“WELCOME TO SOCIALISM” by OPOVV, ©2020 (Jul. 18, 2020) — “They know we’re here, so why are we here?” “Look, let’s make a deal: we talk our way through the next four hours to keep alert, but we have to agree not to go off on ridiculous tangents that lead to nothing, okay?” “Fair enough. […]
KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN, JUNE 19, 2012, BUT HOW? by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 17, 2020) — Mrs. Pauline Boyle, widow of former Chicago police officer and civilian contractor Thomas J. Boyle, has launched a change.org petition asking President Trump to declassify her late husband’s government file so that she might finally learn the cause of his […]
WHILE “RIOTS” DESTROY AMERICA by OPOVV, ©2020 (Jun. 5, 2020) — “You got any fours?” “You asked me that the last time.” “And?” “I didn’t have any then and I don’t have any now.” “But that was then and this in now: now you don’t have any fours, and that’s all I wanted to know, […]
“RULES OF ENGAGEMENT” by OPOVV, ©2020 (May 1, 2020) — This conversation takes place in Afghanistan, another godforsaken place where the enemy is everywhere. “Hey, Murph, how’d it go?” “Piece of cake: I had them in my sights.” “And then what?” “Then I pulled the trigger.” “What were they doing?” “Well, at first, some were […]
“IT’S NOT OUR PROBLEM” by OPOVV, ©2020 (Mar. 1, 2020) — “Five bucks these are the same rocks.” “Don’t be stupid. Even the Powers-that-Be wouldn’t be that stupid, to send us out in the middle of nowhere to guard a pile of worthless rocks that’s already been guarded; give me a break.” “No, I won’t […]
WILL THIS “DEAL” BE UPHELD? by Sharon Rondeau (Feb. 29, 2020) — Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo is in Doha, Qatar on Saturday to witness the signing of a peace agreement with the Taliban for Afghanistan, where U.S. troops have been stationed for nearly 19 years following the attacks of September 11, 2001. As […]
“ADVERSITY STRENGTHENS RESOLVE” by former Army Captain Gary Mason, ©2020 (Feb. 7, 2020) — [Editor’s Note: The following essay was written for a course titled, “Leading Spiritual Renewal” as part of former U.S. Army Captain Gary Mason’s Doctor of Ministry in Military Ministry curriculum at Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA.] My question is, “How […]
“PEOPLE ARE THREATENING YOU” by Sharon Rondeau (Jan. 4, 2020) — In the following section, former U.S. Army Capt. Gary Mason further details the fallout he experienced after filing an Equal Opportunity (EO) complaint and request for a congressional inquiry into a 2008 assault against his person in Iraq on the part of an enlisted […]
“THE WISHES OF THE ELECTORATE” by Jeff Crouere, ©2019 (Oct. 27, 2019) — After the longest war in the history of our country, it is time for our troops to return home. In 2001, the United States responded to the horrific terrorist attacks of 9/11 by sending our military to Afghanistan on a mission to […]
REPORT: “IRAN” TO BE MAJOR FOCUS by Sharon Rondeau (Sep. 24, 2019) — Shortly after 10:00 a.m. EDT, President Trump is scheduled to speak to the United Nations General Assembly, perhaps on a variety of topics, but according to former Deputy National Security Adviser K.T. McFarland, Trump will stress the need for the world to […]
“THE INTELLIGENCE COUP OF THE CENTURY” from Ammo.com, ©2019 (Sep. 18, 2019) — With American military personnel now entering service who were not even alive on 9/11, this seems an appropriate time to reexamine the events of September 11, 2001 – the opaque motives for the attacks, the equally opaque motives for the counter-offensive by […]
“HOW MANY MORE DECADES…?” by Sharon Rondeau (Sep. 7, 2019) — In the wake of a sharp increase in violent attacks in the Taliban’s home country of Afghanistan over the last week, President Trump tweeted Saturday evening that “secret” discussions planned at Camp David on Sunday with the terrorist group and Afghanistan’s president have been […]
“I DECIDED TO GO” by Sharon Rondeau (Aug. 21, 2019) — In Part 31, former U.S. Army Captain Gary Mason told of his return to Hawaii at the end of 2010 from an individual assignment to Afghanistan which was cut short due to an allergic reaction and medivac back to the U.S. Mason experienced a […]
“PRETTY STRONG WORDS” by OPOVV, ©2019 (Jul. 19, 2019) — “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to ‘The Pulse of the Nation,’ a television information show that reports the daily news in real time with real facts. Hello, my name is Roving, as in Roving Reporter (RR), and, as you can see, we’re back […]
“IF ANYONE CAN MESS WITH YOUR EMOTIONS, JOIN THE ARMY!” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 21, 2019) — Continuing from Part 27 of our series, U.S. Army Captain Gary Mason found himself on a huge Army base in Paktika Province, Afghanistan, where he was sent to acquire his ordination into the military Chaplain Corps. Encountering a […]
“IT DIDN’T MAKE ANY SENSE” by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 12, 2019) — The Post & Email’s previous chapter of this story detailed Captain Gary Mason’s 2010 deployment to Afghanistan and ordination as a U.S. Army chaplain, a goal to which he had aspired for nearly seven years between deployments and attending Public Affairs school at […]
ON TO ORDINATION by Sharon Rondeau (Jun. 10, 2019) — This part of former U.S. Army Captain Gary Mason’s journey takes the reader through the perils of service in Afghanistan during time of war. While Mason mentored and taught others in the field of Public Affairs, he continued to work toward completing the ordination […]
WHAT MAKES AN EFFECTIVE “LEADER?” by Sharon Rondeau (Apr. 14, 2019) — In Part 23 of our series, former Army Captain Gary Mason told of his 2010 deployment to Afghanistan, independent of his unit in Hawaii, while working in the field of Public Affairs for the 8th Theater Sustainment Command. Mason’s military career began in […]
“CHANGING HEARTS AND MINDS” by OPOVV, ©2019 (Apr. 7, 2019) — “Come to attention, soldier.” “No can do, sir.” “I gave you a direct order, soldier: I want you at attention and I want a hand salute.” “Beggin’ your pardon, Sir, but you’re still outside the perimeter: you have to say the correct words to […]
“WHAT ARE THEY DOING HERE?” by Sharon Rondeau (Feb. 8, 2019) — In our last segment, former U.S. Army Captain Gary Mason described a surprise assignment to South Korea and again to Japan shortly after he completed Public Affairs school in May 2010. While he expected to be leaving for the Defense Information School in […]