Author Archives: psessum

Why Booms are Bad

Posted on August 1, 2013 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum As the fireworks were going off around the neighborhood right before the Fourth of July I was asked if they bothered me and I had to think about it for a minute. I can honestly say that … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Army, Combat Zone, dust on my boots, Experiences, featured, Fireworks, FOB, Fourth of July, Grunt, IED, July 4th, Life Skills, Marines, Military, mortar, My Deployment, POG, PTSD, rocket, rocket attack, So There I Was, Soldier, suicide bomber, SVBIED, Training, transportation, VBIED, Veterans, Vets, vietnam vet | Leave a comment

Wearing Camouflage After 1700

Posted on June 14, 2013 by psessum

So there I was, in Germany, no shit. As soon as we were released the married guys would ghost and the single guys would haul ass back to the barracks. When we would get into the room we would drop … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, So There I Was | Tagged Army, Cammies, Cammo, Camouflage, Chow, civies, Experiences, Germany, Grunt, Hey you, hey you detail, infantry battalion, lifer, mechanized infantry, Mortar platoon, Mortars, So There I Was, Veterans, Vets | 1 Comment

The Honor is in the Serving, Not the Dying

Posted on March 22, 2013 by psessum

For obvious reasons I am connected to a number of military and veteran blogs and social media profiles and lately I have found a disturbing trend. Too many people glorify dying for their country or the desire to do so. … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged Afghanistan, Air Force, Army, Combat Zone, Fallen, Marines, Military, Navy, politics, Remember the Fallen, Sailor, Soldier, Veterans | 2 Comments

The Day I Quit Airborne School

Posted on January 11, 2013 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum I am very much against Stolen Valor, heck, I have written about it, and here I stand, a fake, a phony a charlatan. Airborne School can be tough and you can quit at any point. But if … Continue reading →

Posted in Kicking Some Knowledge, So There I Was | Tagged Airborne, Airborne School, Army, C130, Enlisted, Experiences, Fort Benning, Fort Knox, Grunt, Infantry, Jump school, Military, paratrooper, Training | 21 Comments

The Story of Ervin Schmidt, Pearl Harbor Survivor

Posted on December 9, 2012 by psessum

Ervin Schmidt said they were just a couple good Christian boys on the way to church when the “Battle Stations” call went out. Schmidt and his friend, USS California shipmate Herbert Curtis, ran to the ship. It was Dec. 7, … Continue reading →

Posted in Real Heroes, So There I Was | Tagged 1941, Dec 7, Ervin Schmidt, Experiences, Greatest Generation, Irv Schmidt, Navy, Pearl Harbor, Sailor, So There I Was, USS California, WWII | Leave a comment

Hiring a Vet part 2: Working With Veterans

Posted on December 2, 2012 by psessum

Congrats, you hired a veteran. You have done more than just give a person a job, you have given back to a person that has given so much for their nation. While it can be difficult to join the military, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged current-events, Employing vets, Life Skills, Military, Soldier, Training, Veterans, Vets, workforce, Working With Vets | Leave a comment

Why Hire a Veteran Part 1: HR

Posted on November 19, 2012 by psessum

Many companies have a policy to try to hire veterans. Some do it for the good PR, some because they want to support the soldiers coming home and other just want to hire someone that is disciplined, hardworking and reliable. … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Air Force, Airman, Army, Combat Zone, current-events, Gomer, Grunt, Hiring, Marine, Military Appreciation, Navy, Navy SEAL, POG, Sailor, Soldier, Training, Vets | Leave a comment

Where were you on 9/11? Veteran’s Day Speech from a Former Naval Officer

Posted on September 11, 2012 by psessum

By: Allie Proff From a speech to Cedarcrest High School Students at the Veteran’s Day Assembly, November 2004 The first article from the Armed Forces Code of Conduct states, “I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my … Continue reading →

Posted in So There I Was | Tagged 2001, 9/11, 9/11/01, current-events, Experiences, Leadership, Military, My Deployment, Navy, New York, Officers, Sailor, So There I Was, Spet. 11, Veteran's Day, Veterans | 2 Comments

The Silence of the Lion

Posted on September 9, 2012 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum Eleven years ago there was a suicide attack that would have a major impact on world events. It was ordered by Osama Bin Laden and carried out by al-Qaeda operatives. It was Sept. 9, 2001 and took … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Real Heroes | Tagged 2001, 9/9/01, Afghan, Afghanistan, Ahmed Shah Massoud, al-Qaeda, Combat Zone, current-events, john o neill, Leadership, Massoud, Massoud Day, middle-east, Military, Osama bin Laden, Panjshir, Panjshir Valley, Russians, Sept. 9, Taliban, The Lion of Panjshir | 1 Comment

Cold War, Warm Hearts

Posted on August 17, 2012 by psessum

By Sean Peters Part I – Preparations This story takes place in 1989. Internally, the Soviet Union was not in such great shape, but from the outside looking in, it was still quite formidable. I was assigned to USS Brewton … Continue reading →

Posted in So There I Was | Tagged Cold War, Crossing the Line, Experiences, Hazing, May Day, Navy, Neptune, Officers, Polly wogs, Sailor, Secret, Shell backs, Soviets, Wogs | Leave a comment