Calling All Recruits

I’ve been thinking a lot about the progression of the navy boot camp through the ages. I would imagine if you were able to bring someone from the early twentieth century into today’s experience, they would be completely stunned at how far the experience has travelled since their day. As a collector of old Bluejacket’s […]

It takes a thief

In the late nineteen sixties, there was a TV series starring Robert Wagner called “It takes a Thief”. Wagner starred as a reformed thief who used his powers for good instead of evil. The series was loosely based on an old English proverb that said “Set a thief to catch a thief”. (Or as is […]

Love, Your Son Butch, Chapter One

Twenty years ago this month, my Dad finally lost his battle with heart disease and went to be with his Lord. The week after his death, I found a box in the basement of our old house that had all of his letters home from World War 2. Over the next ten years, I plugged […]

Lean on me – Boot Camp Memories from 1972

It is with a very heavy heart that I join so many others in saying farewell to Bill Withers today. His song “Lean on me” was the theme song for my company in boot camp and every time I hear that song, I am reminded how much we need each other in troubled times. Rest […]

Agnes, How Could You?

Fate is a funny thing. You just never know when it’s going to kick in. June 15, 1972, was my ship out day to go to Great Lakes recruit Training Command. Graduation had only been a short period before that date, and I was very busy for those few days tying up loose ends before […]