“A PROBLEM WITH AFRICAN-AMERICANS” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 19, 2018) — In Part 8 of our series, former Army Captain and Chaplain Gary Mason took readers to Iraq’s Sunni Triangle, where he was deployed in 2008 with the 3/4 Cavalry on a mission to retake the region from insurgents and set the stage for peace. […]
“NAMING THE NAMES” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 19, 2018) — On the sixth anniversary of his death, the widow of the late civilian contractor Thomas J. Boyle, Jr. has produced a third video in a series depicting what she was initially told about her husband’s death and information she was provided later by eyewitnesses. Parts […]
“NOT READY FOR A BLACK MAN” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 14, 2018) — Part 7 of our series of former Army Capt. Gary Mason’s story brought readers to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Poliwoda in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle, where Mason was stationed in late 2008 with the 3/4 Cavalry unit after re-entering active duty. For the […]
“WE HAD JUST LOST CONTROL” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 5, 2018) — Our last installment of Capt. Gary Mason’s story ended on the note that he had asked an Army recruiter if he could return to active duty for financial reasons while finishing his Divinity degree toward ordination as a U.S. Army chaplain. Mason enlisted […]
“BETRAYED BY HIS BROTHERS IN ARMS” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 4, 2018) — Pauline Boyle, the widow of the late civilian contractor Thomas J. Boyle, Jr., has produced the first video in what will be a series in which the conflicting information she has been provided to date as to the cause of her husband’s […]
“THE CHAPLAINCY IS NOT WHERE YOU DO THAT” by former U.S. Army Capt. Gary Mason, ©2018 (Jun. 2, 2018) — [Editor’s Note: The following is a stream-of-consciousness account by former Army Captain Gary Mason of his observations of his transition from enlisted soldier to chaplain candidate and his goal of ministering to effect positive change […]
“YOU NEED TO ADMINISTER SPIRITUAL COMFORT” by Sharon Rondeau (May 27, 2018) — In our most recent segment in the story of U.S. Army Capt. Gary Mason, he detailed his hectic schedule from 2003 to 2008 working full-time as a diplomatic security officer for the State Department and completing his Master’s degree in Divinity for […]
“THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR” by Sharon Rondeau (May 19, 2018) — In Part 4 of this series, former U.S. Army Captain Gary Mason detailed the education and training he received as a Chaplain Officer Basic Course (CHOBC) candidate beginning in 2003 after he served as an infantryman for the prior three […]
“DOING GOD’S WILL” by Sharon Rondeau (May 11, 2018) — In Part 3 of this series, former Army Captain Gary Mason detailed his time in the Infantry at Ft. Lewis, WA between 2000 and 2003 and his subsequent acceptance into the Army Chaplaincy Corps. Parts 1 and 2 of Mason’s story can be read here […]
FROM “SPECIALIST” TO “LIEUTENANT,” BUT NOT WITHOUT INSULT by Sharon Rondeau (Apr. 30, 2018) — In Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, Captain Gary Mason (retired) related his experience in the U.S. Army Infantry, which surprisingly included unexpected racism. In 2000, Mason had already graduated from college with a degree in Communications when […]
“ALL ABOUT NATIONAL DEFENSE” by Sharon Rondeau (Mar. 25, 2018) — After some trepidation expressed on Twitter on Friday, President Donald J. Trump signed a $1.3 trillion Omnibus spending bill which averted a looming government shutdown, something which many both inside and outside the Beltway dread. At a press availability which began at approximately 1:20 […]
“I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE” by Pauline Boyle (Mar. 20, 2018) — [Editor’s Note: The following letter was written by the widow of Thomas J. Boyle, Jr. to White House Chief of Staff Gen. John F. Kelly (Ret) after he spoke to the media last October amid a furor which arose from President Trump’s […]
WILL IT LEAD TO A LARGER PROBE? by Sharon Rondeau (Nov. 14, 2017) — An individual who served as power of attorney (POA) for a disabled Army soldier discharged in January reported last week that it appears that an investigation is taking place into the theft of tens of thousands of dollars from the soldier’s […]
SAYS DECISION “RIPE FOR CIVILIAN SCRUTINY” by LCDR Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III (Ret), ©2017 (Nov. 8, 2017) — WALTER FRANCIS FITZPATRICK, III Commander, United States Navy Retired 412 South White Street #215 Athens, Tennessee 37303 Email: jaghunter1@gmail.com Twitter: @jaghunters Wednesday, 8 November 2017 PAYING TRIBUTE AND HONOR AS ONE OF WE BAND OF BROTHERS 75th […]
HAS JUSTICE BEEN SERVED? by Sharon Rondeau (Nov. 3, 2017) — Various mainstream media sources reported on Friday that Judge Col. Jeffery Nance has recommended a sentence for Sgt. Robert B. (Bowe) Bergdahl of dishonorable discharge from the Army, forfeiture of ten months’ pay and a reduction in his rank to “private” following his October […]
PROCEDURE SAID TO BE “UNIQUE” TO MILITARY JUSTICE SYSTEM by Sharon Rondeau (Oct. 20, 2017) — A “pre-sentencing trial” will open at Ft. Bragg on Monday for Sgt. Robert B. Bergdahl, Stars & Stripes reported on Friday, and could include witness testimony in what is described as a procedure “unique” to military courts-martial. On October […]
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED Media Release U.S. Army Forces Command Directorate of Public Affairs 4700 Knox Street Fort Bragg, N.C. 28310 Oct. 16, 2017 | 2 p.m. For Immediate Release Army Conducts Court-martial Oct. 16 in Sgt. Bergdahl Case FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Army Judge Col. Jeffery R. Nance conducted Oct. 16 on Fort Bragg, N.C., the […]
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED Media Advisory U.S. Army Forces Command Directorate of Public Affairs 4700 Knox Street Fort Bragg, N.C. 28310 Oct. 12, 2017 | 9 a.m. EDT Thursday| For Immediate Release *** M E D I A A D V I S O R Y *** U.S. Army to Conduct Court-Martial Oct. 16 In Sgt. Bergdahl […]
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED Media Release U.S. Army Forces Command Directorate of Public Affairs 4700 Knox Street Fort Bragg, N.C. 28310 Sept. 27 2017 | 3:45 p.m. For Immediate Release Army Holds Legal Motions Hearing Sept. 27 in Sgt. Bergdahl Case FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Army Judge Col. Jeffery R. Nance conducted an Article 39(a) Motions Hearing […]
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED Media Advisory U.S. Army Forces Command Directorate of Public Affairs 4700 Knox Street Fort Bragg, N.C. 28310 Sept. 22, 2017 | Noon EDT Friday| For Immediate Release U.S. Army to Conduct Legal-motions Hearing Sept. 27 In Sgt. Bergdahl Legal Case What: The U.S. Army will conduct a military legal hearing Sept. 27, 2017, […]