Posted by Brad Osborne on May 30, 2022 · 16 Comments
In the left-hand seat sat the antithesis of Sir Quixote. My driver was a stout, young man hewn directly from the heartlands of America. He looked more like Sancho.
Filed under General · Tagged with cows, epiphany, Germany, importance, jeep, marine corps, military, mission, moo, motor pool, Navy, Norway, short story, success, team
Posted by Brad Osborne on February 20, 2022 · 22 Comments
So, money in hand, I set off to fulfill my long-held dream.
Filed under General · Tagged with art, first, first tattoo, France, ink, marine corps, Marines, Marseille, permanent, profile, random, short story, tattoo, unknown, women
Posted by Brad Osborne on January 16, 2022 · 21 Comments
Frustrated and panged with urgency, Private Meadows devised an alternative.
Filed under General · Tagged with basic training, bathroom, being responsible, boot camp, discipline, Drill Instructors, fire watch, guilty, Life lessons, marine corps, Marines, Parris Island, pee, USMC, yellow
Posted by Brad Osborne on November 27, 2021 · 14 Comments
In May of 1984, aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, I crossed north of the Artic Circle.
Filed under General · Tagged with arctic, arctic circle, Blue Nose, earned, line crossing, marine corps, naval, Navy, old salts, sailors, Shellback, short story, title, tradition, voyage
Posted by Brad Osborne on August 20, 2020 · 19 Comments
The darkness is so rife,
On a moonless night,
I’ve come to take a life,
Hidden from the light.
Filed under Poetry · Tagged with accuracy, concealment, death, marine corps, marksmanship, military, one kill, one shot, patience, poem, Poetry, power, sniper, unheard, unseen
Posted by Brad Osborne on May 24, 2019 · 2 Comments
It may be hard to imagine that a person who writes a blog on their own philosophies, beliefs, and conclusions isn’t a bit narcissistic. And, you would be correct, as I likely am. But the one thing I have found the hardest to talk about, to almost anyone, is my time in military service.
Filed under General · Tagged with bond, bullets, combat, death, fear, flag, guns, life, loss, marine, marine corps, medals, military, openess, PTSD, relationships, reliance, survival, unifrom, veteran
commonsensiblyspeaking 