mark payton's Page

You would think that someone who grew up in the carribean would love hiking the tropics or hot climates. That is a resounding no! Don't get me wrong, it is beautiful and I loved it when I did live there. But, you see, because I grew up there I wanted to see something else. Not to mention the fact that I'm 6'5", and 300 lbs. I like cooler weather.

One mountain that I climbed in particular I'll never forget. It is one mountain I'm sure everyone has seen. It's called Mount Gilmore and it's in Mali… Continue

Crowds of people stand right outside the post gates. Most are holding signs with slogans like "Baby Killers" or "Get out now." You could hear them yelling obcenities and spitting or worse on your car as you enter or leave post. In the background you can hear drums beating.

Sounds like a scene from a movie about vietnam. It's not. I've Heard about this happening outside several bases across the country. When I first heard of this I was angry. I wanted to get a bulldozer and plow them over. But I… Continue

It was our annual base run. Everyone ran the entire post. And it was exhausting. I thought running 4 miles was horrible, now I was faced with over 8.

We formed up by company along the route we were going to run. My company formed up along the edge of the post gulf course. We waited for about half an hour for the division commander to run by. While we waited an apache helecopter hovered overhead, its' pilot waiving at us using the gatlin gun under the nose. Even after the General ran passed we h… Continue

"Don't call me sir, I work for a living." This had become my mantra after my 3rd year in service. I was an NCO and proud of it.

How did I get form "working" my way to OTC school to, "NO, NO NOT ME - NOT EVER." My intention when joining the Army was to become an officer. I enlisted to spend a few years there to learn what it was to be enlisted. Then to go to "Officers Training" and use what I learned to be a better officer. Noble, right? And if I'd had a service without problems I'ld be retirein… Continue

From time to time I will write about things that are my passion. This being one of those times I will talk to you a bit about nature. And where I live I'm surrounded by it.

As a young boy I always enjoyed going on vacation. It was almost always to Ithaca, N.Y. were my grandfather had bought about 75 acres of land in the mountains for about $7.00 and acre. On it he put a house he bought from sears for $350.00. It's one of the sturdiest homes up there. I loved hiking the property, swimming in Jen… Continue