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A look inside...
Spring Spruce Up
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Air-Fryer Recipes
New Eats to Visit
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Mental Health
Volunteers Needed for AUSA
Editor Nathan Bonar
Contributors
I was out walking my dog the other day, and I saw a wonderful sight: there are buds on the trees!
Publisher
I am enjoying the thought of the warm weather returning. This issue takes a look at some ways to prepare and design your garden while there is still time to make some big changes.
Dave Marshall Rose Pollard Creative ink
Creative Director Sears Hallett
Advertising
Kristi Williams 270-484-0463 kristi@creativeinktn.com
Photography Paula Hallett mixthatdrink.com allrecipes.com pauladeen.com theeverykitchen.com Deposit Photos: Cover, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 15, 19
Mental health post-retirement is analyzed with suggestions on how to maintain good health in your retirement. While living well includes the mind, it also includes the stomach, so we have added some recipes for that new air fryer you got for Christmas. If you would rather head out on the town for a bite to eat, then hopefully this short list of new restaurants is sure to pique your interest. This issue, we also get to meet Mike Fair, a go-getter entrepreneur with a flair for talking to people. This issue should have a little something for everyone.
Nathan Bonar, Editor nathan@creativeinktn.com
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It may not seem like it, but spring is right around the corner. Every year it seems like we take 10 months to get through January, then the months fly by. If you have a garden, you have been awaiting this time. We (us gardeners) are about to emerge out of our shells, much like Punxsutawney Phil does on Groundhog Day to determine six more weeks of winter or an early spring. Gardeners are ready to get outside and feel the dirt between their hands. Here are some top tips and potential design ideas for your 2020 garden.
1. It is always a wise idea to clean up the garden area of debris that has landed there over the winter months. Things like branches or sticks and leaves can hide those new blooms, and you might step on them while working outside. This first step will keep your flowers intact. As the weather warms, those daffodils, lilies, and other tuberous flowers are ready to reach up and find some light. They want all the space they can to grow. Another thing, don’t forget to take a look at the surrounding bushes and trees for any branches that need to be trimmed before the foliage pops out.
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2. Much like any other professional takes care of their tools, the gardener must maintain their garden tools. The garden can be a harsh environment, and it shows on your tools with scratches or bends and knicks. These problems, when compounded, can end up breaking your tools and even have the potential to hurt yourself or another person. Things like axes and other tools with long handles should be checked before use. Sharpening your tools is a must for proper use. This goes for the lawnmower and weedeater—new weedeater line and a scrape of the lawn blade will keep your tools running all summer. 3. Things are on their way. The tools are shining, the lilies are emerging, and, now, it is time to turn your eyes down to the soil. A good growing season starts with well worked land. Turning your soil with mulched leaves and compost will give your plants extra life through the hot summer months. Composting is a great way to defray some gardening costs, while also being helpful to the environment, but it is top notch compost that will give you overflowing harvests at the end of the season. 4. Making a plan is essential to a good season. Knowing what you plan to plant, where, and what you need to maintain the area are all critical to the health of your garden. Start by selecting the varieties of plants that you desire for your garden. Next, consult the amount of sun needed for each plant and make a drawing of your home. The drawing can help you see where shadows land during the day, giving a reprieve to the shade-loving plants, and the open areas are where you want the full-sun-loving plants. This will ensure that your plants perform to their peak, and it makes it easier to care for plants when they enjoy the planting area.
5. Maintenance is the last step. After the initial work of getting the garden areas ready, you have a couple of weeks to relax while you wait for your seedlings to emerge. During this time, you can search new plans for projects to fill the summer or for next year’s garden. Once your flowers begin to bloom, you can maintain the blooms by removing the dead ones (on most species) to promote new growth. Later in the spring, it is a good idea to mulch areas that you want to keep weeds out of and water in.
