Kemper Band of Brothers

Watched all the episodes of Band of Brothers again. The end always gets me as that is how I felt when I graduated from Kemper.

Looking at my Kemper family, it was true - how we lived our lives after Kemper was as varied as each man. We each had to rejoin the world as best we could. After 6 years, with the same people, at the same place, doing pretty much the same thing; when I left I make the reference that I was like a sailboat without a rudder. Not to mention, we all were shaped by our shared experiences. I cherish those memories, and not a day goes by that I don't think about someone or something relating to Kemper.

They say write what you are passionate about and that is why I write so much about Kemper.

We stood alone, together. We lucky few, we band of brothers.

Taps and Footloose

I was watching NCIS and they played taps for Gibbs' father. It took me back to hearing Bunch and Martin playing. I know I could pick out Bunch if he played them, I heard them so much. Also, he marched in front of me, so I am very familiar with his playing. Thinking of that takes me back, but also makes me a bit sad. At my funeral (far in the future) I won't hear him play for me; I don't deserve them as I never served. I just heard them played for 6 years-talk about comforting. Not to mention, playing with him and George and others was one of the finest times of my life.


Another thought; watched Footloose-the original, tonight. Talk about taking me back also. The movie and the music. There is just some music, you know? I just can't explain it accurately. It just takes me back and touches my soul and I just f e e l. You know?

Wildfire over regular radio

I was listening to "Wildfire" by Michael Martin Murphy and had a thought. I remember hearing this song a long time ago over the radio waves from either KAAY in Little Rock, Arkansas  or WLS from Chicago, Illinois. It was in my bedroom on the farm, at night and I was looking for a station to go to sleep with. I inherited this habit from father, as he would do the same thing. I finally got a station and this song was on. But what I remember was that other stations were pushing the signal around, so you would get some bleed over. And I remember hearing that when I heard this song.

Its those little things that make memories. It may not seem like much, or for that matter actually be something I want right now, but I am very glad for the memory I have with this song.

Writer's Digest, Soldier of Fortune magazine and me

My first magazine subscription was to Writer's Digest. I have/had always wanted to be a writer, don't ask me why. I think its because I tell things in stories. My mother said that they even put an old typewriter into my crib; I don't know why, but that's what she said.

After going to Kemper for a year I got a Soldier's of Fortune subscription. At Kemper, magazines, books went  through the companies like wild fire. If you were on O.D. duty there would be at least one or two magazines and probably some books in the desk to read as you pass the long nights on watch. I remember one particular book that I loved was called the City of the Chasch by Jack Vance. It wasn't until many, many years later I found there were three other books in that series. So comics such as The Warlord, and S.O.F. magazines were extremely popular

The Calvary store catalog was another that was worth it's weight there. Not only for our MS III & IV cadets but for the rest of us too. I know that's where I got better equipment than what I was issued; from boots to my crook neck flashlight, to a canteen cup. I wore out the boots and the flashlight but still have that canteen cup on my canteen.

At one time I had the complete collection of SOF as I bought all the back issues. But sadly, when my basement flooded, they were all lost. I have seen them in electronic format, but its not the same. I know that some of the SOFs I had were also handled by very old and dear friends from Kemper; some no longer with us.

As I near my 51st birthday I think back to these times. The memories keep me going and I just wish I could share them with someone special. But would that person fully understand or just smile and nod be polite and as understanding as they could from their point of view?

What was so great about having to sleep in full sweats with gloves and your hood up at night?  Or having, at times, very sub par food? Or cold showers or many other things? Why was it great? At the time, not a dam thing! But now, I know I can make it. I was talking with an Old Boy before my time. He said that after what he went through at Kemper, if he had gotten captured by the Vietnamese, he knew he could take what they dished out. The worst they could do was kill him. Kemper was an experience, even more so than basic or any other training. After Kemper, if you went into the military, you already knew the mind games. You already knew to keep your mouth shut and ears open. And that you were being built into a unit, so you helped others. The D.I.s saw that and could tell. It actually made their jobs a little easier as we had the experience. But it went beyond that.

There were cadets who had a parent on the east coast and another on the west coast so they stuck him in the middle. Birthdays, some holidays, these cadets had no one, outside your Kemper family. You could be hard on them one day and helping celebrate their birthday the next; possibly by either throwing them in the lake or the showers.

