We moved to the Youngsville, NC area almost 6 years ago, to a nice quiet rural town that was close enough to the bigger cities, but far away enough to still retain that Southern country atmosphere. One of the best things about living here at that time was the way one could drive around in the area and miss the big highways with its semis, dump trucks, and other assorted traffic-accident magnets.
We really enjoyed the wooded back roads. In the fall, the leaves were brilliant with all kinds of color. If one knew how to navigate the by-ways, a whole afternoon could be spent on a Sunday just driving without the sound of very loud mufflers, and honking horns.
Fast forward to 2024, 2025. It seems that there isn't one single country road that hasn't been torn up by heavy trucks hauling trees to the mills. And the countryside has pretty much been devastated by developers hoping to cash in on the (so-called) housing shortage. New housing areas pop up faster than gasoline prices -- overnight developments grow quickly, but the infrastructure to service them often lags way behind. New roads are planned, but just never seem to get built, so the two-lane road net still services areas where hundreds of new homes just appear. And with each house, apartment or condo, there are usually 2 to 6 cars parked somewhere (other than in the garage that is usually full of boxes and "stuff").
One of our favorite drives between Youngsville and Wake Forest just disappeared in about a two month period. Now all that is left in one area is this Charlie Brown tree and a field of stumps.
I guess I shouldn't be too critical though, because I'm sure developers had to clear out land where our subdivision was built. I'm just glad I wasn't here to see that take place.
So, my wife and I took a week to travel back to Ohio about a month ago. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but when we got back, another wooded tract of land near our house looked like a tornado had gone through there. I was told that there will be close to 600 housing units there, a few retail stores, a new high school and (maybe) some new roads.
Can't wait. Ughhhh...
Hooah
Well, this past week we took our annual road trip to Ohio. These are always fun, pretty tiring, but they generate lots of memories -- enough to hold us over for a little while. So, I'm going to just give you some highlights of the trip. Here goes:
1. This time, since it was summer and light a lot longer, we decided to make the drive each way in just one day. It was only 9.5 hours and a pretty easy trip. Only got into construction one time and that was only a slow-down for about 10 min. or so. Pam packed snacks so we didn't have to spend too much time stopping to eat. Saved on two nights of motels, and made each trip on one tank of gas each way. Prices for fuel ranged from $2.31 in Sidney, to $3.19 on the WVa turnpike. The Jeep has great range so those savings were good.
2. After getting in and settled, we were able to visit with our old neighbors. It was Jim's birthday so we bought an ice cream cake at the DQ located next to our motel and had a nice celebration. Amanda and two of his boys (Carter and Dylan) helped us sing his praises.
3. On Friday, we were able to visit an old WWII friend of ours...99 years old and still living at home. It was really good to see him again. Looking pretty good, Warren.
5. Pam was able to spend some time with a couple of her friends - had dinner with her friend, Wannie and breakfast with her friend, Paula. She also got to spend a good part of Thursday with her sister-in-law, Mary, in Lima. You can always talk to people over the phone or text back and forth, but actually sitting down to a meal with them or visiting them in their home is special -- especially when it only happens maybe once a year.
6. My visits with friends consisted of playing golf on Thursday morning with a bunch of guys from Anna. These are the guys who will be coming down for the "Man Trip" later in September. I was hoping to show them how my golf game had improved while playing down here. Unfortunately, I had a 7 on the first hole and couldn't get it together after that (shot 104). That might not be all that bad though. On courses I play here, I have a 24.6 handicap and when I put that on the table at our Man Trip I'm sure they will squawk. I'll just remind them of my round with them in June.
7. Later that night, I went to the Sidney Veteran's Center for our annual euchre night. Each time I'm back in Ohio, three of the finest Veterans you would ever want to meet, get together with me and we play euchre, drink a few beers and sell a lot of "wolf tickets" ("wolf tickets" are civilized versions of military tall tales). We have lots of fun, and there is also some rivalry in this as two of the guys are Marines and two of us are Army. The Army guys have won the last two years so that doesn't set too well with the Marines. (Just kidding -- it's all good fun. Besides, we have their $0.55. Big stakes, huh.).
