Some years back, a "good looking" blonde who barely made the height and weight requirements applied for jumper worker at Missoula. Nobody thought that this "little lady" would make it, but she hung in there during all phases of the training (and it ain't easy, folks!). Then came the all-night-dig-and-pack-out.

Carrying a 78 pound firepack, she led the class in the three mile run to the dig site. From 7 pm to 7 am she dug fireline -- three feet wide and down to mineral soil -- with a pulaski (sort of a double bit axe with one blade 90 degrees to the other), without a break except for sips of water. The next morning, she won the run back to the barracks, carrying the same pack. Yeah, she graduated with honors.

This was told to me by a guy in her class -- 6'2", 230 pounds of muscle, ex-Marine scout/sniper. He was impressed.