SportsNation...

I've been a longtime fan of the "The Herd" on ESPN Radio... loved the show. Colin did a nice job and he's an Eastern Washington home boy to boot. But when he and Michelle Beadle hit the airwaves I WAS NOT an immediate taker. I passed on it!

But Stu brought me back... "Give it time," he said. Sure enough the Cowherd/Beadle team worked its magic. I'm hooked. The witty, fast-action repartee and SportsNation poll answers took root. "Give great people time," as the saying goes, "and they will amaze you."

Tuesday-Friday at 10 PM on AFN Xtra Korea.

Camp Bonifas Briefing...

Upon arrival at Camp Bonifas, DMZ tourists are seated in Ballinger Hall and a paper is distributed to everyone. Similar to our dental "consent" forms, this paper says that it relieves the military of responsibility and begins, "The visit to the Joint Security Area at Panmunjeom will entail entry into a hostile area and possibility of injury or death as a direct result of enemy action." There was a line at the bottom of the page for signature and date. Wanna go on the tour... sign the paper!

Fortunately in the past 40 years no incidents involving visitors have occurred. From the North, several defectors have crossed over the line--including one Russian and one Chinese citizen. And some crossed to the North, even Americans. Bummer!

Note the generalized "mirth" among the Camp Casey docs (Captains Yong Kim, Kevin Lin, Ryan Romero, Colonel Hunter Clouse, and me) upon reading the DMZ "tour of death" document.

FYI on Camp Bonifas' single hole course

USFK Dental Conference...

October 26-30 is the United States Forces - Korea Dental Conference hosted by the 618th Dental Activity in Seoul. Attendees include all US military dentists on the Korean Peninsula, the Pacific Regional Command and several CONUS units.

For us locals it's a week of dentistry, food, activities and hangin' with docs. The Command has put us up at the Dragon Hill Lodge and paid for meals. We need those CDE credits to keep our licenses active and 40 free hours rocks!

This year's focus is endodontics and oral surgery mixed with some restorative dentistry. All good stuff!

Yoido Full Gospel Church...

The 618th was invited to attend the Yoido Full Gospel Church with Col. Robert Rock and his family. Meeting at 7:30 am, everyone was shuttled by bus and sat in on the 9 am service--the second of seven Protestant services provided Sunday at YFGC. There are three more on Wednesday.

Each service is filled to capacity (12,000) accompanied by its own orchestra, band and choir. The Korean sermon is interpreted into 8 languages as noted on the headphone system at my seat. When one session ends, another files in... some members jogging inside for seats.

Cameras provide live video on several large screens. There must be a "camera protocol" at YFGC because church members do not "mug" like people do at sporting events. Megachurch, Korean-style!

Noraebang Karaoke...

Now I know what the young Captains from the clinic do on the weekends. Discovery: Asians have SOUL!

In Korea, karaoke is done in private rooms or noraebang (노래방). It literally means "song room" and it's a place for friends to gather and have a good time in private. And depending on your skill level it's best kept in private!

Summation: I'm feeling like Bill Murray from that scene in Lost in Translation. A bit of a push but innocent fun... no Roxy Music here though.

FYI In Japan, noraebangs are called "karaoke box" or "kbox."

Annual Dental Check-up...

Today was my check-up! We dentists love these and are very proud of our personal dental care. Mine was fun and the results were nice. I had the classic dental radiographs (x-rays) done digitally by Mr. Sin--pan, four bitewings, and one PA film (periapical at #15). Colonel Clouse, my doc, reported no cavities, no failing restorations, no gum problems... all good.

In fact my PSR scores were zeroes with a tiny bit of calculus on the lower anteriors. I'm set for a cleaning with my hygenist, Ms. Yun on November 24th... life is good.

FYI My fractured #15 is stable... which is a big relief. Remember my grief last summer at OAC?!

Fall FTX at Daegu...

The 618th gathered at Camp Carroll for its semi-annual "Field Training Exercise" on October 19-22. The ride to Daegu was about 4 hours by bus from Camp Casey/Dongducheon. The sleeping arrangements were in fixed facilities with hot showers and meals... miss those tents!

