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davidegrogan

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Posts by David Grogan:

Female chief petty officer in dress blue uniform and cover

Chief Michelle Ramlow, U.S. Navy (Retired) – Service When It Counts: Desert Storm, the Pentagon on 9/11, and Kuwait

The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, mark a defining moment in U.S. history. Many Americans remember exactly where they were and what they were doing when they learned of the attacks. Yeoman Chief Petty Officer Michelle Ramlow, U.S. Navy (Retired), has had many such defining moments. Not only did she survive the September 11 attack on the Pentagon, but she also deployed on a ship as part of Operation Desert Storm and served in Kuwait during the Iraq War. Throughout these events, and at all times in between, Michelle served with distinction and proudly carried on her family’s tradition of military service.

Ken Ash Official Photo - Featured Image

Technical Sergeant Kenneth Ash, U.S. Air Force (Retired) – Twenty Years of Keeping B-52s Flying

Some people come to critical decision points in their lives and wait for the Fates to make the decisions for them. Others, like Technical Sergeant Kenneth Ash, U.S. Air Force (Retired), make the hard choices themselves and chart their own paths, unwilling to leave their futures to chance. Ken joined the Air Force in 1967 rather than waiting to be drafted, beginning a journey of service that lasted twenty years. Although he had no way of knowing where his journey would ultimately take him, he knew with certainty his choice was the right one for him at the time.

Cover of Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman

Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman

I listened to Waiting for Eden by Elliot Ackerman while on a long drive. It’s perfect for the car because it’s only three hours and twenty-seven minutes long. More important, it’s absolutely riveting. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately followed it up with a second Elliot Ackerman book. I’ll talk about that book […]

Master Sergeant Shawn Miller - Featured Image

Master Sergeant Shawn Miller, U.S. Air Force (Retired) – Serving in the Iraq War and Across the Globe

When we make choices in life, we have no way of knowing how they will play out. A door that opens to paths in one direction may foreclose others and lead us to places we could not possibly have foreseen. When Master Sergeant Shawn Miller joined the Air Force, he had never even flown in an airplane before. Twenty-three years later, he’d served in far-off places around the world doing everything from refueling aircraft in the Honduran jungle to collecting intelligence in war-torn Iraq. Few can match the breadth and variety of his experience, which included investigating murder cases and augmenting presidential security teams. All this stemmed from his single decision to join the Air Force in 1991.

A male U.S. Air Force major in uniform

Major Richard N. Walker, U.S. Air Force (Retired) – Engineering the Cutting Edge of Flight

The U.S. military requires many people with varying talents to sustain its position as the greatest fighting force on Earth. In addition to the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines engaging with the enemy on the field of battle, it needs countless others in support roles giving those on the front lines what they need to fight and win. It needs cooks and bakers, mechanics and builders, doctors and nurses, truck drivers and training instructors, just to name a few. Another key role is that of the engineer who helps design, develop, test, produce, and provide the technology the warfighters need to do their jobs. That is where Major Richard N. Walker, U.S. Air Force (Retired), steps in. His work over two decades in uniform has given U.S. forces a decisive edge in both combat and the deterrence of war. He is one of the unsung heroes in the success of the U.S. military.

Cover to the book The Hero Code

The Hero Code by Admiral William H. McRaven, U.S. Navy (Retired)

The Hero Code by Admiral William H. McRaven, U.S. Navy (Retired), is an absolute must-read. After a brief introduction, Admiral McRaven sets out ten character traits that describe what it takes to be heroic. He illustrates the traits with real people, some famous and some not. Two of my favorites were Gary Sinise illustrating compassion […]

Female U.S. Army soldier in uniform

Second Lieutenant Bonita Trams, U.S. Army – Operation Babylift Restores Hope

When a young person signs up for the military, they never know what opportunities or hardships lie ahead. Of course, they know basic training will be difficult, but beyond that, their lives depend upon their specific jobs, the places they are assigned, the situations they are placed in, and the people they work with. These factors combined to bring both trauma and triumph to Second Lieutenant Bonita Trams during her ten-year military career. Throughout it all, Bonita remained committed to her dream of serving as an Army nurse and speaking out for the children she was assigned to protect.

U.S. Navy Sailor

BMC Frank Tyree – Twenty Years in the Navy: From Yankee Station to the Persian Gulf

Navy sailors serve in hotspots around the world. When tense situations develop, one of the first questions on the president’s mind is, “Where are the Navy’s aircraft carriers?” In 1972, when the president needed the Navy to help stop the North Vietnamese Easter Offensive during the Vietnam War, Boatswain’s Mate Chief Frank Tyree, U.S. Navy (Retired), answered the call onboard the aircraft carrier USS Midway (CV-41). He answered the call many more times over the course of his long career, going wherever and whenever the Navy needed him. Yet the Navy is only one aspect of Frank’s public service—he continues to help those in need even today.

Chaplain, Colonel, Marion Reynolds, U.S. Air Force (Retired), saluting at his retirement ceremony

Chaplain, Colonel, Marion Reynolds, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) – Faithfully Serving Those Who Serve

Long deployments, work with nuclear weapons, the burden of killing or being killed, and a host of other factors combine to place unique pressures on military members. Fortunately, people like Chaplain, Colonel, Marion Reynolds, U.S. Air Force (Retired), feel called by their faith in God to help military members and their families cope with their stress. After serving five years as an enlisted airman, Marion served for twenty-three years as a chaplain, reaching out to airmen where they needed him most. He met with them at the alert facility as they waited for orders on what could be one-way missions. He spoke to them in silos with nuclear-equipped missiles standing at the ready just a few feet away. He consoled them at isolated duty stations around the world whenever they received bad news from home. And, most importantly, he walked in their shoes.

Female U.S. Army soldier in uniform

Specialist Stacy Breithaupt, U.S. Army – Treating Soldiers and Detainees – A Combat Medic’s Story

Military members sign up to serve in whatever capacity their talents allow. Specialist Stacy Breithaupt knew early on she had an aptitude for healthcare, so it was only natural she became a combat medic. Soon she found herself treating soldiers and their families both in the United States and abroad. Then, in 2005, she deployed to Iraq working with detainees at the mammoth insurgent detention center at Camp Bucca. Less than one year later, it would be Stacy on the receiving end of medical care.

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