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FORT HUACHUCA - It was early, it was dark and there was a cold bite in the air.
But that didn't phase a small group of soldiers from the 18th Military Police Detachment.
They had a mission to do Wednesday, and it wasn't associated with law enforcement.
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The soldiers were putting more miles on their boots, preparing for the Bataan Memorial Death March next month.
"Each will have more than 100 miles on their boots," Capt. Randolph Morgan said.
Morgan is included in that group. He is the captain of the MP detachment's five-man Military Heavy Division team that will take part in the Marathon-length march at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Another five MPs, under team captain 1st Sgt. Julius Gonzales, are entered in the Military Light Division category.
The 10 fort soldiers will have more than 1,000 miles on their boots just practicing for the March 20 memorial event.
Just before 4 a.m. Wednesday, seven of the 10 loaded into a military van for a ride to take them 15 miles outside of the fort's West Gate - the starting point for their 20-mile march Wednesday. The three who were not there had other duties and will have to make up the 20-mile march.
The starting point was a dirt road. The soldiers limbered up, The heavy team put on rucksacks that had 35 pounds of items inside - the same weight they'll carry on the memorial march.
As they stepped out, flashlights on and reflective tape shining, the pace was fast - the light team jogged and the heavy team took big bold strides.
With some mock disdain, Morgan said the light team has an advantage in that they can go faster because they do not have to carry rucksacks.
Both teams are required to wear battle dress uniforms and combat boots.
Two other MPs, Sgt. Francisco Perez and Spc. Angel Tovar, helped the marchers.
Tovar put down mile markers - white rocks with black numbers painted on them. As the last marcher went by a mile marker, Perez picked it up. The pair didn't hike. The drove support vehicles.
Training began in November.
"You can't wait until the last minute to get in shape," said Morgan, who is the MP detachment commander.
On a Web site put out by organizers of the New Mexico march, one participant said of the 26.2-mile course at the White Sands Missile Range, "I have to say that it was much tougher than I thought it would be. I guess I should have known, as a former Navy intel type, I'm always looking for the easiest way through an area - leave it you Army guys to find the toughest."
Fortunately, Morgan said, the area around Fort Huachuca has rough terrain at similar altitude.
In New Mexico, the terrain is up and down, which is what "we have here at Fort Huachuca," Morgan said.
Each MP team started with six people chosen by a trial run by volunteers. About 15 soldiers participated in the tryout.
Now the teams are down to five. If there are any more dropouts in a team, it will be disqualified, Morgan said.
Some nursing injuries
Two soldiers - one from each team - are nursing injuries. But both are determined to do the march.
Instead of being part of the heavy team march last week, Staff Sgt. James Milner opted to go with the light team to ensure he didn't do any more damage to one of his knees.
"I overworked it a lot," Milner said of his injury. "I've got to rest it as much as possible."
Wearing a knee brace and going through physical therapy has helped, but Milner said he intends to take it easy for a while until the day of the event.
He spoke when he had about eight miles to go.
This year will be his first Bataan Memorial Death March. He took it on as a personal challenge before he retires this year.
'"I wanted to see if I could do it," Milner said as he walked along, occasionally rubbing is knee.
Being part of the heavy team, he said he knows he will have to carry "that heavy ruck." But he also knows his team mates will not let him fail.
"I'm going to cross that line," Milner said as he quickened his pace on a downhill part of the marked trail.
For Sgt. 1st Class Benny Roberts, a light team member, his feet were hurting Wednesday. He was about a mile behind Milner and grimaced in pain with each step he took.
"Got blisters," Roberts said.
With about nine miles to go and every step painful, Roberts declined a ride back to the MP headquarters on the post. He still had four miles just to make it to the West Gate.
"I started this today and I'm going to complete it," he said.
He was looking forward to soaking his feet in some alcohol and water at the end of the 20-mile training jaunt.
As he went along, he turned his head around and shouted with a laugh, "Maybe in a mile ask me again if I want a ride."
Heavy guys slower
The heavy guys were behind the lights.
Spc. Adam Franks and Staff Sgt. Rube Alaniz walked together. They had just crossed the 10-mile marker.
When asked what made him to want to participate in the special event, Alaniz responded, "I ask myself that every (practice) march."
Since November, the team members have been building up their stamina, starting out at eight miles and adding two miles at a time.
For Franks, the immediate goal last week was to complete the 20 miles "and soak my feet in Epsom salts and water."
Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Justice, another heavy team member, was further behind the pair.
Franks said Justice decided to go slower during Wednesday's practice.
Franks and Alaniz know the heavy team will complete the March 20 event, whatever it takes.
Each team has to cross as a group. If that means the team members have to carry someone over the line, it will be done.
Morgan said if a team member gets near the finish line, they have to stop and wait for the rest of the team to catch up.
If a team member is too far ahead and has to wait for a long time, that could end up with that person's leg muscles tightening up and making it harder for team to finish, the captain said.
During the New Mexico march, everyone is to keep the same pace, the captain said.
On Wednesday, Morgan stepped out far ahead of his heavy team because he had a meeting to attend.
Besides, he said, "I want to see how fast I can do the 20."
The last of the seven who marched last week came in at about five and a half hours.
The soldiers on the two teams realize that on March 20 they' ll have an additional 6.2 miles to do beyond the maximum 20 they have marched in practice.
One more 10-mile training march faces the teams on Feb. 28. After that, the soldiers will continue with swimming exercises, lifting weights and do other physical training.
When they take part in the Bataan Memorial Death March, the MPs know that what they are doing is nothing compared to the soldiers of World War II who were captured by the Japanese and forced to march 65 miles in hot, humid days while being brutalized by their captors, Morgan said.
In New Mexico, the MPs might meet some of the original Bataan Death March survivors.
Morgan said he and is fellow MPs knows what is facing them is a challenging test.
As one former memorial participate wrote on the event's Web site, "The march was the toughest physical event I have ever attempted. Mentally, I've never had to reach so deep so many times to finish. It took all my heart."
SENIOR REPORTER Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.
Ezai I. Martinez wrote on Jun 24, 2009 7:58 PM: