"What did you learn in school today?"

American kids grow up loving Ronald Mc Donald, his McNuggets and his mischievous buddy, the Hamburgler, heisting burgers from their Happy Meals if not vigilant.

Ronald and his gang hail from Mc Donaldland, a magical kind of landscape laden with volcanoes spewing thick shakes above plains of thriving apple pie trees and lush patches of hamburgers growing on bushes. That's because, in Mc Donaldland, there are no cattle and poultry slaughterhouses.

So is this some blog advocating vegetarianism? Oh, hell no. I still eat meat on occasions when I can divorce my conscience from the divergent images of green pastures and slaughterhouses (a place I've never visited).

Then what exactly is this about? Well, one of the first things I read on the computer this morning was an article I'd saved from yesterday. It was about Bobby Fischer who passed away this past Thursday at the age of 64.

Fischer, described as one of the greatest chess players to ever live demonstrated his genius at a very early age. As Edward Rothstein in his NY Times article said of Fischer, he possessed a gift that seemed otherworldly, making his "achievements effortlessly magical."

But Fischer's genius came at a price. He lived outside consensus reality. This became apparent over time as his ability to accept the world as it is grew more and more difficult. That's not to judge Fischer's "take" on things as right or wrong. But as a result of his view of things, the world became a hostile place for him. Fischer became angry. His world just didn't match the reality paradigm constructed by the majority of us; a reality that includes places like Mc Donaldland and things like Happy Meals.

And that's where I come to the point I want to share today. In Friday's El Paso Times there was an article proudly demonstrating how our community embraces those to whom we owe so much of our economic welfare - the United States Army. I found the story a little sappy, it's images a-lot-alarming.

I would hope you might find time to read it. But if not, to at least look at the pictures. To imagine the 13 year old (pictured) in the Bradley armored fighting vehicle as your daughter. Imagine asking her one evening at the dinner table, "What did you learn in school today?" And to give thanks that, unlike Bobby Fischer's tormented life, she will likely never have to suffer as he did. That's because we have schools married to our military that nurture our brightest students in our consensus reality.

So is the article from the Times my advocacy for peace? Oh hell no. No more than I advocated vegetarianism earlier. Basically for the same reason: I've never been to a slaughterhouse. In this case, the slaughterhouse of war. But I wonder if it might not be a nice field trip for the kids after their afternoon in tanks and flak jackets to go out on a real battlefield; to experience combat first hand. Of course, some of them might return very injured, maimed for life, or not at all.

That's OK, because that's the consensus reality we're molding them to fit into.

A lesson in armor

Fort Bliss soldiers teach 250 schoolchildren

by Chris Roberts / El Paso Times

A twelve year old adorns a Kevlar vest, helmet and rifle Thursday during a weapons demonstration
at Doña Ana Range attended by about El Paso 250 students. (all photos by Mark Lambie / EPTimes)

DOÑA ANA CAMP, N.M. -- The child-size cap with the captain's bars was at its smallest adjustment, but it still sat loosely on Diego Meza's head.

Diego, a kindergartner at MacArthur School, was selected to set Bradley Fighting Vehicles and Abrams tanks in motion Thursday as they rumbled through a training exercise on this Fort Bliss range.

The exercise was part of a community outreach program created by the 2nd Combined Arms Battalion, 5th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, in which about 150 of the battalion's soldiers demonstrated what soldier life is like to about 250 honor-roll students from MacArthur.

A 13 year old girl and fellow classmate, a 14 year old boy, from MacArthur school ride in the back
of a Bradley Fighting Vehicle Thursday with a Fort Bliss Staff Sgt. from the 1st Armored Division.

At the center of the activity was Diego, small for his 5 years and wide-eyed as he intently watched the action. Diego was born with his abdominal organs on the outside of his body, which required intricate surgery to "put him back together," said school nurse Terrie Bolt who has worked with Diego since he arrived at MacArthur.

Diego told people he wanted to be a soldier. So a meeting was arranged between him, Angela Carter, the school's Army liaison, and her husband, Col. Mike Carter. "He told my husband he wanted to be a captain in the Army, and that just made my husband's day," Angela Carter said. "He touched my heart."

The couple had a small uniform made with name tapes and all.

So Diego, wearing camouflage, and the other students rode in Bradleys, climbed into tanks and pulled the bolts on .50-caliber machine guns.

A MacArthur fifth-grader took aim with a .50-caliber gun mounted
on top an M-1 Abrams tank Thursday at the Doña Ana Range.

Then they settled in on bleachers for the main attraction, a live-fire exercise that shook the ground with cannon fire from tanks as missiles streaked through the sky before dropping on their intended targets, which included a helicopter hulk.

Diego kicked off the exercise by announcing over the public address system that heavy armor and infantry had been spotted in the area. "Engage and report, over," he said.

Capt. Noah Hanners, a 2nd CAB company commander, and others organized and executed the demonstration. "It really grounds my guys and reminds them of what's important," Hanners said.

A Bradley Fighting Vehicle carrying MacArthur students roars through
the desert during a weapons demonstration Thursday at Doña Ana Range.

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