Two years post retirement, I was sitting in the back of my drafting class listening to the young people. I couldn’t relate. What was important, perspective on current events, and the exploits of free time...

Leaves previously bipartisan- half green, half brown have mellowed to a beautiful gold....

Marines are obsessed with the Corps. We’re taught its birthday, history, its traditions (good, bad, spoken, and implied), and the basic skills to be a rudimentary rifleman before we ever learn our occupational specialty. “On...

Dirt comes off skin easy enough but memories are harder to scrub out than a blood stain. I don't believe I'm home....

The temperature is falling and cooler weather makes the tractor a hard start. Honestly I don’t know if it has glow plugs (there’s no light on the dash) but the dealer has a part number...

One the reasons I started Mental Grenade was to discuss the divide between the military and civilian communities. A communication gap exists that causes silence and/or misunderstandings. When someone finds out you’re a veteran, often...

Medication and counseling together were still not enough to address the wounds to my soul. ...

This is a story about hot sauce....

Before there was a veteran, a civilian existed. In a small city in southern Virginia, I was born into a strict household. My father was a veteran of the Air Force and my mother’s father...

Misty and I were at the grocery store a few days ago. I was wearing some camo pants and Ritter was with us so we were an easy veteran target. Browsing the aisle, our light...

I’ve been on the road the last month working with a few veteran nonprofits. Meeting amazing people and hearing their stories fuels my passion! There is a significant amount of work to catch up on...

You need to be real about the past. Don't sugar coat it....

In life, we often don't recognize the small irritants as a major hazard. We let them go, allowing them to wear us down or compromise our integrity. Who would guess such a small thing could...

Hey, I just heard one of your boys got wasted!” …Yeah, that’s the right way to tell someone. ...

We are dealing with issues of the HEART. Society is a collective but actions belong to an individual....