Pittsburgh Pennsylvania – Serving the Navy in World War 2 (and Beyond)

Sometimes people forget the strong bond the Navy has always had with the City of Pittsburgh On this Labor Day, I thought it would be appropriate to highlight the men and women who contributed to the victory in World War 2. Many never carried a gun, but their efforts were instrumental in delivering not only […]

The History of the Army Canteen – A tribute to Phillip Dockter, US Army Vietnam Veteran

I hope that in your life you have had a good friend. In my life, I have been blessed with more than my share but one of my favorites is Phillip Dockter. I met Phil when I went to work at the Ford Motor Company Indianapolis facility as a training and development leader. Phil […]

August 28, 1973 The Journey Begins

I joined the Navy in April of 1972 by raising my right hand for the very first time. The Navy used the Delayed Entry Program to pre-sign willing young volunteers and at the age of seventeen, I was anxious to leave home and see the world. I remember my girlfriend at the time crying a […]

The New “Star” in Star Spangled Banner

Original Post: This morning, I was honored to join a few members of the Pittsburgh Sea Cadet Battalion in helping to kick off the Bike Ride for Operation Troop Appreciation in Pittsburgh. This event helps to raise funds to build and sustain the morale and wellbeing of the military community, past and present, with the […]

I will Salute

Forty six years ago, I raised my right hand in a room full of strangers and pledged to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. I solemnly swore to do so while standing facing the flag that represents this country. For all of the years since then, that flag has played a central […]

Hallmark doesn’t make a card for Sea Daddys. (But maybe they should)

Warning: Some salty language may have snuck past the censors There was a Navy training film many years ago called “The Lost Sailor”. The idea behind the film was for Navy leaders to recognize all the things that could go wrong with a young sailor when they first report on board a ship or submarine. The […]

Love, your Son Butch ~ Father’s Day Memories

Originally posted on theleansubmariner:
? Today’s blog is from a book I wrote based on my Dad’s letters to his family during the second world war and the following year while he tried to make it back home. I found the letters a few days after he passed away, and learned a lot about a…

Excellent leadership isn’t hard… but it can be difficult.

Excellent leadership isn’t hard… but it can be difficult. There are probably hundreds of thousands of books on leadership written in every language on earth. In these books you will find words like “character”, “strength”, “wisdom”, and any number of words that define what competencies a leader should possess. What makes an excellent leader? It […]

A Better Alternative: The American Dream

This morning, a good friend and shipmate asked this question on Facebook: “Can you explain to me what the American Dream is? I fought for it for 21 years, but what is IT.” I had just finished my time on the treadmill and it struck me that I am living my American Dream. Here was […]

Adversity is a refining fire.

I achieved a minor but important breakthrough this morning at around 4:50 AM when Angus the dog decided he needed to get up and go outside. I have been struggling for months to properly title the book project I have been working on now for about five years. The last three chapters have been the […]