Veteran Talk – Twenty Years Later

(Niceville, Florida; 11 September 2021) – Twenty years ago today I was standing on the flight deck of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as we spun up the Tomcats of VF-213 for a routine day of flying over the Arabian Sea. One of our civilian tech reps had a small camera and waved to me, … Continue reading Veteran Talk – Twenty Years Later

Mental Health: Be kind, Be Patient, Be Courageous and Act

(Virginia Beach, Virginia; July 13, 20187) – This was not the column I had planned to write tonight. I’m back in Hampton Roads. Earlier today I was the master of ceremonies for a fellow Navy chief petty officer’s retirement ceremony. Currently I’m sitting in Barnes and Noble in Lynnhaven Mall. I’d hit up a young … Continue reading Mental Health: Be kind, Be Patient, Be Courageous and Act

Mental Health – Depression

(Nov. 19, 2017) - This will be brief. It’s late and I’m tired and soul-sick. Nothing bad has happened. I’m at my parents’ house in Niceville, Florida (yes, Niceville) following my retirement from the Navy. I’m between jobs at the moment and planning to do a massive road trip. But the upheavals I’ve experienced these … Continue reading Mental Health – Depression