The theme of "Safety, Fun, and Mission-Essential Training" was highlighted. All four Areas on the Peninsula competed various events... rifle/pistol range, drill and ceremony, and flag football. My locale, Area I or the Northern Platoon, did very well:

Two officers and two enlisted soldiers were selected from each Area to compete on the 9 mm range and M16 range respectively. Area I won the "composite score competition" with both M16 shooters tying for second (SPC Jemison and PFC Will) and Captain Celeste Kim and I holding our own in the M9.

Then Area I and Area II went head-to-head in a flag football final on Day #2. Area I prevailed, 36-12. All Command APFT 290 and higher were recognized with certificates and leave passes. Again, Area I did well with six of the 12 representatives. Afterwards we enjoyed an American-style barbecue.

Camp Carroll was a great place--wonderful facilities and nice, clean post. It looks like the Command will return the FTX to Carroll next year.

Tale of Two Cities...

The armistice of 1953 gave stipulation that the 4km wide DMZ would allow just two cities to remain inside its border: Kijong on the North and Taeseong on the South. Both towns are 1.8 km apart (1.1 miles).

Kijong, known as Peace Village (평화촌) by the North Koreans, and "Propaganda Village" by the rest of the free world, is situated on the North side of the DMZ. According to Pyeongyang, the village consists of an elite collective farm system, a childcare center, schools and a hospital. However, observation by the South suggests that the town is actually uninhabited.

The buildings are concrete shells lacking window glass or interior rooms. The lights for the entire complex are turned on and off at set times and the empty sidewalks and streets are maintained by a small crew of caretakers. They also raise and lower the 600 pound North Korean flag on the world's tallest flag tower, 525 feet.

Until 2004, loudspeakers in Kijong broadcasted North Korean propaganda and patriotic music 20 hours a day.

Casey Enclave 5k...

A couple of behavior med docs at the TMC told me about today's 5k fun run... and braving the fresh, overnight snow many of us from the surrounding bases ran anyway. It was good running weather actually--skies cleared up and not much wind.

The run was great: Staff, pre-/post-race food, aid stations, volunteers and the typical road run hardware--all for FREE! Such a deal.

We had a cool MP escort at the front and even had a medical escort and tent. There was a decent crowd running so that made it really fun. I ran with another major (finished 2nd) and stayed on his pace, I ran 3rd overall and 1st for my age, time = 19:43. Ten seconds separated the 2nd, 3rd, 4th places... we were having fun and then a final kick created the distance!

This is my first official run since the 1978 cross country season at San Carlos High. It was fun!

North of the Border...

Our DMZ tour at the Joint Services Area included going inside UN Command Military Armistice Commission Conference Building (the blue buildings from last Saturday's blog entry). That's the room where the "North" and "South" meet on occasion--each side entering and sitting at separate ends, the border runs across the middle of the building.

So in the photo I'm standing on North Korean territory, the JSA Korean guard (standing at the taekwondo "ready" position) is on the Military Demarcation Line and the lady (our USO guide) is standing on the South Korean side.

Odd note South Korean nationals are not allowed to tour the JSA only US military personnel and staff.

Major Hugh B. Casey...

Camp Casey's namesake... a WWII and Korean War veteran who was killed in action. Major Casey's service record includes the Philippine campaigns of Leyte and Luzon and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism at Hungnam Beachhead in Korea. He died in a plane crash in the Dongducheon area.

The crash site is marked by a large, white cross and is located above the 2nd Infantry Division headquarters on a small hill in the northwest side of base. Note: The hill behind the cross is the base of Soyosan (소요산).

Kevin and I hiked to the site (which is normally used for training) via a gap in the perimeter fencing by the 1/38th motorpool. The cross is visible from Schoonover Bowl where we did our PT last week.

Two Countries, One People...

Today was a beautiful fall day and the Casey docs went on a USO tour of the Korean Demilitarized Zone at Panmunjeom (판문점). The tour included a visit to Camp Bonifas and the UN's Joint Security Area, a trip inside the North Korean 3rd Tunnel and chance to see the North Korean towns of Kijong (Propaganda Village) and Gaeseong from the Mt. Dora Observation Post.

