[September 7, 2024] Beauty is more valuable than anything humans can possess. And while that is true – I believe inherently true – disfigurement of the human form can give rise to other valuable traits: decency and grace. Dostoevsky wrote in his book The Idiot that “Beauty will save the world.” I will add that disfigurement can sustain… Read More »
[September 6, 2024] One of the advantages of being a General Officer in the U.S. Army (or Flag Officer as often called) is that we can go just about anywhere, create our own schedule, pick and choose training events to observe, and of course, eat when and where we want. I was pleasantly surprised one day when a… Read More »
[September 4, 2024] Tim Walz is hated by the Soldiers he served with in the Minnesota National Guard; for most folks, that is hard to understand. What surprised me more is the controversy of Walz’s embellishing his service (actually lying is a better term), which is not going away. Posted on her podcast, Megyn Kelly interviews four of… Read More »
[September 3, 2024] After receiving my orders for mandatory retirement from the U.S. Army, I started this blog 11 years ago on this date. I’m not celebrating my blog anniversary; that’s not my style, but I will put some of my thoughts on paper that may be of interest – maybe. Here are some of the things I… Read More »
[September 2, 2024] Recently, I watched a short video of Michael Malice discussing how U.S. President Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev were separately involved in classified simulations with an unexpected outcome. The idea was to train their senior leaders how to act in case their enemy shot nuclear missiles at their country. We all have assumptions about… Read More »
[September 1, 2024] Seventeen-year-old Sam worked at McDonald’s during the late 70s and appreciated that he got the opportunity. I knew him through his dad, who, at the time, was a senior NCO in my unit and a good man. That mattered because it showed he was willing to work and be responsible. At 19, Sam moved from… Read More »
[August 30, 2024] As a child, I was mesmerized by the telling of the story of Jonah and the whale. This story specifically drew me to the church and piqued my interest in reading the Bible. However, I had no idea what was behind the story; there was a deeper meaning than mere entertainment value.1 Note: I’m doing… Read More »
[August 28, 2024] The “older generation” like me will remember the news of the My Lai Massacre (Thảm sát Mỹ Lai) when it hit the newspapers in 1968. When I attended the U.S. Army’s Infantry Officers Basic Course (IOBC) in 1983, I was reacquainted with the events of the massacre. Army LT William Calley was the central figure… Read More »
[August 27, 2024] Ten years ago, shortly after I retired from the U.S. Army, I wrote down a few frustrating things about Army Leadership. What I’ve witnessed lately shows that these are more prevalent today than when I retired. Here is that list. “Toxic” Leaders Do Exist. These leaders have a corrosive effect on any organization and are… Read More »
[August 26, 2024] As Americans, we often speak with deep respect for those military members who served in combat and those on the home front who supported the war effort. Often overlooked are those who died during training or other similar missions. In the Sierra Nevada mountains of northern California, two WWII Airmen were found frozen in the… Read More »