PS, No matter they were in both instances… The United States Army.

The point is the cause he chose.

God Bless him and his kind.

Those who went before were the Roman legions. They marched roughly 25 miles per day (Magna Iterna), roadways and terrain permitting, carrying their own gear and of course with a train behind them laden with the heavy equipment, rations, water, etc…

At the end of those 25 miles the Expeditus, the scouts and such, rode ahead and selected a spot to camp. Caesar’s army in Gaul was eight legions, about 45,000 men, and in the span of perhaps three hours or so the men could construct their camp. An army that size would need about half a square mile, 320 acres or so.

A ditch about 3′ deep and 5′ across was dug around the perimeter, the earth piled to the inside to provide a rampart. Animals picketed, tents raised, fires started, etc…

Ponder that, folks. Get up at dawn, break camp, a 25 mile forced march (heavy and well-trained troops in the middle, the riff-raff to the sides and rear acting as a buffer in case of attack), dig a ditch 3 miles long, pitch your tent etc… before nightfall, stand watches, and do it all over again the next morning.

And doing it in sandals.

Then there was the forced retreat of the French under Napoleon during that brutal Russian winter, the march of the Army of the Potomac during that cruel winter at Valley Forge, the march by the US 3rd Army to relieve the 101st Airborne at Bastogne, the list is endless and goes back beyond the annals of time.

Major Phil Packer is upholding the finest traditions of our military men and women going back thousands of years. He is to be commended, yes, but let’s not forget the personal sacrifice and effort of those who went before that has gone largely unheralded.

– Max