An Army veteran who served several years in the 82nd Airborne back in the 70s and early 80s had this photo colorized for me. It depicts my finishing the 40 miler.
I've been asked what the prerequisites for Delta are. They could be different today, but these were the prerequisites for Delta in 1978:
Male, volunteer, military occupational specialty (MOS)/branch immaterial, grade E-5 on second enlistment, E-6 or E-7, no limiting physical profile, minimum 22 years old, U.S. citizen, GT score 110 or higher (may be retested), pass Delta Force physical, pass five-event Physical Combat Proficiency Test (PCPT) (sit-ups, the horizontal ladder, run-dodge-jump, inverted crawl, and two-mile run - the youngest age standard was the benchmark) and 100 meter swim in Battle Dress Uniforms (BDUs) and boots (no time standard), qualified in current primary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), pass formal selection course, and airborne qualified or willing to volunteer for airborne training/duty.
The incentives were advertised as: Most realistic and rigorous training in the U.S. Army, work with dedicated, professional soldiers, opportunity to earn and assume real responsibility, tour stability (6 years if job proficiency is maintained - for NCOs), opportunity for world-wide travel, satisfaction of belonging to a unique team, advanced military schooling opportunities, additional incentive pay and allowances, and a true sense of immediacy and importance in serving your country.
The Physical Fitness Test has changed as the standards changed, and the military post no longer has horizontal bars and a run-dodge-crawl course. The swim test was done in a pool or open water. If you passed, but it was noted that you were a weak swimmer, you would be given swim lessons in the Operator Training Course.
Christopher Hitchens: ”In 1786, when the United States was barely a country, it was having its sailors taken as slaves by the Barbary states, the states of the Ottoman Empire and North Africa. Tripoli, shores of Tripoli. Ships stopped, its crews carried off into slavery. We estimate 1.5 million European and American slaves taken between 1750 and 1815.
Jefferson and Adams went to their ambassador in London and said, why do you do this to us? The United States has never had a quarrel with the Muslim world of any kind. We weren't in the crusades. We weren't at war with Spain. Why do you do this to our people and our ships? Why do you plunder and enslave our people? The ambassador said very plainly, Mr. Abdul Rahman said, because the Quran gives us permission to do so, because you are infidels, and that's our answer. Jefferson said, well, in that case, I will send a navy which will crush your state, which he did.
Islamic fundamentalism is not created by American democracy. It's a lie to say so. It's a masochistic lie, and it excuses those who are the real criminals, and blames us for the attacks made upon us.”