26 Days Left to Sign Up for the Bataan March

Registration for the 23rd annual Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., closes Wednesday, March 14, with the event scheduled for Sunday, March 25.

I recommend showing up early on Saturday to sign-in and then hang out with the crowd of 8,000-plus marchers and the few remaining survivors of the original and truly deadly march in the Philippines during World War II.

Depending on your physical condition, stamina, and Hooah ethos, the Memorial March offers a number of options -- a 26 mile course for teams or individuals who just love toting a 35-pound pack in the aptly named "heavy" division, and a "light" division sans pack for folks with enough zest to run the course, which includes the notorious sandpit.

Then there's the "honorary" division, a 14.2 mile course that I plan to do, which, alas, does not spare one the sandpit. Plus, I am convinced that every year Army engineers devote considerable energy to stretching the hills common to both the long and short courses.

I consider the Memorial March weekend one of the highlights of the year -- an exercise in camaraderie that resonates with history.

Join me and my good friend Paul McCloskey, editor of Government Computer News, for this adventure in the desert. Send me a note if you plan to make it.