What you see depends on your perspective. My latest gig finds me back at my alma mater in Northwest Ohio and I’ve tried to get in the habit of walking along the Slippery Elm Trail every evening to both stretch the old leg muscles and clear my head. Along the way, I pass an obelisk. … Continue reading After I Day, some perspectives are forever changed

It’s Father’s Day season and this one strikes a little harder than some with my son preparing for an imminent deployment and my daughter neck-deep in summer training. The reminders are everywhere, from commercials touting tools and grills as gifts for dads to stores stocked with mugs proclaiming “#1 Dad” and “World’s Best Dad.” Perhaps … Continue reading Happy (Imperfect) Father’s Day

People who don't have children who are attending or have attended a military academy hear phrases like #YourMidIsMyMid and "USNA family" but they'll never truly understand. I've met USNA parents all across the country in random situations (airports, etc.) and there's an immediate connection, an understanding, a bond through our unique shared experience. That's why … Continue reading Another bright star extinguished in the sky

The calendar slipped into June, Commissioning Week memories are fading into legend, the Brigade jumped into Summer Training, and that means one thing. The Class of 2026 is on the clock for Induction Day. That means we say Welcome Aboard and in addition to Fair Winds and Following Seas, we offer them some advice. So … Continue reading June is here, welcome to the Class of 2026

While Susan Weisberg (the brilliant author of the Chester Midshipmouse books) and I were recording this year's Herndon Climb Playlist, she reminded us of the simple fact that the Midshipmen are training to become Naval and Marine Corps officers. Now that may sound rather simple, but it's easy to get swept up in the pageantry … Continue reading The leadership challenges that await