[October 14, 2022] Yes, I ride horses. Now, I’m no expert and I don’t profess a great knowledge of horses but there are some slices of knowledge that I see as important. First, horses – similar to dogs and cats – have been tightly woven into human history. Their links to humankind is obvious; a mode of travel,… Read More »
[September 27, 2022] The Fall weather is teasing us here in Southern Jersey; the winds increased, temps and humidity falling, and shorter days. This is the time of year I begin some serious reading. Luckily I was in the library near where I live and ran across a book on Dunkirk. Ever since the movie Dunkirk (2017) came… Read More »
[July 30, 2022] A sad week for our Boy Scout Troop. Yesterday, we buried one of our Eagle Scouts; a good young man at 18 years of age, lifeguard, plans to attend college, 10 years in scouting, Catholic, dedicated, reliable, and trustworthy. It is difficult to realize we will never see this young man’s potential realized. Or to… Read More »
[June 26, 2022] You are molded and shaped by culture, and as a consequence, you are a historical creature. But culture is corrupt, oppressive, and tyrannical. Implicit in your being is the moral necessity to breathe new life into the ancient culture that has had it way with you. This is the hero and the dragon metaphor, where… Read More »
[January 23, 2022] Since America’s stunning self-inflicted debacle in Afghanistan, there has been a growing interest in the Soldier. What is he thinking, what are his deprivations, his fears and desires, loves, and why would a person ever consider the role of a soldier, Marine, sailor, airman, or coastguardsman? This thinking is wrapped up with the “woke” military… Read More »
[November 23, 2021] Retired Navy SEAL Jocko Willink is the author behind the best-selling Warrior Kid book series.1 I just bought his fourth and latest in the series. Do we need another series of self-help books about “kids?” Given the destruction by well-meaning but misguided politicians in their safe-at-all-costs policies, I think Jocko has hit a home run… Read More »
[October 11, 2021] The failure of the United States’ retreat from Afghanistan is an epic disaster, the fallout we will face for many decades. Our television generals and admirals are pontificating from their climate-controlled armchairs and telling us that America’s longest war was unwinnable, immoral, and made the world less safe. All that Flag Officer preaching is a… Read More »
[August 30, 2021] In three weeks, we will be privileged to celebrate the birthday of the U.S. Air Force, created on September 18, 1947. The National Security Act of 1947 was a U.S. law enacting several major restructuring of our military and intelligence agencies following WWII. This is why, for example, that the Air Force shares its birthday… Read More »
[July 1, 2021] I’ve been reading my notes from 2003 to 2005 on my first combat tour in the Iraq War. Mostly these five notebooks are filled with to-do lists, but they also have poignant messages to me about what I saw and what I thought and felt. Despite this, I am humble enough to know that those… Read More »
[June 7, 2021] A good friend of mine – a retired USAF officer – has supplied me with several books over the past few months. He certainly has a way of picking some darn good ones. An inspiring book on Gen. Curtis LeMay, “Strategies and Tactician,” is one I appreciated, for it showed that anyone could achieve the… Read More »