Commentary  Concussions suck. There’s no getting around that. Way back in the 20th century, in my young adulthood, I worked as a land surveyor. I enjoyed being outside and still doing “sciency” things. I learned that I had a knack for adding or subtracting long strings of numbers in my head. Those who’ve done construction…

Commentary I’ve discovered writing to be a tremendous tool to analyze my mental health status because I’m forced to describe my actions, explain my beliefs, and articulate my captivating perspectives using creative wordplay and fluid sentence structure. Drifting away with the tide is often sought after and an easy route to isolation. But, writing helps…

Commentary I haven’t put much thought into Veterans’ or Memorial Day, even as a military member, until this past Monday. I remember being on watch last Sunday and having to work until mid-afternoon on Monday. I was griping quietly to myself and my wife about burning most of a four-day weekend, preparing for a security…

Friendly Fire Do you really think Anyone cares That the fire that burns … is friendly? Hearts and body parts Pieces of promises Are all being blown away I need you to see The power you have over me I know you didn’t mean to But the outcome’s just the same You lean over me…

Commentary I’m a little bit of a history nut. Well okay, a lot of a history nut, especially military history. I also have a keen interest in observing people and how they behave. Military leadership has been a subset of those two items that have caused considerable deliberation and consternation on my part. Add to…

The week had been ramping up to this. All the prior training, all the talk, the boasting, and the detailed descriptions from my shipmates ran in endless loops in my head. I was next in line to get sprayed. The first guy just finished and was doing his best to breathe as they splashed the…

Commentary I stand on the fantail and stare out at the buildings across the bay from the cutter. We’re moored in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, one of the more popular spring break destinations in this part of the world. Having spent the previous day driving back and forth between the resort and the boat, I can…

Commentary My Life As An Army Wife When growing up in the 1950s in rural North Carolina, I never had any association with the military, having never spent time around military bases or having much contact with military people or their families. In early 1963, I had my first real exposure to military life, when…

Commentary Saddam Hussein’s statue was pulled down on April 9, 2003. I doubt many civilians old enough to remember it could say where they were when they first saw those images. But for those in the military at the time, even 20 years later, I bet that you do. Before I tell you where I…

Commentary There is a mega-corporation here in the United States where the CEO tells every employee that they must move up within the company and eventually achieve top executive status. Every entry-level role is expected to advance within a specified timeframe, and if you aren’t able to meet the advancement schedule you are summarily terminated….