[October 11, 2019] He came from “the other side of the tracks.” Staff Sergeant John Crèche was young, brash, and flippant. Born to a poor family on a ranch in southern Texas, John had a refreshing ability to see beyond the platitudes, the red tape, and the prima donnas that infect all large organizations. And, he never hesitated… Read More »
[October 10, 2019] In late 1944, my uncle “DJ” was a cook with the 2nd Infantry Division in Belgium when the Germans attacked. The Battle of the Bulge would go down in history as one of the most famous and strategically important battles of WWII. In his recollections, my uncle was ordered to “grab a rifle and be… Read More »
[September 30, 2019] Not well known is that the foreign aid provided by the United States covers a vast network around the world. But that foreign aid from the U.S. continues to be under great scrutiny and controversy by its own citizens. Juxtapose that with the Berlin Airlift. Today is the anniversary of the ending of the Berlin… Read More »
[September 11, 2019] Slowly but steadily, there has been a movement in the United States that is turning the anniversary of deadly terror attacks on September 11, 2001, into a day of volunteering and doing good deeds. It’s a way to pay tribute to those who died that day and to those who rushed to help … by… Read More »
[August 2, 2019] Junior leaders quickly learn valuable lessons when put to the test. One of the first things they learn is to be ready when called upon; Boy Scouts call this “being prepared.” I learned it at 12 years of age when I got a job milking cows at a neighbor’s house, and I wasn’t ready. We… Read More »
[July 31, 2019] This is my fourth (and possibly last) article on Scout Camp leadership lessons (see the other three here, here, and here). In my last article, I wrote about “youth” leadership challenges, and today, as promised, I highlight some of the key lessons of their adult leaders. One of the reasons which I did NOT cite… Read More »
[July 29, 2019] She spoke in a clear but hushed voice. Gloria was born a Polish Jew in the early 1930s. This past weekend, I was invited by a friend to a small township historical society event to see war reenactors from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War. It was a good thing I attended the event.… Read More »
[July 15, 2019] As a young boy, I had a lot of fun in the Boy Scouts of America. Along the way, I learned about the meaning of a person’s character, leadership skills, the importance of physical fitness, and that while most people are different, they still have similar needs and wants. I suspect these lessons are already… Read More »
[July 10, 2019] Recently we rightly celebrated D-Day, the Allied invasion of France that began 75 years ago in June 1944. But it was a year earlier, with the invasion of Sicily that the real battle for Europe began. On this date, July 10, 1943, the first elements of American and British troops landed on the southern coast… Read More »
[July 4, 2019] I like cake. I like it so much that my wife decided to get me a special 4th of July cake decorated to look like a U.S. flag. This is just one of those eternal symbols of my life here on Earth. Another is I’m a patriot. Like so many hundreds of men and women… Read More »