energy equals mass times the speed of life squared
By MEL ALLEN, JR.
"Have you ever broken your nose
fourteen times falling down the
same step
was all she said as the endlessly
soft parade of cars and
trucks and
cabs and
buses and
trains and
planes and
bikes and
people and
pets and
friends and
enemies and
lovers and
children and
old folks and
poets and
priests and
politicians and
crooks and hippies and
republicans
and heroes and ghosts and
all sorts of scraps of
humanity
passed by
oblivious
-John Pargas
Letter From
West Point
The following are words written by
a student at West Point Military
Academy. Chuck, a friend of mine
from high school, wrote me this letter
last spring. It gives an insider's glimp
se into life at the prime training facili
ty for future U.S. military and political
leaders, and what happens to West
Pointers with a conscience.
always the light
a solid, living necessity
it could mean hope
or mercy
euthanasia again and again
a day
is built
only for destruction
only to remember
always the light
"A good, violently executed plan, good use of terrain, and surprise can
give you a decisive advantage." (FM 22-100, pg. 30)
This is what I study.
'The enemy will come leading with elite motorized forces equipped
with BMP's T-72's. You can expect to be outnumbered 3-5-1. You must
delay the enemy so that second line defenses may be set up. Casualties
on both sides will be high."
I have fought the battle of the
Fulga Gap 100 times. I will fight it
100 more.
"The enemy will try to either bypass you or overrun your posi
The little town of Hof always gets
destroyed in these games.
"When the enemy is attempting to destroy your positions, they will at
tack with T-72's leading, followed by mqunted BMP's."
I wonder if the people in Hot know that?
"You can expect heavy gunship and air support."
A war like this would be insane. "Your mission is clear." How many people will die?
"Use TOW teams and BFV's to destroy..." I'm gonna throw up.
"...M-60's cover the disjnounted..." nuts "...achieve flank shots..."
headache "...grazing fire along FPF..." f-k this.
At this point. Chuck writes the word "BREAK" on his letter. The
next page ar^nounces that he got a tattoo of a unicorn on his shoulder.
He signs.