Garden Design Ideas 1. Gardening vertically has become all the rage, lately. All of your favorite gardening and remodeling shows are proving how popular this new trend is. Vertical gardens have hundreds and, maybe even, thousands of designs. An easy way to start is building onto your backyard fence. Vertical gardens work well in indoor spaces as well, especially the office. Neat ideas for little planters for succulents can be found with almost effortless searching. 2. Technology abounds in the gardening market today. You can get a gadget for just about anything you want from rainfall to soil pH levels that update to your phone. Newer gadgets have been popping up for the home gardener in the form of robotic and “smart” plant potters. Today, you can purchase an indoor garden planter that moves your plant to sunlight for you. How easy is that! Now you don’t have to spend all that time selecting the perfect spot for your plants. 3. Composting is a great design idea for any gardener. This takes a lot of the food waste from your garbage and puts it into your garden for healthier, happier plants. A simple compost bin can be made using stakes and chicken wire. Placing the stakes in the ground to form a box shape (perhaps one per corner, like making a square) then wrapping chicken wire around the stakes and wiring the two ends of wire together. This keeps all of your materials inside a confined space while letting water, sun, and air to penetrate the compost pile. Start your pile with a bucket of soil, then add layers of leaves, soil, and refuse from the garden and your kitchen. Turn your compost pile every week to promote faster decomposition. 5
4. Design in the garden has always been resourceful. Repurposing materials for your garden can give it another dimension of color, texture, and beauty, without hurting the old pocketbook. Think of the things you have stashed in your garage right now that with a few seconds of tinkering could become the next hanging planter out back; or the new wall planter you’ve always wanted on your front porch; or the perfect succulent container. You can find hundreds of websites that give you great ideas for repurposing old materials for your garden such as gardendesign.com. 5. Water is not a feature we think of often because we are too busy watering our flowers to think of other things may need it as well. Water features are a great way to include some new design elements in your garden while also doing our bee and bird friends a favor. Placing old vases around with water is an easy way to start. Some invest in pumps to make small water fountain features but be careful not to make it too powerful or it could defeat the purpose. In my garden, I have planters sitting in water trays filled with rocks. The rocks give the bees a place to land and rest while they drink off the rocks.
6. Low maintenance is the key (for most!). Your garden depends on you to keep it up throughout the season, so invest wisely in plants that will work best with your schedule. Don’t buy plants that are susceptible to drought easily. Buy larger plants with colorful foliage and then add lower maintenance flowers around the base. This will give you the color you want, but it will keep you from shelling out dollars for each one that dies.
With a new year comes many other new and exciting things. Of course, some of those things involve food. Tasty food brings so much joy to millions of people across the globe, and it can really bring people together. That is why in 2020, it would be a fun goal to check out all of the new restaurants opening up around the Fort Campbell area. There are plenty to choose from. Which one will you try first?
Delectable Sweets 397 Tiny Town Road Suite A, Clarksville •facebook.com/delectablesweets777 This cute little bakery just opened its doors in December 2019 and is bringing some mouth-watering baked goods to the table. They are known for their keto friendly desserts, as well as their classic sweets. Give them a try the next time your sweet tooth needs a fix.
Yada on Franklin 111 Franklin Street, Clarksville • yadaonfranklin.com This popular coffee stop has spread its wings and is now offering a great dining experience to guests. At their new location, they will not only be serving delicious coffee and baked goods, but they have a full bar and dinner menu as well. It always smells phenomenal when you walk by, so swing on in and give their new menu a try.
Thai Bowl 1761 Tiny Town Road Suite E, Clarksville facebook.com/ThaiBowlClarksville/ This Thai spot offers an intriguing atmosphere alongside unique and fresh cuisine. Their delicious dishes will have you coming back for more. Stop by and give this brand-new restaurant a taste. You will not regret it one bit.
Salvadorian Authentic Restaurant 939 Tracy Lane Suite A, Clarksville facebook.com/salvadorianauthenticrestaurant This family-owned business is dedicated to bringing you some of the most authentic Salvadoran cuisine the area has to offer. They serve everything from fried corn tamales, chimichangas, to pozole, and so much more. 9
Madeleine’s Place 100 Strawberry Alley, Clarksville madeleinesplace.com This amazing little spot definitely has the European atmosphere to go with those fruit tarts. Here you will find delectable French pastries and treats that will make your mouth water. Don’t think they only serve sugary selections. Madeleine’s cooks up breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, too! Savory crepes, sandwiches like the Croque Monsieur, and classic dishes like French onion soup are available here.
Pbody’s at Clarksville Country Club 334 Fairway Dr, Clarksville facebook.com/PbodysCCC If you are on the hunt for some great all-American cooking, then you are going to want to give this place a try. It serves up some awesome gourmet burgers, juicy ribs, and tender steaks. You are sure to leave with a very happy tummy. Everyone if welcome to visit Pbody’s. You don’t have to be a Country Club Member!
