[January 22, 2026] It’s no secret that I grew up as the son of a railroad man. As part of that legacy, I was educated in the subculture of the behind-the-scenes of railroading. An early lesson was about railroad cars (usually boxcars) with chalk or waterproof crayon graffiti. Plus, there it was, clearly written, Bozo Texino, with a… Read More »
[January 20, 2026] By now, most know that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has given his tacit approval “by all means possible” to resist ICE in his state. He has approved any behavior that pushes back against law enforcement, removing illegal immigrants. This is a green light for violence. An anti-ICE mob disrupted the Sunday morning religious service at… Read More »
[January 19, 2026] As history tells us, we are not positive how the American Flag all came about. With this, the 250th Anniversary of our country, and our Radio show very much involved in what I believe will be one of the largest Veteran displays of opened Casket Flags in America over the 2026 Memorial Day weekend. Actually,… Read More »
[January 16, 2026] In a few months, it will be twenty years since I arrived for my second combat tour, part of the Iraq War (2003-2011). Such a time past gives me time to reflect, and despite some details being lost to old memories, I think I can put the war in a better light. And with less… Read More »
[January 13, 2026] The Iraqi National Soccer Team, competing for the World Cup, defeated the North Korean team on July 6, 2007, with a 1-0 score. We were infected by the pride that had run through the Iraqi people, and we rejoiced alongside them. The Iraqi people had made significant progress over the previous four years in their… Read More »
[January 4, 2026] The U.S. seized Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife yesterday morning, placing them under arrest for a long list of drug and terrorist activities. Congratulations are in order! But, what now? Maduro and his wife are likely headed to Guantanamo, Cuba, where we keep some of the nastiest of criminals and terrorists. He deserves… Read More »
[December 29, 2025] Daily high temperatures were hot. On Friday, 1 July, it was 108 degrees F, with dust, wind, and haze. It was going to be another Groundhog Day in Iraq, but our Engineers were ready. We started our Fridays with a team sport, and this morning it was volleyball beginning at 0600 hours. By the time… Read More »
[December 28, 2025] Christmas has passed us by and old Saint Nick left us with a few goodies. More importantly, and for the first time, our household has a fake Christmas tree; it sure makes it easier to put on all our accumulated tree ornaments. I do kinda like sweeping up all the dried up pine needles, as… Read More »
[December 27, 2025] May 22 came and went without much fanfare. It was indeed my 55th birthday, but little more than a blip on my mind’s radar. I scribbled “birthday” at the top of my notes. That was it. In a way, it was a day to reflect on what Engineers lacked to complete our jobs on time… Read More »
[December 26, 2025] I had been frustrated to no end by the progress of our preparation for the Surge. The pre-Surge construction planning, design, funding, contracting process, and eventual construction weren’t meeting what I thought was sufficient to accommodate the incoming personnel or equipment. Plus, we were late on the timelines. One of the areas I detested was… Read More »