Tag Archives: Enlisted

Hero’s Journey Home Step 3: The Call to Adventure

Posted on June 25, 2019 by psessum

By Peter Sessum Week three of the Hero’s Journey Home project. The process remains more of dipping a toe into the process rather than jumping into the deep end. Last week, we talked about what was our call to adventure. … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Army, Enlisted, Hero's Journey, Joseph Campbell, Military, The Call to Adventure, The hero's journey, the hero's journey home, therapy, Veteran, Veterans, Veterans Affairs | Leave a comment

Hero’s Journey Home Step 2: The Beginning

Posted on June 17, 2019 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum There is a feeling of déjà vu as I write this because I initially started the Hero’s Journey program two years ago. Unfortunately, at the time, life got in the way. I was able to complete all … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Army, Call to adventure, Enlisted, Hero's Journey, Joining the military, Joseph Campbell, Military, The hero's journey, the hero's journey home, therapy, veteran support, Veterans, Veterans Affairs, Why I joined | Leave a comment

You fight on your terms but you win on their terms

Posted on May 4, 2017 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum Why did the U.S. win WWII? it wasn’t because we coordinated with the Soviets to overrun Berlin or we dropped a couple atom bombs over Japan. That is how we fought the war, we won because both Germany and Japan surrendered. That is … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Army, current-events, dogtag chronicles, Enlisted, Fight on your terms, Life Skills, Military, Military leadership, North Korea, North Korea Tunnel, Officers, politics, Special Forces, Veterans, Vets, win on their terms, WWII, Zombies | Leave a comment

Sometimes the military does some good

Posted on February 4, 2017 by psessum

BY: Peter Sessum Every veteran I know has stories about discussions with young, idealistic civilians that didn’t go well. At some point we have all been lectured about all the babies that we are killing, all the countries we are invading … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, So There I Was | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, Army, Civilian, Combat Zone, dogtag chronicles, Enlisted, Grunt, Hearts and Minds, Infantry, Kandahar, Life Skills, Military, Mission, My Deployment, OEF, Operation Enduring Freedom, PSYOP, reconstruction, So There I Was, Taliban, Veterans, Village | Leave a comment

Random Memory: The Power of the Sham Shield

Posted on November 6, 2015 by psessum

By Peter Sessum A recent post on social media about the attitudes of the enlisted ranks in the Army prompted me to write this. The breakdown of ranks were pretty accurate but I thought the Specialist one was too limiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge, Military Leadership, Random Memories | Tagged AR 670-1, Army, CSM, dogtag chronicles, E-4, E4, Enlisted, Experiences, Germany, Leadership, Life Skills, Management, Military, Military leadership, Rank, Rnadom Memory, Sergeant Major, Sham Shield, So There I Was, Spec-4 Mafia, Specialist, Veterans, Vets | Leave a comment

You Can’t Cherry Pick Your Oath

Posted on September 30, 2015 by psessum

By Peter Sessum I was really hoping to let this die, but since Kim Davis is back in the news I just have to vent a little about the situation. What drives me crazy is how she disagrees with part … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged 5-20 INF, 5/20 INF, Army, current-events, Ehren Watada, Enlisted, Germany, Iraq War, Iraw, JBLM, John Boehner, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Lawful Order, Lt Watada, Macedonia, Michael New, Oath, Oath of Enlistment, refusing an order, Soldier, UCMJ | 1 Comment

Random Memory: Sledding in Bosnia

Posted on July 16, 2015 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum I started the Dogtag Chronicles because of experiences I had on campus at the University of Washington. Too many people seemed to think people in the military are a bunch of clone troopers waiting to be sent … Continue reading →

Posted in Random Memories, So There I Was | Tagged 1-26 INF, Army, Big Red One, Blue Spaders, Bosnia, Camp Dobol, Deployment, dogtag chronicles, Enlisted, Experiences, FOB, Grunt, IFOR, Infantry, Life Skills, Military, Mortars, Mount Vis, My Deployment, NATO, Operation Joint Endeavor, POG, SFOR, So There I Was, University of Washington | Leave a comment

The flag is more than piece of cloth whether you like it or not

Posted on April 23, 2015 by psessum

By Peter Sessum The American flag has been in the news a lot lately. Last month, a photographer took a picture of a baby being cradled in an American flag being held by a person in a Navy uniform and … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Kicking Some Knowledge | Tagged Air Force, American Flag, Army, current-events, Enlisted, Flag Code, Military, Navy, politics, protest, Sailor, Soldier, UC Irvine, US Flag, Veterans, Vets | 2 Comments

Bergdahl Deserves a Trial not a Another Promotion

Posted on June 3, 2014 by psessum

By: Peter Sessum There are a lot of unknowns surrounding the disappearance, capture and finally the release of Bowe Bergdahl but one thing that isn’t in question is his rank. It is a minor issue but now that there are … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged Afghanistan, Army, Bergdahl, Bowe Bergdahl, Combat Zone, current-events, dogtag chronicles, Enlisted, Military, Military Promotions, Promotion, Promotion board, Sergeant, SGT Bowe Bergdahl | 1 Comment

My Experience with “Toxic Leadership”

Posted on February 16, 2014 by Archie

By: Matt Archibald Recently the media has been paying attention to the issue of “Toxic Leadership” within the military. An article in the Washington Post cited several examples involving verbally-abusive generals, DoD Senior Executives, and various other examples. However, … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Military Leadership | Tagged Afghan, Afghanistan, British Army, British soldier, Canada, Canadian Army, Combat Zone, Corporal Neathway, current-events, Daily Mail, dogtag chronicles, Enlisted, Experiences, Helmand, Helmand Province, Leadership, Military, Military leadership, NCO, Parachute Regiment, Regimental Sergeant Major, Toxic leadership, Veterans, Vets, Wounded warrior | 1 Comment