Topic: Reflections

I Expected to Miss Him When He Deployed. Then There Were the Things That Snuck Up on Me.
I missed being a parent with him. Not all the crappy parts—the disciplining, nose wiping, puke cleaning, lunch packing. But I missed the funny parts.

A Chunk of My Life Was Taken From Me. You Could Say I Had a Bad Attitude.
Dealing with still-drunk combatants who often outranked me and wanted a second round with the bouncer was never easy.

The Things We Borrowed–I Didn’t Set out to Be in Nonprofit Black Market Supply With Whiskey as Currency
Soldiers got what they needed in Vietnam, from cold Pepsis to American-made lumber to a three-quarter-ton truck, often trading with Jack Daniels.

It’s Every Young Marine’s Dream. But I Don’t Like This Story.
I always took crap for wearing a KA-BAR knife on the left front strap of my battle harness. I think most guys were jealous they hadn’t done it first.

A Close Encounter With a Little Red Car and an Accusation of Attempted Murder
We were now on the lam. Fugitives at large. Wanted for attempted murder. We pictured our faces on wanted posters across the country.

Dad Always Seemed Bigger Than Life. But I Had No Idea There Was a Hero in the Next Room.
As I began to write his obituary for our local newspaper, I realized much of my dad’s life was a mystery to me.

You Don’t Need to Thank Me for My Service. I Needed It More Than It Needed Me.
I went from a world of chaos, poverty, and dysfunction to one of order, discipline, and regular meals. The Navy gave me the structure and consistency I needed.

Twenty Minutes – My Chest Fills With Burning Coals. But I Keep Breathing.
I’m surrounded by grief, love, laughter, joy, sorrow, and devastation, but it belongs to them. None of it belongs to me. My ache is my own.

Clandestine Combat, Quesadilla Bribes, and Operation Jiujitsu Underground
During Covid-19 restrictions, sailors found a way to beat boredom aboard the USS Ronald Reagan—with a clandestine jiujitsu club in the ship’s bowels.