22 years ago my friend David Hatalla got me into skateboarding. Before that him and I mostly played pretend army soldier games in the woods and swamps near our house. This past April his younger brother, Brian, who trains U.S. Army soldiers before they deploy for Afghanistan just outside of Nuremburg, Germany signed me, Chris Pfanner and photographer, Chris Maderer onto his base so we could skate it. Not that I didn't already appreciate everything the armed forces do to protect our freedom abroad and at home but man, seeing the wreckage of bombed out vehicles and hearing the first-hand accounts really makes me want to buy every soldier everywhere a beer.