SFC(R) Mike Fair I had the opportunity to meet Mike Fair at Lasater’s Coffee on Wilma Rudolph the other day, and we sat down for a chat. While I munched on a danish, Mike gave me some of his life story. What is your background? I was born in Seoul, Korea, I was a military brat. My dad was in the military for 10 years, so we went back and forth to Korea a couple times. We ended up being stationed in Fort Ord, California for about a year and then moved to Houston, where I ended up doing 1st grade all the way to graduation. So, Houston is what I would call home. When I was younger, living in Houston, I remember getting a motorcycle for Christmas. So, I am a fan of dirt bikes. I rode for many years after that. That is one thing that stood out from my youth. I had some friends who had one. That was in third grade, I will never forget that. There was also Six Flags Astro World that we would get summer passes. How did you get into the service? I guess the seed was planted because I am a military brat, but that was only for the first 5 years of my life. My dad was an Army champion boxer, and we talked a lot about the boxing and what he did during those times, so when it came time to graduate, I did not want to go to college. I was thinking, what am I going to do, and then it came to me: I am going to join the Army. One of my buddies had already signed some papers and committed to going into the Army. So, I ended up seeing a recruiter, and I told my buddy, you know what, I’m joining too. I was thinking I would go into that for 4 years and see where that takes me. Little did I know, 4 years turned into 6 years, and then 8 years, and then 10 years, but once I hit 10, I said I am doing all 20. I came in as a mechanic. Initially, I thought I was going to be able to change my MOSs. I was going with the mindset of changing my MOS and retiring in the VAN. I ended up staying a mechanic the entire time. I went from E-1 to E-4 pretty quick, but I didn’t have that growth mindset because all I saw was promotion; I need to stay late, and I wasn’t cool with that. I didn’t have that mentality, so the first five years, I was an E-4 and below. I made E-1 to E-4 in one year, and, usually, that is unheard of. I had some people looking out for me, I was doing the right things, I was staying out of trouble. But then I stayed an E-4 from 1994 to 1998, until I had a new Sgt. 1st Class platoon sergeant who just came off the drill sergeant trail, and his mentality and motto was “get promoted, or get out.” He was the first influencer for me on getting promoted. He was the one that pushed me. I was going to night school, and I got my college credits up for civilian education.
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I ended up maxing out my civilian education, maxing out my military education, and maxing out my awards as well, so I was able to get promoted. I was chasing points instead of sitting back. I was promoted to staff sergeant. I was an E-6 for less than six months, and I PCS’d to Korea, and I was thrown into an E-7 slot in Korea. At that time, I had a go-getter mentality. I was in Korea for 3 years, and I learned on my way here to Ft. Campbell that I was on the list to make Sgt. 1st Class. I ended up staying here at Campbell from 2008 to 2013 and retired here. I didn’t go back because I got into entrepreneurship through Boots to Business, a three-day workshop that the military provides for those transitioning out of the military. I inquired about the workshop, and it taught me all the things I needed to know to run a business or became open a franchise. I almost opened a Popeyes, but I told my warrant officer, and he googled this thing, it was a concept on Shark Tank called Gamez on Wheelz. He said there is one in Nashville, but they won’t come here. So, he looks it up and after 5 minutes of looking at the video online, I said, “I’m doing that.” Give me a bit more about Gamez on Wheelz for our readers. Gamez on Wheelz is a mobile gaming business where we bring the fun to you. They are known for their game truck and you go inside, and they have Xbox, Playstation, Wii gaming consoles. Our game truck has stadium seating to where we can go to schools and do virtual 3D field trips. It’s a 24-foot trailer, and it’s 12 feet high. It can seat 42 kids (he motions to an elementary aged child in the coffee place to suggest the size). On the inside, we have anywhere from 16-24 players who can play games at one time. Certain games allow you to play 4- 8-players. We used to host the laser tag downtown during Rivers and Spires. Did you play games growing up? I’ve always been a gamer. I played games before the military. I played games in the military, and I still play after the military. I always said, wouldn’t it be cool to get paid to play video games! It just came full circle, but if it wasn’t for my military background, I wouldn’t have been as successful. Advice for those recently retired? I personally mentor quite a few people, and I have a mentor myself. So, one thing that I learned is that veterans with 20+ years stop doing PT, but they can’t. A body in motion stays in motion. I would say continue to grow and learn; seek out external sources; if you’re going to start a business, it is imperative to get a mentor. Someone in the field or like your field that is already doing it, so you don’t end up reinventing the wheel. When you get out, if you don’t seek it yourself—you know—a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. Find someone in your industry, and it can be someone already crushing it in their field that can help you get started with entrepreneurship and post-military life. For me, I have learned that if you love what you are doing, you don’t work a day in your life. Whatever you do when you get out, just make sure it is something you love doing because when it gets rocky you might want to quit. That is some of my encouragement, and I’m willing if anybody wanted to reach out and wanted to sit down and talk.
