The Time I Read Tolkien in the Mojave
(Left to Right - Private Ulugberter, Specialist Crady, Staff Sergeant Sulham, and myself. Photo taken at Platton Gunnery at Fort Riley Kansas in late 2008 before going to Fort Irwin, California for desert training then deploying to Sinjar, Iraq.) Years ago, I read J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy while training in the Mojave desert. As "executive officer" of a U.S. Army Cavalry Troop, I arrived 9 days earlier than everyone else since that's what executive officers (and select Non-Commissioned Officers) have done since the early days of organized warfare. Efficiency schmeficiency. I accomplished the mission of arranging for billeting and sustenance of my Troop soon after getting off the plane (it took about a half hour), and this gave me something in the neighborhood of 8 days twenty three and one half hours to read, workout, or just sit quietly on my cot to think and sweat. Anticipating this, I had brought along, as was my wont, a small du...
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