[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 3, 2019] Tomorrow is the 4th of July and a special time for all Americans. As a tribute to the many that fought for our freedoms, from the U.S. Revolutionary War to present, I’m providing a short story about WWII veteran Staff Sergeant Bernard Friedenberg. I’m fortunate to live in a part of the country that acknowledges… Read More »
[June 23, 2019] Respect is a sticky concept; being something we all desperately want but also difficult to put our finger on. Like many who read this leadership blog, we know that humans seek specific things from our relationships. Respect is one of those intertwined with our likability, self-discipline, ability to compromise, and our concept of right and… Read More »
[June 16, 2019] If you’re Pilipino, you probably know about the Battle of Bud Bagsak (part of the Moro Rebellion, June 1913). Almost no one else has heard of the battle; certainly not in U.S. military circles. This final battle was the end of the resistance in the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). It was weird that I had not… Read More »
[June 12, 2019] As a Buck Sergeant in the U.S. Army, I heard many military idioms and often wondered if military officers existed just to confuse sergeants. Since retiring from the army, referring to something like the long pole in the tent has become one of my favorite expressions. The problem is that it has more than one… Read More »
[May 27, 2019] Now that I’m approaching the 7th-decade mark of my life, I no longer remember how many memorials to fallen comrades I’ve attended. Memorial Day 2019 will be special for me as I attend, once again, ceremonies and parades with our local Boy Scout Troop to remember those who died in battle or from wounds sustained… Read More »
[May 15, 2019] The phrase “lock and load” has been around a long time. Veterans of military service know it well; whether on a weapon qualification range or preparing for combat, lock and load literally means to chamber a round in your weapon. It also means to be ready for anything. Being ready for whatever comes is what… Read More »
[April 17, 2019] The 10-man squad of recruits was crawling through mud and under barbed wire while being continuously screamed at by U.S. Army Drill Sergeant Bryant. If the recruit failed to complete the obstacle course within the allotted 20 minutes, he had to start over. Sergeant Bryant was politely telling everyone that his job was to make… Read More »
[April 7, 2019] The old and grizzled Sergeant Major, Korea and Vietnam War veteran, was talking last week with a group of young college students. Just out of luck, I happened by and overheard that gravelly voice one would expect from such a man. He was giving them some basic advice; to get respect, you must be willing… Read More »
[April 4, 2019] It was late summer 1983, and I’d been on a training exercise with the U.S. Army for nearly three weeks. The heat, humidity, bugs, and dirt had taken its toll on us (that was the idea). The Captain leading us told me to dig in a new foxhole near our unit’s flank. After getting it… Read More »