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Air Fryer Recipes & Tips By Rose Pollard
Air fryers have become increasingly popular in the past few years. They offer a healthy alternative to fried foods without sacrificing that crispy-crunchy deliciousness. But, did you know that you can also use them for baking, sautéing, roasting, dehydrating, and even popping popcorn? Air fryers are also so much easier to clean than the mess you get when frying with oil. If you’ve never used an air fryer, it can be a little intimidating, but once you get the hang of it; you’ll be using it to make all sorts of healthy and delicious meals. Here are a few tips to help take the mystery out of air frying: 1. Always preheat before cooking. Air fryers are fast cooking, so it’s important to heat the fryer to the proper temperature to ensure correct cooking times. 2. Grease the basket before cooking to keep food from sticking. Make sure you use an oil with a high smoke point such as canola or avocado. 3. Never use an aerosol cooking spray because the harsh chemicals can harm your fryer. It’s best to purchase an oil sprayer or mister. 4. Don’t overcrowd the basket. Air fryers work by circulating hot air, so you need to make sure the air can flow easily for even cooking. 5. To keep your fryer from smoking during cooking, add a little water to the basket or place a piece of bread in the bottom of the unit to absorb splatters. Now, you’re ready to break out the air fryer! Here are a few simple, scrumptious recipes to get you started:
Air Fryer Meatloaf 1 pound lean ground beef • 1 egg, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons dry bread crumbs • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 1 teaspoon salt ground black pepper to taste • 2 mushrooms, thickly sliced • 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed Preheat an air fryer to 392 degrees F (200 degrees C). Combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Knead and mix thoroughly. Transfer beef mixture to a baking pan and smooth the top. Press mushrooms into the top and coat with olive oil. Place the pan into the air fryer basket and slide into the air fryer. Set the air fryer timer for 25 minutes and roast meatloaf until nicely browned. Let meatloaf rest at least 10 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving. (allrecipes.com)
Air Fryer Fried Apple Pies 2 tablespoons butter • 4 McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, & sliced 1 ⁄2 cup granulated sugar • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon lemon juice • flour, for dusting 1 (8-biscuit) package refrigerated jumbo flaky biscuits oil, for spraying • powdered sugar, for dusting To make filling, in a large sauté pan, melt butter. Add apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Sauté over medium heat until apples are soft (about 15 minutes.) Remove from heat and cool. On a lightly floured surface, roll out biscuits into 7- to 8-inch-diameter circles. Place 2 or 3 tablespoons of the apple filling on each circle and brush edges with water. Fold half of each circle over filling to make a half-moon shape. Seal by pressing edges with tines of a fork. Working in batches of 2, spray pies on both sides with oil and place in air fryer basket lined with parchment paper. Set air fryer temperature to 350 degrees, and air fry for 5 minutes. Flip pies, spray with oil, and air fry for 5 minutes more. Repeat with remaining pies. Dust pies with powdered sugar. (pauladeen.com)
Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp with Pina Colada Dip For the shrimp: 1 1⁄2 pounds jumbo shrimp • 1⁄2 cup cornstarch • 2⁄3 cup light coconut milk • 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut • 3⁄4 cup panko bread crumbs For the sauce: 1 ⁄3 cup light coconut milk • 1⁄3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt • 1⁄4 cup pineapple chunks drained 1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt more to taste • 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper more to taste • toasted coconut for garnish Remove the shell from the shrimp, leaving the tail intact, if desired. Place cornstarch in a gallon-size bag and add the shrimp. Toss to coat.In a medium bowl, whisk coconut milk and honey until combined. In another medium bowl, combine coconut and panko. Remove shrimp from bag, gently knocking off any excess cornstarch. Dunk shrimp in the liquid mixture, then dredge in the coconut mixture. You may have to press loose coconut and panko gently onto the shrimp. Transfer coated shrimp to the basket of your air fryer. Heat your fryer to 350 degrees, and cook 6-8 minutes, flipping shrimp once, until the coconut is golden brown and the shrimp are cooked through. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, yogurt, pineapple, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Top with toasted coconut. (theeverykitchen.com) 16
Caring for Your Mental Health After Retirement By Rose Pollard
