An article in last Wednesday’s USA TODAY caught my attention because of its “military nature.” Actually, it didn’t just catch my attention. With its front page column titled “Military’s ‘senior mentors’ cashing in,” and another two-page spread on the inside, it jumped at me, grabbed and kept my undivided attention. The article dealt with what has apparently become common practice among high-ranking, retired military officers: Consulting for the Pentagon (“mentoring”),...

I have frequently written on patriotism, “supporting the troops,” the cost of war as measured in “bullets and dollars” and, most important, on the cost of war as measured by the sweat, blood, tears and lives of our valiant troops. This, while Americans back home are not asked to sacrifice in any meaningful manner, and are even encouraged to “go shopping.” My words, however, are woefully inadequate when compared to a powerful, heart-rending article that appears today in my hometown newspaper. The...

Over the weekend, I wrote a lighthearted piece on one of the ways the Aggies are preparing for the big Thanksgiving football game against their archrival, the University of Texas. Exactly 10 years ago tonight, the Aggies were also preparing for the game, when tragedy struck. One of the great traditions at Texas A& M—a 90-year-old tradition—has been to build a huge bonfire stack and to burn it a couple of days before the Thanksgiving game against the Longhorns. The burning of the...

There has been a lot of angst, criticism and just plain political hysteria surrounding the Obama administration’s decision to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the alleged 9/11 mastermind, and other terrorists, in a federal civilian court, just blocks from Ground Zero. I will be the last one to pass judgment on the emotions and feelings—pro or con this decision—of relatives and friends of New York’s 9/11 victims and of New Yorkers. Nor will I pass judgment at this time on the administration’s...

Some feel that those who did not support the invasion and occupation of Iraq do not support the troops. It is my conviction that supporting the troops is more than just supporting a war. There are millions of Americans who do not support this or that war, but certainly respect, honor, love, and, yes, support the troops—not just through bumper stickers or yellow ribbons, but through concrete acts of charity, volunteerism and support for legislation beneficial to our troops and veterans. Some...

Well, Ok, yesterday the Longhorns got lucky, again, and beat the Baylor Bears 47-14. And yes, yesterday the Aggies happened to face some misfortune, again, and lost against the Oklahoma Sooners by a mere 55 points. (My local newspaper said something about “atrocious,” but what do they know.) While for some reason, the Aggies don’t appear in the Top 25 rankings this week, I understand that Texas does—somewhere around # 2, or so. I also understand that the Longhorns are 10-0...

As a little boy, I used to crawl on the floor for hours setting up dozens of dominoes in various patterns, only to topple them down—and doing it over and over again. Well, the Dutch have taken this pastime to new levels. Today, “Domino Day,” they set a new world record—again—for the most consecutive dominoes to fall in succession, using over 4.5 million dominoes in a fantastic array of displays, including the Statue of Liberty and “Yes We Can.” Thought...

I have consistently supported publicly honoring our fallen heroes—with the consent of family members—when they touch American soil for the last time at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. Much apprehension and controversy have surrounded this issue. Finally, this spring, the Obama administration implemented a similar policy as we have at Arlington National Cemetery which allows the family to decide whether to allow media coverage. The new policy permits the media to attend “dignified transfer”...

As is part of a great American tradition, a lot was said and written in honor of our veterans this past Veterans Day. And, as it has become customary during the past few years, a lot has also been said and written about our newest veterans, the troops who have served so honorably and bravely in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, as in past years, much has been said and written about “supporting the troops.” Many voice their support, and concern, for the troops by bemoaning the shortcomings and problems...

In his excellent post honoring our veterans, Jazz Shaw mentioned that “The debt we owe to our returning heroes runs much deeper than a free pass to Disneyland.” While we have come a long way in how we treat our veterans and in improving the benefits and services our veterans receive, especially under the leadership of Gen. Eric Shinseki, we still have a long way to go. In particular, as mentioned by Shaw, the number of homeless veterans is shocking and shameful. Today’s New York...

Tomorrow is Veterans Day. During the past few days I have been writing about the sacrifices made by and heroism exhibited by our veterans—both living and departed. We often forget, however, that many of the sacrifices made, heroism and patriotism displayed and just plain honorable service to our country is by men and women who at one time were not even permitted to legally serve, and who today can serve their country as long as they “don’t tell.” I am talking about the more than 12,000...

