Burn Barrels, coffee, and Uncle Sam's shenanigans

Almost twice in one month. Yes, I know. It sounds excessive. But when Uncle Sam fires up the National Guard Bat-Signal in the sky, you answer the call or you get accused of going AWOL, handed discharge paperwork, and introduced to a lovely assortment of “corrective training.” Translation: pushups. Because in the Army, you either get smart or you get strong.

So there I was again this weekend, alarm blaring at 4 a.m. Saturday morning, feeling like I’d been knocked flat before my boots even hit the floor. But anyone who’s ever served knows early mornings are the least of your problems. That’s wha...