[August 29, 2016] One of my first lessons in the effectiveness of leadership was when, as a U.S. Army Private (the lowest rank), my Platoon Leader Jimmy Madison approached me one day to say Happy Birthday. What a shock! My entire time in the military had been one humiliation after another and now I was getting a little… Read More »
[August 19, 2016] I stood on the grounds of one of the many battlefields of the American Revolutionary War just yesterday and not knowing it until a friend told me. I was at Liberty State Park (east of lower Manhattan across the Hudson River) in Jersey City at the site of the Raid at Paulus Hook. Honestly, I’d… Read More »
[August 9, 2016] Practice makes you strong and competition makes you stronger. My wife and I watched the U.S. Women’s Volleyball Olympic team comeback performance to beat the Netherland’s team 3-2 in five games. Wow, exciting game. But what is it that makes this – or any sporting game – of interest to those of us who study… Read More »
[August 8, 2016] One thing that I learned early on in the U.S. Army was to pay close attention to army sergeants. This applies, certainly, to all military services. The U.S. Army’s Command Sergeant Major (CSM) is the most senior enlisted rank as noncommissioned officers and one of the most respected. Senior Flag Officers are advised by senior… Read More »
[August 5, 2016] That’s what my mother always told me and I still believe today that anyone can make a difference, as long as they try. I’m sure mothers across the world tell their children the same thing and it’s a good thing to have it repeated. Leaders also need to be part of this and therefore it’s… Read More »
[July 4, 2016] The first fireworks I ever saw was when, at the age of 11, my dad drove our family to see my great aunt in Little Rock, Arkansas. Late that evening as we crested a hill overlooking the valley where the city is located, from the backseat of the family’s ’49 Chevy four-door sedan, I got… Read More »
[July 1, 2015] I walked the grounds at the Gettysburg battlefield more times than I can remember; studied the terrain, the movements of troops, the reasons why the battle was fought, and to also see the cemetery where my relatives are buried. The massive battle took place over three days beginning July 1, 1863 and was to be… Read More »
[June 19, 2016] One of the advantages of traveling throughout the United States is the privilege of meeting with military veterans who served in our country’s wars. Their stories amaze me to this day and whenever I get a chance to sit down and talk, that is exactly what I will do. Last week I met with a… Read More »
[June 06, 2015] During one of my combat tours, my senior headquarters gave our troops the souvenir opportunity to have a U.S. flag flown over the Saddam’s main palace in Baghdad. We had to buy the flag and turn it in with a written request that included name and date to be on a certificate. My good friend… Read More »
[May 30, 2016] On this Memorial Day and as I travel about the East and Mid-Western states of the United States, I find that more people are aware of this special day and its meaning than ever before. Despite what one hears in the media about those who have no idea what’s going on, I find the opposite… Read More »