I spoke to a lady whose son had wanted to go to Kemper at one time. But he decided not to. I told her, its not for everyone, She knew, being former Army. But I don't think anyone knows, even former military, unless you went to a military school, and I am not talking about one of the service academies, but one that has stood the test of time, like Kemper did. VMI, NMI, the Citadel, Wentworth and others. These are the ones that help shape the cadets. You figure by the time someone is of legal age will be fairly molded; then they join the military. Basic is designed to break you down and rebuild you in that branches way. By going to a military school before that, that's already done.

Though I never wore anything but ROTC, I know that when I am part of an organization, I know what a unit is and to support it. If it is called for, I can step up to lead it. I also know many of my classmates and alumni also know that. So, by the time they hit military basic, that particular job is already done. Usually done by cadets under the age of 18. And they turn out to be assets and great leaders.

And no, just because someone went to a military school does not automatically  make them a great leader or a good person. I have also seen that some are beyond that. As I have always said, there are good and bad in all groups.

I am just extremely lucky with the men and women who I call my Kemper family.

Jay Leno Retires

Jay Leno retired.  And honestly I hate to see him go. He was the last bit of class on late night. I kinda like Jimmy Fallon; one is for his band. There is a tuba player in it so I like them. Also, they do play some good music. But the politics. Fallon, like so many others will give the current administration, in my opinion, a pass. They have no problem bashing Republicans, but I want it to be equal. But of course it won’t be.

But I digress. 

I remember the night Johnny Carson retired. I was working late at my store in Columbia.  I knew there was no way I was going to make it home to see it, as it usually took me an hour to get the farm. This was before TiVo, so, I got a motel room, just to make sure I caught Johnny’s last show.

Johnny was the last bit of class-the last true performer. He would do whatever it takes to get a laugh and have a good show. I miss Johnny, Ed and Doc.

No one remembers Doc. I know this as a few years ago I was in a bar with a friend who I hadn’t seen in literally 30 years. So we are having a drink and looking around at this bar. It was in Columbia-so of course it was full of young women-students from the 3 colleges. Anyway, I made the comment that what do two old farts like us have in common with these young girls. I said that I bet none of them even knew who Doc Severnson was. He disagreed. So we took a poll of the bar. Of the 15 customers, 12 didn’t know. 2 had heard of him but only 1 actually knew he was on The Tonight Show.

So I am glad that Jay went out on top, but he will be missed. Letterman, that gapped tooth, brain dead comedian, is not one that I am a fan of. I know, he has a TV show and I don’t. I don’t care. Paul Shaffer is another, who, in my opinion, should just stick to making music and not try comedy.  They are no Johnny and Ed.

Thank you Jay. You did good.

Can singing stop you peeing?

I am in Sales. Which means I am on the road in all kinds of weather; in and out of my car.   So after drinking a large Diet Coke, and the cold air hitting me, I had a typical reaction; in that I had to go pee. Bad. And like right now. So I hurriedly started to drive to a Quick Trip. I was seriously wondering if I was going to make it. So to take my mind off of my situation, I started to sing with a song on the radio. And wonders of wonder; I fought the urge. And yes, I made it in time.

Same day. The afternoon. Just had lunch, another big Diet Coke. Same thing, Cold air. Reaction. I jump in my car and off looking for a bathroom. I start to sing and again, I was able to control myself making it in time to get to a Casey's.

So I am wondering if there is some correlation to singing that you are able to control the pee urge or was it just my voice that forced everything to 'freeze' sorta speak. I don't know. But it helped me.

Yeah, I know. I'm strange.

Awkward & Greek and Kelsey Grammer's daughters...

Started watching "Awkward" an MTV series. I didn't think I'd like as much as I do. It was a bit slow at the beginning, but glad I gave it a chance. It also has one of Kelsey Grammer's daughters in it. I find it ironic that one of the daughters was in another young comedy called "Greek" about college life and this one is about high school life and has one it. But that's not the focus of this entry. In the third season the main female character is in a Creative Writing class and the teacher is Anthony Michael Hall.

That I find funny as he used to be the student in these kind of things; Breakfast Club, 16 Candles...Guess that just shows how old I am.

Like the saying, "It was the best of times it was the worst of times..." The era of my life is so that. My hero's and favorites are people like John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, John Belushi and the Not-ready-For-Prime-Time Players...Chevy Chase, Ackroyd, Pryor, Sam Kinison... Jim Croce, John Denver, Harry Chapin, Hank Jr..to have read.The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings before the movies... same with all the Trek books, before the franchise took off with TNG. The classic works of science fiction and fantasy, back when it wasn't main stream.

There will come a time in everyone young person's life when they will realize what the old folk meant about the best years of their lives. At least I hope they get that chance. And that they will still be young enough to make the memories that will sustain them through the cold parts of their lives.