8. A couple of observations:
a. Streets in Sidney have to be the worst.
b. Troy is one of the most beautiful cities I have seen in quite a while. They are really working hard at making that place something special. Good job, guys.
c. There should be some kind of law against having a book store across the street from a pizza place. I can't pass one by, especially since it is SO close. Somehow, I got out of there with only two books.
“Good friends listen to your adventures; best friends make them with you.”
Hooah
The biggest reason why we scheduled this road trip to Ohio at this time was because my sister's grand daughter was getting married and this would serve as an excellent reason to get the entire family on my side together for a while.
This wedding took place at a nature preserve near my sister's house. It was a very nice venue which featured an indoor/outdoor portion for things like weddings. The weather had been pretty wet for a couple of days, right up to the start of the wedding, but it all turned out for the best and everyone enjoyed the outdoor seating.
Overall, it was a good get-together and we got caught up on lots of things that were going on in everyone's lives. At one point, we had a "family" picture taken. We clean up pretty well, if I do say so myself.
a. I mentioned that we drove the trip in one day each way, 9.5 - 10 hours which was really pretty easy with longer sunlight. But I looked at the mileage the other day when we got back and saw that the trip totaled 1,510.9 miles (up, back and running around while up there) (total mpg was 26.7 for the whole trip).
b. Today I went to breakfast with some men from our men's group and happened to notice that the odometer had an interesting number in the display. Check this out. Looked like a picket fence. The Jeep is a 2019, so that means roughly 15,873 miles per year so far.
d. Next trip(s) will come some time in August. Going to celebrate our wedding anniversary again at Kitty Hawk. We really like doing that.
To Megan and Hunter, we wish you all the best on your new chapter together. May it be filled with love, laughter and adventure.
Once a couple gets married, "What's for dinner?" won't be the hardest question you'll ever ask each other.
Hooah
I don't usually do this, but I question the intelligence, motive, insanity...whatever ... of a governor's veto of a bill that would prohibit the Chinese government (thru proxies) from buying up land immediately next to or in close proximity to strategic US facilities like military bases, nuclear power plants and other critical manufacturing facilities. Absolutely unbelievable.
Boy does this remind me of being at Ft. Chaffee one afternoon completing a land nav. course. Only thing missing from this picture is the CSM shooting his .45 at a couple of cottenmouths checking him out. What a day!!
(P.S. He wasn't even close to them -- he was running out of the water too fast to get a good sight picture!!) 🤣😂
Hooah
So on this day and many others, I pray for Joe, Frank and Walter and think of what is, what was, and what never came about. May they all three rest in peace.
Joe and Frank were truly shining stars in my eyes; but Walter's light was snuffed out much too soon.
Hooah
Hooah
This is the second of three videos I am posting regarding Memorial Day where we honor and remember those who gave their life in the service to our country.
“Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” (Franklin D. Roosevelt)
Hooah
“A mother is clothed with strength and dignity, laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks her words are wise and she gives instructions with kindness.” – Proverbs
Hooah
Memorial Day is later this month, so I'm going to post a few videos that will help us to remember what this is all about. Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for honoring and mourning the military personnel who had died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Hooah
The list of 23 things is prefaced with a short lead-in paragraph that says in most Veteran's closets one is likely to find an old uniform or two (guilty), some dirty caps (guilty), a stack of medical, training, and discharge records (guilty - they always told us to never lose any of these), and some old ribbons and/or medals (guilty). It seems she got me on all of these and I know several of my Vet friends who would also fit this bill (right Dave and Dave!).
So, what about the list of 23? Well, I am certainly guilty of the following on the list:
#2 (bad knees) (Way worse now in 2025)
#3 (the misguided idea that ibuprofen and fresh socks will cure anything) (I would add that rubbing a little dirt on it will fix it). (Thinking about buying stock in Advil)
#4 (Tinnitis) (On my second set of hearing aids, have a VA disability rating for this, the tinnitis is now coming in in high-def-stereo!)