As the world celebrates the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Lech Walesa, the co-founder of Solidarnosc, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of Poland, wants to share in the celebration, the honor and the credit—and perhaps rightly so. Walesa was recently interviewed by Spiegel Online and says the collapse of communism really started in the Polish shipyards, in Gdansk. In the interview published today in the Dutch NRC Handelsblad, he is asked, “Are you looking...

Exactly 20 years ago today, the infamous Berlin Wall “came down.” It would still be weeks and months before the monstrous construction would be actually torn down. However, the symbolic, emotional—and practical—impacts of that night 20 years ago were real, are still with us and are vividly remembered. The following article appeared today in the Austin American-Statesman and has been slightly revised and expanded by the author. I had absolutely nothing to do with the fall...

This one needs no commentary. Just turn up the volume and open up your hearts.

This is the third in a series of articles honoring our Veterans on the occasion of the upcoming Veterans Day celebration. I have frequently written about the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military award for valor in combat, and about its recipients. This Veterans Day gives Americans another opportunity to remember and thank all those heroes who have received that hallowed award for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.” We should...

This is the second in a series of articles dedicated to our Veterans. According to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans Day is a day to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Of course, every man or woman who has honorably served our nation in the military is a patriot and is honored on Veterans Day. There are some who have gone that one step farther, who have done that one deed that is truly...

You know my penchant for using regular Americans’ letters to the editors of their hometown newspapers to make a point or to support a position or issue. Of course, such is not an entirely objective method, but what is, and who is…. Anyway, here are two gems from today’s Austin American-Statesman: Re: Oct. 29 article “Cheney will back Hutchison.” Former Vice President Dick Cheney endorsed U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Sarah Palin endorsed Gov. Rick Perry. Good...

November 11 is Veterans Day. A day—a celebration—to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. This is the first of three articles honoring those men and women. Two months ago, in “Leave No Man Behind—65 Years Later,” I praised the spirit and culture of our military as reflected in the creed that you don’t leave anyone behind—whether captured, injured or dead. I also acknowledged the risks...

I just finished reading a fantastic and timely book. Fantastic because of how the writer, Doug Stanton, brilliantly and in gritty, sometimes grisly detail describes the unprecedented actions of a band of American Special Forces heroes who rode into Afghanistan after 9/11 during the opening days of what is now the Afghanistan War. Timely, not necessarily because of what these magnificent men did on horseback in the mountains and the valleys of Afghanistan eight years ago, but because of the...

Two questions that come up when I write on the subject of our nation’s highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, are why it sometimes takes so long for the Medal to be awarded and whether an award can be “upgraded” to the Medal of Honor. (I use that term reluctantly because I don’t want to make awards and decorations for our brave troops sound like a product that can be improved—“upgraded.”) I am well aware of how long it can sometimes take for a hero to receive the Medal of...

Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés and I have been posting on a Texas criminal justice case that has now become an issue of national interest. It is the now infamous case of Todd Willingham who was executed almost six years ago for the 1991 arson related death of his three children at his home in Corsicana, Texas. The Texas Forensic Science Commission was reviewing the case and hired the noted fire scientist Craig Beyler to once again investigate the case The Texas Forensic Science Commission was established...

One doesn’t normally expect to find articles of an inspirational nature in an in-flight magazine. On a flight yesterday, I started my perfunctory flipping of pages of the “American Way” magazine, and there, tucked among descriptions of alluring vacation paradises, interesting travelogues and colorful promotions for fine dining and wining, were not one, but two gripping and inspiring stories about our wounded warriors. What stopped my page-flipping was a full page photo of a double amputee hand...

A few days ago, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés shared with us a letter from former president George H. W. Bush (#41) informing his “Fellow Members of the Texas A&M Family” of the gracious invitation he had extended to President Obama to come down to Aggie land to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bush’s “points of light” initiative, and to talk about “an issue that unites all Americans,” community service and its importance to our nation. Bush also said:...

You know me by now. I find that Letters to the Editor generally depict the unvarnished views of “regular” Americans, and I often use them support a particular point of view. Of course, these same letters can also express points of view that I do not agree with. I am sure that those who oppose my views can and will use those in order to support their views. Anyway, in the debate to eliminate discrimination in our armed forces based on sexual orientation, those who would like to retain...

I have always believed that if there is a clear and present danger to the security of the United States or an imminent attack, our country has every right to launch a preemptive military strike against the potential source of such a threat. Regrettable, such a valid doctrine, in my opinion, was adulterated by the previous administration. Early in his administration—and, yes, as a result of 9/11—Bush modified such a valid doctrine to one where the United Sates would have the right to...