Do you have an episode, or experience, in your life you seldom, or never, share in public? For reasons I can't quite nail down yet, I felt compelled recently to share one such episode from my life. And, lo and behold, the world did not implode. It kept spinning, and I kept going, and very … Continue reading Be present. Be compassionate. Be the presence of life.
Navy
For a love that transcends life…
This column originally published on Nov. 22, 2019, one day after a training mishap at Vance Air Force Base claimed the lives of Lt. Col. John “Matt” Kincade, 47, an instructor pilot assigned to the 5th Flying Training Squadron, survived by his wife and two sons, and 2nd Lt. Travis B. Wilkie, 23, a student … Continue reading For a love that transcends life…
Our resolute response to threats and violence: we publish
Five journalists in Annapolis, Md. lost their lives Thursday, victims of another angry man who felt entitled to settle his grievances with a gun. The events preceding and following their tragic deaths are concerning and inspiring — underscoring the toxicity of discourse and disagreement in America today; but also the resolve of journalists to uphold … Continue reading Our resolute response to threats and violence: we publish
Check your benefits
Enid, Okla. -- There are more than 21 million veterans — including more than 312,000 in Oklahoma — living in the United States, according to 2014 U.S. Census Bureau figures. About 20 percent of those veterans suffer from some form of disability due to injuries or environmental exposure incurred while in the military, and about … Continue reading Check your benefits
Blue Water Navy Vets
During 10 years of the war in Vietnam the United States sprayed approximately 20 million gallons of Agent Orange over Indochina. In 1991 Congress approved the Agent Orange Act of 1991 to provide full medical coverage for Vietnam veterans suffering from a litany of chronic diseases related to Agent Orange exposure. In 2002 the VA … Continue reading Blue Water Navy Vets
9/11: Daring to dream of a better world
This post is a transcript of an address I gave this morning at my daughter's school, Emerson Middle School in Enid, Okla. I was reluctant to speak on this topic, but the topics we're reluctant to face are the ones we must face. I pray my words had some meaning for them, and that they … Continue reading 9/11: Daring to dream of a better world