I've been blogging less so I've been writing less. I mean that I've been posting just to post and not writing things out as much as I'd like. That will change as soon as my life slows down. I have a minute now, and I'd like to spend it with you.

Here we are a year after the Iraq war started and a lot of things have happened since. Our soldiers and sailors are currently fighting in Fallujah and getting ready to let loose in Najaf. These guys and girls are the front line in a war that will take a decade or more. Retention is up, which of course makes me extremely proud. These folks are staying in an unthinkably trying situation, and as I'd have felt, proud to do it. Are you proud of these service people? I mean, are you really proud or just mouthing the words?

I've been there. I was on a ship for six months from San Diego to Hawaii to Okinawa to Hong Kong to Singapore to Malaysia to the Persian Gulf to Somalia to Kenya, back to Singapore to Bali to Australia to Papua New Guinea...You get the point. 180 days at sea with 36 days in port. Of those 36 days, 1/3 was spent on duty, which means not leaving the ship. 24 days of freedom in between 18 hour workdays. I didn't mind as I recall. Of course that was roughly twelve years ago, and my memories might be duller. I missed my beautiful wife desperately, but I was serving my country and defending the US. Sounds pretty corny, huh? I don't care. I miss wearing the uniform and the camaraderie, I miss the feeling of looking at the good ship Schenectady and thinking that was my ship. I can't explain it to you in a way that would sound coherent.

I salute the men and women out on the front lines and in the rear supporting them. These people are fighting the battle of our generation. Is it as important as WW II? Most definitely. This is the true war to end all wars. If we fail, the world will suffer a drastic change. If we succeed, regardless of what allies are with us, the world will be a better, safer place. Americans are blessed with short memories in alot of cases, we tend to forgive people quickly. We have long memories, however, when we think of Vietnam. As a country, we've got to get over the Vietnam syndrome. I think a Kerry trouncing will go far in this respect.

Suck it up folks, it's going to be a bumpy ride for the next few years. I have no idea how history will look back on this period. I suspect that it will be the 9/11 era or something to that effect. Will Bush be remembered as a great President? I don't know. I do believe he's the right man for this moment and that a Kerry presidency would be catastrophic.

Well, enough this evening, thanks for reading this idiots drivel.