Francis did his quick paperwork and recollected what he had to pack for the big trip. But before any of that could happen, he had to address everyone who lined up to listen - all combat personnel at Fort Campbell - and inform them on the upcoming field trip. He was chosen, rather than a senior officer, because he looked and sounded more authoritative. He walked up on the podium turning towards everyone neatly lined up, facing them and enjoying the sight of discipline - and the Corporal applying sunscreen to the pavement. [i]"TEN-HUT!"[/i], Francis shouted, and everyone stood attention. [i]"At ease"[/i], he said in a calm voice. As everyone stood at ease, he began his address.

[i]"Good morning ladies. Hope we didn't wake y'all too early! We've got a field trip coming up! Except this time the school buses will be C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, and instead of the local museum or Civil War monument, we'll be going to Tampa, Florida. The purpose of this is our participation in Exercise Tropic Thunder, which simulates our deployment to Florida and an invasion of Cuba. This has become a necessity since the Big Cigar took the Big Seat in Havana. Anyway, we'll be shipping in within four hours and fly to Daytona airport. There, we will receive briefing on what we're supposed to do, and we'll see what we'll do then. 

Now, before y'all go off to pack your bags and candy or whatever, I would like to remind you that it is your duty to uphold the honour of the Screaming Eagles. With us are some other prime units: The 82nd Airborne, the Marines, and the 1st Armoured. We are to - and we will - outshine them in front of the public and in the reports. You see, if the President and the Brass read about the first version of this exercise, I want them to know that the 101st performed above and beyond what was expected of us, and left the other participants red in shame after looking at us. Anything less than that would break my Dixie heart!

Now if we do that, I'm not gonna let that go unrewarded. I will buy each and every one of y'all a cold beer, maybe two if I'm impressed, if we give the Marines and the 82nd a kicking. And believe you me, I can afford that. I've joined the army before Pontius, haven't paid rent, electricity, heating or water since then, and the pay's only been getting better! You've my word on that one. Anyway, I must remind y'all that we're heavily disrupting air traffic around Florida because we're hogging Tampa airport and grounding traffic for the sake of realism. Not my idea, but I'm not here to give ideas. So please, do behave and be friendly to the civilian population. 

Alright ladies, you'll need time to pack up. Dismissed" [/i]

As everyone went to their barracks to pack, Francis did the same and packed everything, and when he was done he finished the office jobs. He sat down when he was certain he had everything, and lit a Cuban cigar. He looked at the picture on his desk, of his wife Dorothy and their five children. He smoked the cigar up and called her. 

"Hey sweetie pie...I know it's eight o' clock on a Saturday, but I needed to call you...did I wake you up? Sorry, sweetheart. Listen, this just arrived. I'm going to Tampa in half an hour. Military exercise, maybe you'll read about it in the news. You take care...Wyatt got in a fight? Did he win?...That's my boy! Well, you go get some shuteye. I'll call as soon as I can. Bye now, sugar." He made kissing noises and hung up. In the door, a Sergeant was waiting with a smile on his face. "We're boarding, sir."

"Alright, Donovan. I'll be there."