The ride was not cheap, but it was a two hour experience worth every penny. The photos I took are priceless to me.

Only in Alaska

While driving back from panning for gold (for real at Crow Creek Mine) my grandson and I spotted some cars backed up on the road ahead of us as we entered Anchorage. A somewhat lazy bull moose was wandering through a strip mall. The sign above his head explains it all. This was obviously a lucky shot, albeit quick, hand held and out the car window as I was slowly moving past the critter. This happens all the time up there in the city. Cops are usually called to escort the moose elsewhere. They are very dangerous if spooked.

You have no doubt concluded that I'm back home from our two week adventure "up north". More on that later on.