Thoughts From The Past
When I was a Plebe (freshman), I was getting onto a Greyhound bus. Before I got to the top of the steps, someone identified me as in the military. “Thank you for you service.”
Joe Heaton
Who was John Wayne? by Citizen Writer, Joe Heaton
Who was John Wayne? Marion Robert Morrison. John Wayne. He was an idea. In most of his movies, he portrayed a gruff and tough hero. The Searchers. The Sands of Iwo Jima. The original True Grit. Great movies, all.
Protecting Children in School
I pulled my two beautiful children out of public school and put them into a Catholic school. I wanted a refuge. I had faith that in a Catholic school, I would find virtue. What I found was pretense.
Cadet in the Red Sash
“R-Day” is the day that each new class reports to become cadets. Kids come from all 50 states and certain allied countries to begin the crucible of Beast Barracks. Looking back, it is not all that much of a crucible compared to life, but it is enough to be transformative to 18-year old kids who have not yet lived life, or to 21-year old prior service sergeants who only think they have lived life up to that point.
The Monster Inside Me
I offer today, a poem written by my late father Jim Heaton, January 21, 1952 – August 28, 2012 Late at night while I am sleeping, There’s a monster that comes creeping. With roars that I alone can hear, The monster moves in very near. I know that I cannot relax, …
Farming Out Life Skills
How ridiculous is it that Life Coaches are an industry? Instead of working on a farm to learn life skills, too many people farm it out.
The War of Words
In the Constitution of the United States, it decrees in Article 4, Section 4, that “The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government
2-State Solution? Too Late!
Free Palestine and reward the terrorists of October 7 with their own state? That is a thousand times the wrong way to proceed.
When Good Men Do Nothing
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke
Joe Heaton: Thoughts on Halloween
Sometimes standing up for what you know is right, can be very difficult, especially in the face of a child’s entreaties about the most fun day of the year
Personal Discipline and Political Leaders
Although we would like perfection from our public servants, we are forced to accept the least venal of a sordid assembly.
After Service, Then What? A Soldier Wants To Know
Here and there, I have gone. Some of those experiences have shaped me, but none of those experiences have defined me.
Military Retirement: Just When You Thought You Were Out
First, what they say is true… retirement from the military is a process, not an event. It takes more time, research, and planning than I expected.
Leadership, Before and After Military Service
Once you’re no longer in the Army, no one is under orders to give you a chance at leadership.
A little Courtesy Goes a Long Way With The Cops
America is NOT systemically racist, although there are racist pockets still in our society. You don’t throw out an entire apple because it has a spot. You cut out the spot. The rest is still good.
The Soul of Our Nation
The 2020 notion was that we “are in a battle for the soul of the nation.” So let me ask a few questions:
Where is Your Loyalty?
Where is your loyalty? I have talked to a few people recently that I consider friends. One works to support veterans. Another tries to shape future generations. Someone else asked me why I am retiring. A yet different person asked me to continue service in an alternate capacity. I fully intend to continue service in …
A Subtle Change; A Profound Difference.
A subtle change; A profound difference. Just a couple years ago, the military mantra was “Mission First, People Always.” Now, the mantra is “People First, Mission Always.“ A small change at the strategic level. Huge implications down in the foxhole. We are the Military. When we do our job, people die. If you put people …
The Church of England explores a “gender neutral God.”
The Church of England is currently exploring a “gender neutral God.” That raises the question of “What does it mean to be created in God’s image?”