Military Philosophy

As time passes on, and people move from unit to unit, you begin to realize how much each experience is different and also precious in its own way.

By Denny Shannon, Sergeant E-4, US Army Looking back on my deployment in Vietnam, I recall the practical challenges, especially for those managing responsibilities at home. Long-distance relationships often deteriorated under the strain, regardless of how solid marriages seemed prior to deployment. Issues like infidelity and loneliness were persistent threats; I regularly advised comrades to utilize official resources rather than risking complications elsewhere. Handling fi

The dryer buzzer went off for the third time tonight. I let it go—again—because wrinkled pajamas never hurt anyone, and I was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at my phone, waiting for it to light up. Eleven minutes to Valentine’s Day. 7,214 miles between us. I’d looked it up. Twice. The house was finally quiet, which with 5 children is less a daily occurrence and more a minor act of God.

It doesn’t matter what you do or where you go, a veteran can spot a Brother or Sister in Arms a mile away as well as a “shammer” or fake with ease. It is just in our blood.

Recently, six currently serving US Senators, all Democrats, including retired Navy Captain Mark Kelly from Arizona, released a video addressing the military community. In the video, they emphasized that service members should not obey any illegal orders from their leaders. This principle is universally understood—illegal orders should never be obeyed. However, it is worth noting that those who refused to comply with the order to receive untested COVID shots faced punishment