#5 (The ability to sleep anywhere) (I would add - at any time). (These two still very accurate)
#7 (Old combat boots) (Still have two pairs up in the attic ... you never know )
#9 (Issues with authority figures) (Not so much now though).
#10 (back pain) (Yep - still have this...some might even say I'm trending toward a pain in the back- side)
#12 (a woobie that has seen better days)
#20 (sleep apnea) (Maybe)
#23 (a deeply stained coffee mug that I tell everyone is just now "seasoned").
Any Vets checking this post out will undoubtedly agree with these and have a few of their own to add to the list. Some of my additions would be:
- a strong urge to eat at all times of the day (not much, but more like "grazing") (this goes with #5 above because in the service you never knew when you would get time to do this again). (This might be getting a bit worse with getting older).
- a lot of Vets I know have a strange habit of blowing their nose in the shower (I don't know why, we just do it). (yep)
- becoming irate upon seeing cigarette butts on the ground. (Not so much now. Fewer smokers 😌)
- the breakfast of champions is really a Snickers bar and a diet Coke. (Great lunch on the golf course)
- orange Gatorade is best !
- telling and retelling stories from service days (never around non-service people, but always with service buds or "those who were there.") (Yep - still do some of this, but not too much)
- and finally, a deep sense of pride for our service (a pride that lots of people will never understand). (Always feel a sense of pride for having served and served with such GREAT patriots!!)
So, thanks Sarah for this article. It brought back some good, old memories. It also sent me back to the closet to check on those old uniforms!!
Real heroes don't wear capes, they wear dog tags.
Hooah
While shopping the other day, I received a quarter in change after paying my bill. It was a fairy new quarter (2024) and featured a lady on the back -- Patsy Mink Takemoto. I was not familiar with this woman, so I looked her up on Google. It seems that she was from Hawaii and served in the US House of Representatives for 24 years. She was a democrat, and the first "woman of color and the first Asian-American elected to congress."
OK. That's cool. But then I noticed something -- the Google write-up said she was known as a champion for "women's rights and education." I also noticed on the coin that the paper she is holding has a reference to Title IX.
She died in 2002. If she were alive and serving today, would she have toed the line with others of her party just because she was told to do so? Would she have abandoned her Title IX beliefs of equal opportunity for girls and women to compete fairly only with other girls and women? Guess we'll never know.
Ms. Takemoto is long since gone, but the answer to my question isn't.
Follow the science.
Hooah
Well, the sun is going down, the Reds just gave up an 11-run inning to the A's (after they were leading 7-2 - - aren't spring training games just the greatest) and I got a decent round of golf in today (decent for an old guy). So what is it that's on my mind? Well, just a few things...
1. A few weeks ago, my grandsons, who are both Boy Scouts, had a weekend camping outing. This particular one was really special for me because one of the training events on tap for the weekend was their shooting qualifications for merit badges. This wasn't a big deal for Q as he is pretty comfortable with shotguns. He shoots trap and has earned his merit badges and an NRA badge that he can wear on his scouting vest. In fact, he now owns the all-time marksmanship accuracy record for his troop in his trap shooting. He said he hit 49 out of 50 clay birds. Pretty good.
2. The other really cool thing was the younger grandson, H, earned his merit badge with the .22 rifle. This was clearly a remarkable accomplishment because he was really apprehensive about guns. He, Q and I went to the range a couple of weeks before the camp-out and we (Q and I) worked with him shooting the .22 (loading, maintaining a sight picture, breathing, pulling the trigger as opposed to jerking it, etc.). I saw his targets pinned up on his bulletin board in his bedroom. I was proud of him, Q was proud of his little brother, and I think H was pretty proud of himself.