Retirement should be a time to finally relax and enjoy life, but for some, it can bring on feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and depression. Breaking the routine of having a place to go at a specific time every day can be unsettling and sometimes lead to mental health issues. Retirement from work is ranked the tenth highest stressor on the Holmes-Rahe stress scale. Stress can cause a variety of unpleasant physical symptoms and even lead to disease. It’s vital to pay attention, not just to your body, but your mind and spirit as well, especially after retirement. For most folks, retirement allows the freedom that wasn’t possible during the working years. Staying up late, sleeping in, doing whatever you want, when you want are all luxuries that are possible when you don’t have to clock in every day. It may seem a bit counter-intuitive to that sense of freedom, but it’s important to reestablish some sort of a routine when you retire. Our minds and bodies are used to doing certain things at certain times, and when we abruptly stop, it can throw off our whole system. This can cause a person to begin to lose track of days, or time in general. It can also affect personal hygiene, diet, and erode self-worth. Make a daily or weekly schedule, and stick to it. Even better, commit to some scheduled activities outside your home. You’re more likely to stick to a schedule if others are depending on you. Participating in outside activities is also a great way to maintain social connections. Leaving a work environment where you are around other people every day can bring on feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can be a major contributor to depression. There are a number of ways to create a healthy social network beyond work, such as joining a group or club with shared interests, or online dating if you’re single. It can be very beneficial to share your feelings with your peers and provide support for one another. Social interaction is a key factor in maintaining a healthy mental attitude. Perhaps, one of the greatest struggles for retirees is dealing with the loss of a sense of purpose. You may not recognize or appreciate that feeling while you’re stuck in the daily grind, but when it’s over; it can leave an unexpected void in your life. Throwing yourself into a hobby that you’re passionate about or doing volunteer work are both great ways to alleviate that sense of loss. Something as simple as reading to kids at the public library, tutoring, or helping out at a local food pantry can help you regain a sense purpose that may be missing after retirement. Sometimes, no matter what we do, we can’t seem to shake that funk. It’s perfectly normal to feel a little down when you are going through such a drastic life change, but if the feeling persists, there is no shame in getting professional help. Start by talking to your primary care physician. Together you can come up with a plan that will improve the quality of your life. Don’t let poor mental health keep you from enjoying what should be the best years of your life.
The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Fort Campbell Chapter is looking for a few good men and women! The Chapter is actively seeking volunteers and board members who have time to give and a passion for our military. Many chapters across the globe are operated by veterans, retirees and military spouses. They lend their time and talents to ensuring the Army’s voice is strong and that our active duty service members get the tools and resources that they need to accomplish their mission successfully. AUSA is the only professional association for the entire Army. It is a nonprofit educational and professional development association serving America’s Army and supporters of a strong national defense. AUSA provides a voice for the Army, supports the Soldier, and honors those who have served in order to advance the security of the nation. Their objectives are to educate its members, the public, industry, and Congress about the critical nature of land warfare and the Army’s central role in national defense; to inform its members, our communities, and Congress about issues affecting America’s Army and the Soldiers who serve in the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve and to connect the Army to the American people at the national, regional, and chapter levels. The Tennessee-Kentucky Chapter was formed in 1960 with Edward Norman of Clarksville, TN serving as the first president, followed by William G. Deatherage, Sr., of Hopkinsville, KY. In 2013, the chapter was renamed the Fort Campbell Chapter to accurately reflect the population that is served. Military retirees and veterans make up the vast majority of chapter Board of Directors and Volunteer Committees. The Fort Campbell Chapter, which spans as far north as Henderson, Kentucky to as far south as Murfreesboro, Tennessee is looking for volunteers who want to be involved and help strengthen our chapter. We need folks to attend welcome home flights, attend outreach events both on and off post. We need people to help present awards to JROTC cadets, to recruit new members, host new events and much, much more. If you are interested in joining AUSA as a member, or want to do more and be involved, email our Executive Director, Sam Henke, at FortCampbell@AUSA.ORG 19
Thank you for supporting the Voice of the Army!
