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SEPARATION DAY, EVERY VETERAN’S DAY

November 12, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Separation day is the day you become a veteran. You get your papers and hit the road. My veteran road began in New Jersey, Fort Dix to be specific, which has a new role to play. The Army road began in Fort Ord, which also has a new role. From one September to another two […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: America, Baby Boomer blogger, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, Death, destruction, Elvis, historical video, leadership, leadership training, learning, MARRIAGE, married, military, North Bend, older, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, separation day, story, u.s. Army, veteran's day, Vietnam, war, war zones, writer, writing

RESTFUL SLEEP FOR BETTER DAYS

October 10, 2025 by David Gillaspie

For those who wonder about the benefit of restful sleep, stay up a little longer and keep reading. If you’re not on schedule for a solid eight hours of sleep, with power naps mixed in, keep reading. There is something keeping you up, something you can’t put your finger on, or step on, but what? […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Afghanistan, Army, Baby Boomer blogger, Baby Boomers, better day, blog, blogger, calm down, chain of command, china, dismissed, education, history, illegal orders, Iraq, Korea, lawful orders, learning, Marines, mental, military, military mindset, mindset, narrator, normal, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, Power Nap, rest, restful, restful sleep, senior citizens, sleep, story, stressful, turbulent times, unreliable narrator, Vietnam, woke, writer

THEIR MEMORIAL DAY ON BOTH SIDES

May 26, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Memorial Day is for the families of service men and women who have passed, but whose memory remains. For them let’s help the service men and women today live their best lives. I’m thinking of those who didn’t die in service to their country, but those who are dying as a result of their service. […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: accident, AGENT ORANGE, american soldier, Army, Army veteran, BOOMER, boomer soldier, breaking news, deadly, family, good example, jody, memorial day, memory, military, military deaths, murder, self-inflicted, sensationalism, sensationalistic, service, suicide, VA, veteran, Veterans’ Affairs, virtue

AMERICAN PROCESS = THE GRIND

October 9, 2024 by David Gillaspie

American process is what we’re famous for around here. The U.S. didn’t become what it is today by scrapping everything and starting over, although some argue that that’s what FDR did in the Great Depression. Not my argument. Why? Because FDR was schooled in the American process. He had been a state senator, assistant secretary […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: American, american process, american progress, baby boomer, baby boomer lifetime, BOOMER, boomer lifetime, campaigning, cbs news, experience, government, government experience, history, lifetime, military, military experience, misunderstanding history, Oregon, politics, presidency, president, presidential, presidents, register to vote, sandwich generation, the grind, time magazine, vote, WWII

BREAKING NEWS BREAKDOWN ON GOOGLE

June 24, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Search for ‘Breaking News’ and what do you get? Google News at the top of the scroll. Makes sense. Search google for breaking news and they promote themselves. I’d do the same thing. So would you. Let’s take a look around.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: arms dealers, baby boomer, Baby Boomers, BOOMER, boomerpdx, breakdown, breaking news, conflict, global, google, google news, military, national, news, policy goals, remembered, self interest, self serving, SERP, war

FOR OLDER PEOPLE: WHAT’S IT LIKE?

March 4, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Who doesn’t like a question directed to ‘older people?’ This was the question from twitter: I wonder what it’s like for the older people now, who were born in the previous millennium. How can people born in 1999 be old? Easy.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: achievements, aging, blog, blogger, Blogging, boomerpdx, education, high school, informed decision, junior high, marathon, memory, military, North Bend, older, older people, oregonians, popular, remember, running, seaside marathon, selfish, selfish interests, service, the army, twitter, wife, write, writer, writers, writing

ARMY BIRTHDAY? HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ARMY

June 14, 2023 by David Gillaspie

The Army birthday is for the oldest branch of military service in America. But you knew this? I didn’t. And I was in the Army.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Army, army birthday, army war college, happy birthday, military, North Bend, North Bend High School, Oregon, Portland, verbal abuse, volunteer

UNDERSTANDING SPORTS FOR THE NON-SPORTY

May 4, 2023 by David Gillaspie

For starters, understanding sports, if you don’t already, and you’re past fifty years old, where have you been? But it does happen. One sign is when you hear, “Why aren’t there more touchdowns in baseball?” Or, “Do you shoot a field goal, or kick a field goal?” “Yes,” is the right answer, but first:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: caveman, champion, competition, embellish, fantasy leagues, gambling, hunter gatherer, military, practice, sports, superstar, understanding, understanding sports

UNDERSTANDING MILITARY TRAINING FOR A BETTER ATTITUDE

December 8, 2021 by David Gillaspie

Military training? Everyone knows what that is. “Yeah, I saw Full Metal Jacket, so I know what you mean.” What they’re missing is the hot breath and spray of some nut case screaming words in their face. Which words? It doesn’t matter. The sheer volume obscures the words. It doesn’t matter because you know what […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: better attitude, encouragement, life lesson, mature, maturity, military, military training, personal responsibilities, training, understanding

INSURRECTIONIST BLUES IN THE KEY OF SEE

June 9, 2021 by David Gillaspie

Why Insurrectionist Blues in the key of see? Because you saw what I saw, what everyone watching saw, including the spectators in the watch-tent at the pre-insurrection rally that delivered marching orders. Have you ever received marching orders? Did you march? If you’re a veteran of any service the answer is yes. The difference is […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: capitol attack, capitol riot, insurrection, insurrection blues, insurrectionist, insurrectionist blues, jan.6, military, military indoctrination, military veterans, music, Rolling Stones, soundtrack