European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 23, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes july 1985 mime Gen marches and there All hurting Netherlands first James Melton held Back the scream that was trying to get a 3rd army div medic was working on his Patching him up so he could hit the Road for the third Day of the nil Mcgon Melton was he wore a baseball Cap with the words Vietnam vet on he comes from the Hills of West where toughness is taken for the medic slipped a Needle into the sole of his swollen As it found its Melton neck Muscles bulged and he silenced another on the next cot in the Blister fac tory the marchers affectionate term for any of the nil Megan medical treatment a baby faced 18yearold from the Berlin brigade gritted his Teeth against the same painful 4 Mark sex tons Knuckles were White from gripping too hard on the wooden Edge of the cot where medic Rory Gates told him to in describing Sexton Gates his dogs look like Treyve been hit by a and he mischievously added that the a oiling soldiers pain was and he paused for dramatic earlier in the Sexton had not yet Learned the secret of the White knuckled during his first exposure to the treat he wailed As Aid station medic 4 Nora Davis injected tincture of Benzoin into his drained she said the solution helps sterilize it and Sticks the Loose skin Back onto the Bottom of the raw some medics said they Felt guilty for inflicting the but they said the treat ment it gets marchers Back on the Road after layers of Moleskin a soft cover ing that acts almost like a temporary Sec Ond skin is it does Davis the Story of Nijm Egen is a chronicle of sore feet of them this with their owners pushing them Forward with varying degrees of staff Chris a 3rd army div said 175 cases of blisters were re ported by soldiers and airmen during the second Days the military contingent had 750 Machel pointed out that some of those reports came from the same soldiers As they sought out each of the three separate Aid stations along the at least one team was disqualified after the first Day of marching because they were unable to Start on the second March rules say that 90 percent of a unit must Cross the finish line together at the end of the fou Day 100mile it was the second year Dan curator of the 3rd army div museum in dressed Volunteer soldiers in roman Battle dress that included headdress and according to 3rd army div Peterson does this As a student of roman he cites Nijm Egen As the northernmost reach of the roman Empire on the euro Pean the romans made a knockout appear Ance at opening but the first Day of marching took a heavy those sandals turned their feet into is the Way one medic put who said most units train for at least three months before Shook their Heads at the on week practice time put in by the but even veterans had who had marched every Day for the last three said they had no problems with their feet during but on the first Day at they came up with one said the emotional tension of marching in the real thing created a change in their one group that didst have to worry about that was the contingent of bicycle these Bike Riding usually went along with their but would scout ahead to find the next control refreshment facilities and Aid Sta they carried fruit and water Back to the marchers if one could no longer they gave him the and took his place in the for they received commemorative support rather than actual March ing 4 Roy orderly for the 2nd 60th air defense from Ramstein want complaining about sore feet at the Witchen Aid looking at his pain from a different Point of he sheepishly Ive got blisters on my first Warren Bishop of 1st 52nd in Bamberg Lay on his suffering under the he said he was Lia ble to favor the tender which would probably create More was he going to finish no he yelped As the medic unexpectedly jabbed him with the a danish Soldier stretches his sore legs while top dog takes care of marchers with 2 years of blistering expertise David Rivard sorts out some sore its a Heady title for this unassuming foot normally comptroller for the 3rd army div was Boss Marcher for 100 grueling he loved it so much the first two years that he extended his overseas tour of duty specifically so he could do it Ricards duties included acting As Liaison Between the marchers and the support element to make sure the sol Diers needs were being he also performed ceremonial such As present ing plaques to the mayors of each town through which the soldiers and walking a few Kilometres each Dav with every participating this was the third year the 48yearold has served As top and he has some advice for keeping the Bottoms of the Lon distance marchers dogs in top condition begin training three months before the if youre going to March As a train As a train to a specific Pace and dont change that Pace in the actual even though you May be pressured to do so by faster marchers passing you find a comfortable pair of train in those boots then use those same boots for the after hard the heels of a Boot can Wear on one during this uneven Wear May bypass rest areas just to turn in a better 1 Ime in t important finishing drink plenty of loss of water tightens mus cles and can Lead to be aware that the hotter it the More Likely you Are to get use Moleskin before blisters look for hot spots on your soles where redness May indicate where a Blister is Wear after the first Day or your feet will swell then you May need to remove the remember that an untreated Blister will Only get Rivard is not a medical but his he said has come with two years of blistering experience As a Tough the also be has Learned a great Deal from the dutch pass6d by his As if they w6re Are raised with this they have my Rivard is scheduled to return just before the 70th an claims this is his states Megen marches