Irish Flag
Evergreen Cocktail 1 ounce tequila 1 ounce green creme de menthe 1 ⁄2 ounce Midori 2 ounces white grapefruit juice 2 ounces pineapple juice Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the ingredients and shake until chilled. Strain the mixture into a highball glass.
1 3 1 3 1 3
⁄ Green Creme de Menthe ⁄ Baileys Irish Cream ⁄ Grand Marnier
Pour a shot glass 1/3 full with Green Creme de Menthe. Pouring very slowly over the back of a spoon, add a layer of Baileys Irish Cream Again pouring very slowly over the back of a spoon, add a layer of Grand Marnier.
Irish Cola Drink Drink recipes and photos courtesy of mixthatdrink.com
1 ounce Irish whiskey (Jameson) 1 ounce Bailey's 4 ounces cola Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the Irish whiskey and Bailey’s. Shake until chilled. Strain into an old-fashioned glass. Fill the glass the rest of the way very slowly with cola. (pouring slowly should prevent curdling).
Shamrock Juice Cocktail 1 2
⁄ ounces gin ⁄ ounces white tequila 1 ⁄2 ounces light rum 1 ⁄2 ounces vodka 1 ounce Blue Curacao 4 ounces fresh squeezed orange juice 1 2
Fill a hurricane or parfait glass with ice. Pour in the liquors and top off with the orange juice. Garnish with an orange wheel and cherries..
187th Infantry “Rakkasans” The 187th Infantry Regiment. The “umbrella men.” The Rakkasans. Whatever name they’re called doesn’t really matter. What matters is their more than six decades of continuous service through all the major U.S. conflicts since World War II. And I promise we will come back to how the “umbrella men” came about. As one of the founding regiments assigned to the 11th Airborne Division, the Rakkasans helped establish much of the tactics and planning used by the 101st Airborne Division today. According to the 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association, the Rakkasans were activated as a glider regiment on Feb. 25, 1943, and were an instrumental tool in saving the idea of large-scale airborne forces. In December 1943, the regiment, as part of the larger 11th Airborne Division, was picked to join in the “Knollwood” maneuver which was one of the final metrics Army leadership planned to use in determining the fate of airborne divisions. Should the regiment succeed, airborne division’s combat effectiveness would truly stand out as a premier military tactic. Should they fail, the divisions could be deactivated, and Fort Campbell as we know it may very well not exist today. According to the 11th Airborne Association, the Knollwood maneuver measured the accuracy and efficiency of mobilizing troops from the skies to their drop points. On the night of Dec. 6, 1943, after almost all 234 gliders from five separate airfields dotted the skies with paratroopers onto the Knollwood airport in North Carolina, the maneuver was deemed a roaring success after securing the airport from the “enemy” forces played by other Army ground forces. At the same time they were helping legitimize air assault tactics, World War II was still raging an ocean away. The Rakkasans were dispatched to the Pacific theatre of war in 1944, a few months after the Knollwood maneuver.
Spoiler alert: here’s where we get back to the “umbrella men.” During their time spent in Japan, the radiomen for the axis power were unsure of what to call this relatively new brand of combat specialists, especially since there is no word for “parachute” in Japanese. So they described the paratroopers as best they could.... “Rakkasans.” In English, this is loosely translated to, you guessed it, “falling down umbrella men.” And the name stuck. And the name has stuck for the more than half a century, with the Rakkasans sitting as one of the cornerstones of airborne operations at Fort Campbell after they found their home here in 1956. Their long track record of service is why the regiment is memorialized in the memorial park across from Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum on Tennessee Ave. at the southernmost end of the park. With the Rakkasan shield and Torii gateway of honor fixed on the stone obelisk, the monument stands as a testament to the thousands of service members who have contributed to the success of airborne operations since World War II and commemorates the lives of all who were killed in the line of duty. The Rakkasans have a proud history of service, and are one of the largest reasons Fort Campbell looks the way it does today.