Ready on day one. Really???

Ready on day one. Quite often in interviews with potential employees, a candidate will tell the interviewers that they are “ready on day one of the job”. They make this very bold claim based on their previous education or experience in a related field. But my personal experience in a number of fields makes me […]

Blemishes and all … The Country and the Navy in 1973

I am incredibly proud of being a Navy Veteran The US Navy has been a part of my family DNA for more than a hundred years. We have answered the nation’s call since the Great War and served as part of the greatest navy that has ever sailed the seas. Having said that, even the […]

The Broken Frame – Accidents happen. Or was it an accident?

Short post today. I was taking advantage of the New Year to clean up my Zombie Room. The Zombie room is where I write and have all my shelter in place supplies. The walls are filled with pictures and memories from my past as well as my family. One of the pictures is my Dad’s […]

I didn’t march today. But I did remember

Fifty years ago today I marched in the Elizabeth Pennsylvania Memorial Day Parade. It was a family tradition for a number of years and in 1972 it would be my last one as a civilian. I had already joined the Navy in the delayed entry program and would leave a few weeks later. I remember […]

Diesel men are like connoisseurs of old hams or juleps

This story from the Washington Star Newspaper from May 18, 1942, brought back a lot of memories for me. The first part certainly takes me back to all of the training I received as a young man in the Navy. Over the course of my career, I attended over 60 Navy schools related to […]

Letters from Home – Lifelines in a Sea of Loneliness

Mail Call Anyone from my generation and before who has ever served in the military is aware of how important letters are when you are away from home. They are truly the connection you have to a place where “normal” lives despite the chaos of your current situation. With the internet, my nephews told me […]

There is no “Accident” in Team

There is no “Accident” in Team Okay, I can hear the groans. It should be “There is no i in Team”. At least until some smarty pants shows up with the poster that shows exactly where the “i” is. In this case, the word accident and team cannot stand together. Teams must be intentional or […]

21 Days

Happy Navy Birthday I had thought about doing nothing more than my traditional Navy birthday greeting but decided that the current countdown series related to the 2020 election is pertinent to the United States Navy. For the record, I am a volunteer with the Trump Victory team in Pennsylvania serving as the South West PA […]

April 19, 1945 – Happy Birthday Sailor

Today’s story is a personal one. On April 27, 1993, my Dad went on eternal patrol as a result of a long struggle with heart disease and its many complications. Dad was 66 years old, having just turned that age on April 19. Both days have been significant in my life ever since. His […]

Lean on me – Boot Camp Memories from 1972

via Lean on me – Boot Camp Memories from 1972 Saying goodbye to a Navy Veteran: Bill Withers, and the song that bonded a crew together in the summer of 1972: “Lean on me”