Memorial Day 2023 – Remembering

I haven’t posted in a while. Life has been busier than I had expected in my 69th trip around the sun. It’s been a year since I went back to work as a Chief of Staff and it’s been nothing short of interesting. But time consuming. And a bit rough on my health. Memorial Day […]

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 […]

Old Chiefs Never Die… They Just Get Recycled

Chief times 3 Looking back over the last three plus decades, it’s interesting how my life has had a theme. That theme has revolved around being a Chief. Growing up, I always looked up to my Dad for many things. But one of his best achievements was being the fire Chief in the small town […]

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 […]

Thank you for your service… A new Way to Show your Thanks

We have many people in our country that are hurting. Veterans are very high on that list. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in many younger veterans joining the ranks of the older vets that served with honor but now need some extra help. Those younger families are often the first ones […]

The Long Way Home

The Long Way Home This is a clipping from a ship’s newspaper (USS Von Steuben) that was dated June 23rd, 1919. The clipping described some of the details of the AEF being shipped home. This year is also the 100 year anniversary of the American Legion founding and both events are tied together. Over a […]

alt.submarine veterans … I wonder how many others are out there looking for a base?

I have been a member of USSVI for a long time now and recently joined the Naval Submarine League. The problem with both has been proximity. Since I live in a rural location away from submarine homeports, I am reliant on a USSVI base that is neither convenient for travel or receptive to new ideas. Don’t […]