“MAN, WE CAN’T TALK WITH YOU” by Sharon Rondeau (Jan. 5, 2019) — This chapter of the story of former U.S. Army Captain Gary Mason details his transition from the bad experiences he had in the Infantry’s 3/4 Cav. Unit in Iraq to his position as a public affairs officer with the 8th Theater Sustainment […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 18
“THAT’S WHEN THE FIREWORKS BEGAN” by Sharon Rondeau (Dec. 14, 2018) — In our last segment on the story of former Army Captain Gary Mason, he described how he continued his Army career after returning from Iraq in late 2008 with the knowledge that the commander of his unit, 3/4 Cav., wanted him discharged from […]
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After Almost Two Years, Electronic Military Heist Remains Unsolved
“DOES SOMEONE IN THE MILITARY GET AWAY WITH THIS?” by Sharon Rondeau (Dec. 9, 2018) — On February 3, 2017, The Post & Email reported that a former disabled U.S. Army soldier who became a victim of electronic bank theft received “full restitution” for close to $100,000 from Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) following confirmation […]
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Mainstream Media Excoriates Judicial Watch Guest, Trumpets Fox Disinvitations, but is it Justified?
WHERE IS THE INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM? by Sharon Rondeau (Nov. 5, 2018) — On October 28, 2018, mainstream media outlets issued respective reports stating that a spokesman for the Fox Business Network (FBN) banned Chris Farrell, Judicial Watch’s Director of Investigations & Research, from not only FBN, but also the Fox News Channel after Farrell told […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 17
“IF YOU’RE NOT LIKED, THEY WOULD VOTE YOU OUT” by Sharon Rondeau (Oct. 27, 2018) — This section of former U.S. Army Capt. Gary Mason’s story outlines his transition from the 3/4 Cavalry unit, with which he was stationed in Iraq during the fall of 2008, to the Public Affairs office of the 8th Theater […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 16
“THAT’S NOT THE BATTLE YOU WANT TO FIGHT” by Sharon Rondeau (Oct. 15, 2018) — In the last installment of the story of former Army Capt. Gary Mason’s military experience, gleaned between 2000 and 2015 in the U.S. Army, he described officers in his command unit within the Iraq Sunni Triangle war zone as having […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 15
“WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT QUESTION WHAT’S GOING ON” by Sharon Rondeau (Sep. 21, 2018) — In Part 14, former Army Captain Gary Mason brought us to the point in his story where he was sent back to Hawaii, purportedly on medical grounds, from Joint Base Balad in Iraq. Mason had arrived in-country just days […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 14
“THEY DON’T LIKE YOU” by Sharon Rondeau (Aug. 29, 2018) — In the last installment of the story of former Army Captain Gary Mason, he described the sense of disquiet that had come to overshadow his deployment to Iraq’s Sunni Triangle after he became aware that his command at FOB Paliwoda wished to discharge him […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 13
“IT WAS GOING TO BE ME OR THEM” by Sharon Rondeau (Aug. 14, 2018) — This part of former Army chaplain and Capt. Gary Mason’s story focuses on his sense of frustration, anger, despair, and fear of persecution from within after he filed a formal complaint against an enlisted soldier who physically assaulted him at […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 12
“A REFLECTION OF YOUR LEADERSHIP” by Sharon Rondeau (Aug. 3, 2018) — In the last installment in this series, former U.S. Army Captain and chaplain Gary Mason described how a physical assault by an enlisted soldier at FOB Paliwoda in Iraq went unaddressed and his subsequent discovery that the command in the 3/4 Cav unit […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 11
“YOU’RE NOT GOING TO WIN THIS BATTLE” by Sharon Rondeau (Jul. 16, 2018) — [Editor’s Note: This installment of our series continues from Part 10, wherein then-Lt. Gary Mason was sent from FOB Paliwoda in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle to the Logistics Operations Center at Joint Base Balad, ostensibly for a medical workup. In late 2008 […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 10
“YOU DON’T PUT YOUR HANDS ON ANYBODY” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 28, 2018) — This chapter of Gary Mason’s military story brings the reader to the point where as a first lieutenant stationed with the 3/4 Cav battalion at Ft. Paliwoda in Iraq’s Sunni Triangle, he was physically assaulted by an enlisted soldier, a sergeant […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 9
“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. […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 8
“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 […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 7
“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 […]
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Thoughts on Transitioning from “Enlisted” to Officer & Chaplain
“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 […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 6
“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 […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 5
“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 […]
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U.S. Army Veteran Shares Painful Experiences of Military Racism, Part 3
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 […]