[January 30, 2019] A few years ago I found my very first Platoon Leader on a military website. He had pinned mosquito wings (Private E-2) onto my collar while stationed in Siegelsbach, West Germany and given me some much-needed assistance and advice. I was able to show gratitude and appreciation for his help by thanking him. “Gratitude is… Read More »
[January 29, 2019] In 1965, Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke before a large crowd in Selma, Alabama where he said: “no lie can live forever.”1 The speech marked a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement that was to force American politicians to accept that all citizens had the right to vote finally. At the heart of MLK’s… Read More »
[January 23, 2019] This past weekend I was at a Boy Scout “Klondike” event. The idea of Klondike is to demonstrate teamwork and test scouting skills. While sitting around the campfire with other adult scout leaders, we discussed the upcoming year and what we could do differently or do better as leaders. My leader resolutions for 2019 are… Read More »
[January 22, 2019] Leadership often means breaking new ground, going places no one has gone before, and dealing with complex and difficult problems that would overwhelm most people. In 1914 a great war began that was to ravage much of Europe and test the values of the United States. U.S. President Woodrow Wilson concluded that it was in… Read More »
[January 21, 2019] When my son was growing up, he often enjoyed playing on our small-town’s sports teams. We all know the ones; no kid is refused a spot on the team, and everyone gets to play. His baseball team was in last place; 11th and yet he came home with a trophy. He thought it was “really… Read More »
[January 19, 2019] My dad used to tell me this all the time; it seemed like anyway. I would get mentally worked up over my school, part-time job, friends, the stupid family dog, etc. While growing up, he would simply say, don’t get wrapped around the axle.1 I immediately knew what he meant. When I was a sophomore… Read More »
[January 18, 2019] With the 100 anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, there has been a renewed focus on the mistakes that started the war. That is a noble and worthwhile cause. On the other hand, today is the anniversary of the beginning of the WWI peace talks; January 18, 1919. I will address some… Read More »
[January 17, 2019] Last week, Hawaii Democrat Representative Tulsi Gabbard, penned an op-ed in which she warned: “Elected leaders who weaponize religion are playing a dangerous game.”1 She is showing moral courage because her statements run counter to the anti-religious ideology of the American Democrat Party. “While I absolutely believe in the separation of church and state as… Read More »
[January 16, 2019] The silent movie A Dog’s Life (1918) starring Charlie Chaplin is a short 33-minute comedy about a tramp and his dog. Written, directed, and filmed during World War I, the need by the American public to witness a display of compassion was a necessary distraction from the horrors of the war. American forces under U.S.… Read More »
[January 15, 2019] For everything we do in life rules govern how we behave, talk, think and accomplish our missions. Anytime we fail to do so or go off in an unauthorized direction; there are unpredictable but usually negative consequences. Going off the reservation is how this is often described. In early 2007 while in combat north of… Read More »