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NEW EXPERTS CHECK IN WITH MEDICAL AND MILITARY WIZARDRY

New experts are coming out of the woodwork, crawling out from under rocks, and they need to be heard. Luckily for the rest of us we have social media to learn from them. After enough twitter and Facebook scrolling, I’m ready for class, ready to discover new insights from these evolving geniuses. You know I […]

FATHER TIME ON THE MARCH EVERY DAY, EVEN FATHER’S DAY

When I was a kid, Father Time looked like my Grandpa. It helped that my Grandpa looked like President “I Like Ike” Eisenhower. I was six years old in 1960 when things changed. The new president looked more my dad’s age. The big job went from the Supreme Allied Commander Europe five star Army general, […]

SOLDIER ADVICE: WHEN TO STAY, WHEN TO GO

Soldier advice usually comes from one place in the beginning. Can you guess where? If you said “recruiter,” you are correct. First they make an alluring argument for signing up. College money, healthcare, clothing, living expenses, food allowance. It’s all right here for a military career. If that hook isn’t sunk deep enough, Drill Sergeants […]

FREEDOM SINGS: JAILHOUSE ROCK FROM CELL BLOCK D

“Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose.” Was Kris Kristofferson right? Nothing left to lose is the same as freedom? Ask someone who lost everything in 1969 what they think. It might go like this: “How did you lose everything?” “I got drafted.” “Drafted?” “Yes. Conscripted into the United States Army.” “I […]

ARMY PEOPLE: GUYS YOU MEET AT THE START

No one who served forgets the people, in my case Army people, they meet in the beginning. Fellow enlistees ranged from age seventeen to thirty five years old. Some of the Army people were older than the Drill Sergeants. That was a surprise. That some of the Drills looked like they could be doing other […]

LOSER LIFE? DON’T BE A SUCKER FOR THAT DEAL

What is a loser life, and who gets permission to judge one from another, the winners and losers? It starts by agreeing with the sharp people who define winners and losers. If it’s not a coach, a judge, or your mom, then a loser life is just an opinion, even if it comes from a […]

FATHER’S DAY INSPECTION

This is a Father’s Day inspection I’m glad I didn’t see as a kid. My dad is the guy with the sword. A sword?

AUTHORITY MAN: KNOW THEM WHEN YOU SEE THEM, HEAR THEM

Authority man comes in all different shapes and sizes, but the flavor never changes. Even when they favor you and I, empathy leaves a slightly bitter taste. We cheer when authority man rules our way, but forget that we’re one misstep from being ruled against. Then what happens?

ARMY MEDIC: JOB TWO OF FIVE

Army medic was the job I signed up for when I joined after freshman year in 1974. Army medic was my dad’s idea. The old Marine also advised against joining the Navy, but that’s expected. I went in on the Buddy Plan with a high school buddy. We lasted three days together in receiving, then […]

PREEMPTIVE CONVERSATION: SORRY, I WASN’T LISTENING

When is the best time for a Preemptive Conversation? Married men have different answers than singles, from both sides of the fence: Her side, and yer side.