3. One of the things that has come out this time of year is the Southern pine pollen and the trees are full of those yellow pods, just waiting to release that sinus-killing powder. When I lived in Ohio, I don't recall having an issue with pollen, but boy do I have an issue with it.
4. BUT -- it may not be for long, as it seems all they know how to do down here these days is cut down trees to clear land for housing developments.
Every week sees a new plot of pines cut down. When we moved here, there were trees everywhere and the forests really made this area special. Not so much now. In fact, if things keep going as they are now, the town of Wake Forest will soon just be called Wake as there will be no more Forests. I have never been classified as a tree-hugger, but some of these places look pretty bare. If they were just harvesting trees, that would be one thing, but they are putting up condos all over the place. Where are all of these people coming from, and why are they coming here.
Just one question for the town planners -- When is enough enough?
5. Oh well, there's nothing I can do about all of that. So I'm concentrating on something I can influence. Have to start getting ready for the 17th Annual Man Trip coming up in September. After looking at this clip, I think it's a good thing I've started already.
6. Well, one last thing. The trees and flowers are starting to come out this week. Really looks nice.
So that it for now. Gotta go clean my clubs.Spring: The season where the grass grows faster than your weekend plans. (Anon)
Hooah
My old CSM, (CSM Dave B. Ret.), sent me a whole shoe box of old pictures from our Army days together. I spent an afternoon going thru them, and stopped when I came across this one. This is one of those pictures that unlocked my memory bank and flooded me with story after story.
Below is a picture of the MP battalion I had the privilege of commanding for 4 years (1994-1998). Due to the perspective of the picture, you don't see the whole battalion, but if my memory serves me well, there could have been about 425-450 troops in this formation (The battalion consisted of the Headquarters Company and 3 subordinate companies.). During my command time, we were required to go maintain our "present for duty" strength at 125% of authorized strength. That's a lot of military word salad meaning we had a whole lot of people in our units. Most other units in the MP Corps were hanging tough at 100-125 Soldiers.
Maintaining those strength levels was quite a challenge. The command staff did a terrific job of supervising all of the "stuff" needed to field a unit of this size. We also had some of the best NCOs whose job it was to train the Soldiers, maintain acceptable logistical levels, feed and pay them. Training was always my number 1 job and I often got in trouble with my superiors who thought there were other priorities that needed more attention. It all worked out. Our subordinate companies were also top notch. I'm sure others may take exception to this, but I don't know if there was a better collection of officers and NCOs, civilian techs and full-time AGRs in the USAR.
During those 4 years, there were some unbelievable stories generated and we had some "unique" characters in the battalion. We had great fun at our Dinings-Out and family days, and our Muta-5s and Muta-6s in the field were outstanding (even the ones in blinding snow storms).
Well, so much for that. I think there will be some other stories in that old shoe box and I can hardly wait to see what the CSM sent me.
Hooah
"Once you've seen there is another perspective, you can never not see that there's another point of view." (Ellen Langer)
Hooah
February 23, 1945.
Does that date ring a bell? I think it does for a lot of Marines -- it was the day that the US Flag was raised on Iwo Jima in World War II.
Three divisions of Marines (about 10,000 troops per division) landed on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945 and gradually fought their way inland.They faced heavy resistance, but captured the island on February 23 and succeeded in raising the flag on top of Mount Suribachi. True, this was only the capture of the southern tip of the island and the Marines continued the fight, often foot at a time, until the island was finally secured. Approximately 20,000 Japanese soldiers were killed in this fight, and the Marines suffered 6,000 killed and approximately 25,000 wounded.
So what did I mean by this being ironic? Well, guess who owns the island today -- of course -- Japan. It was returned to the Japanese in 1968 by Lyndon Johnson as a gesture of good will.
It is pretty much a closed island today and Americans can only visit the island as part of a scheduled tour. Japan is looking to return it to its ancient fishing village heritage.
"There’s something ironic about war. You’re willing to give your life to fight for something you cannot own and may not even understand."
Hooah
