Off The Base

Some things turn us to mush every time: Cute animals. Sappy Publix commercials. And most of all, surprise military reunions.

Nine-year-old Alayna Adams was chosen to throw out the first pitch at Thursday night's Rays game. What the Dunedin girl didn't know was that the catcher wasn't a pro ball player. It was her dad, Lt. Col. Will Adams, just home from Afghanistan.

After Alayna threw the ball, her father caught it. Then he lifted his catcher's mask. Alayna raced toward him and leaped into his arms.

And yes, the crowd went wild.

Florida has an estimated 142,000 women veterans and many likely had their eyes on the Pentagon this week.

First, there was the deadline for the services to submit plans on how to integrate women into combat units or explain why women should remain banned. Many women already are serving in units exposed to combat but aren’t officially acknowledged.

And there is more news related to the growing problem of military sexual trauma.

The sun was up, the coffee shop next door was doing a brisk business, and a steady stream of cars and trucks were rumbling south on Tampa Street in downtown Tampa when Tom Casey ended his children's rowing marathon.

This morning on the sidewalk on Tampa Street just south of Cass in downtown Tampa, a brother and sister team are attempting to set a record by rowing more than 26 hours straight.

Shannon and Matthew Casey started their fund-raising marathon Wednesday at 11 a.m. with plans to trade off rowing - one hour each - until 1:12 p.m. Thursday, May 16, 2013.

As of 6:30 a.m. Thursday, their father, Tom Casey, reported that the duo made it through the night. Their pace slowed but they kept rowing. Shannon was on the Erg machine at the time.