Despite North Korea's hostilities toward the South, South Koreans still favor reunification. South Korean maps still include the territory of northward in pre-war fashion. In 2006, a rail line was opened by South Korea's Korail to allow trade and travel from Seoul to the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. Last month the South Korean Red Cross hosted their 17th reunion of families separated by the border divide. The first beginning only nine years ago.

Still, since 1953's armistice was never finalized the two Korean governments are still "considered" at war. Because of this border tension is high and soldiers on both sides seem pretty serious!

FYI I lived only a few kilometers away at Warrior Base last May while participating in the EFMB competition.

Viral Exanthem... ??

I don't think it's streptococcus... and not an allergic reaction. Post benadryl and Pen VK and the rash hasn't cleared... I'm feeling much better now. But all the dots are connecting and I'm looking rather pink from my neck to my waist and onto my back and arms. My thought is that it's something else. A simple virus... a nice, benign, simple one!

Who knows. But I go back for my lab results after the holiday.

BTW - My rash is... smooth, red and blanches on touch like a sunburn, doesn't itch too much. The erythema makes it feel "warm."

Missed It By This Much...

I woke up this morning feeling lousy and had my classic chest rash (I seem to get with a sore throat). Owing to a scarlet fever episode in my health history, I ran to the TMC for a check up. Two cultures, shots of prednisone, benadryl and penicillin and a couple prescriptions and I was out the door. On to PT.

So I did my PT and... I got a 297. Oh well, time to start a new dynasty!

FYI - An APFT score of 290+ will get you a Command-signed certificate and a three day pass. A 300 will get the same certificate and a four day pass!

Five in a Row...

Our AFPT will be run tomorrow at 0550... more fun at Schoonover Bowl. Nice track with artificial infield surface. I'm coming down with a cold but will suck it up and get 'er done!

My new goal for PT is to qualify at the max in each catagory. I'll need to step up 30 seconds on the run and get 7 more sit-ups. Push-ups are not an issue... but I'd like to top 100. But not tomorrow... my goal tomorrow is to survive.

This will be my 5th 300+ PT in a row so I DO NOT want to break the streak!

End Of An Era...

From Fort Lewis and MEPS, to OBLC at Fort Sam Houston, to Korea and a year at Camp Casey... Captain Brendon Ewers and I have been almost like Mutt 'n Jeff.

His upcoming PCS and "sweetheart reunion" to Fort Hood and Maria is truly a "dream" assignment for Bren. And mine to the 502d at Hood as well... might open a dream for me too.

We've been training partners from the get go--cycling, running and weight training. My roll of 4 consecutive 300+ scores at PT is a testament to that partnership.

Global War on Terror...

Since a trip to the 31st CSH in Afghanistan is eminent I thought I'd bulk up on my Muslim/Islamic knowledge. The Casey and Hovey libraries are stacked with Middle East documentaries:

Iraq in Fragment - A beautiful film made by Seattle-ite, James Longley; breaks Iraq into its three factions: Sunni, Shia, and Kurds.

The Al Qaeda Files - An extensive, 7-piece documentary dating 9/11 forward; done by PBS' Frontline crew.

Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against The West - Eye opening; parallels radical Islamism and the Nazi Party of WWII.

Baghdad ER - Heartwrenching "life and times" of the 86th CSH in Baghdad's Green Zone.

Soyosan, Seoul and Steak...

Since it's Chuseok (추석), Brendon and I decided to run Soyosan and have a steak in Seoul. Trail running is always fun and it took us under 20 minutes to run to the top of Soyosan (소요산) and just over an hour and a half to cover all 5 peaks and make it off the mountain. That's a rise/fall of 2,000 feet over 6.5 miles.

Knowing Ipanema was closed, we headed to Yongsan's Black Angus in the US Embassy Shopping Center. It was actually fun to eat red meat for a change!

(Nice shot of UO's Chapa and Salazar from 1979)