Conversations

My old friend and I continue to talk about how life used to be. I wonder is this healthy? Why can't we leave the past and enjoy how life is now. For my friend his response is...what happened was wrong and I am shamed for letting it happen. It is best I just listen and let it spill out...hopefully it will drift into outer space. With all the supposed help available I ask him why he does not go to VA and get some help. The conversation begins to explain his reason for just holding it in.

His base camp with the ARVNs became a nightmare. Who was leaving the little notes on his bunk...his houseboy, his interpreter? Did they really wait for him to leave and come back lobbing mortar round at him...what about the poster offering a bounty for him. He continued to write his wife as if nothing was going on. His CO did an occasional attitude check on him just to make sure he was ok. But the he said the attacks became more frequent...when they went on operations it seemed they were ambushed more often and the point of the ambush was always right at him. Hanoi Hannah kept reminding "your wife" she would say. Your wife wants you to come home. Just listening to him I feel tension. This tension is wrecking my friend...he can't let go of what he considers a betrayal. His illnesses are all brought on by his state of mind...a rotten state of mind that after 40 years it gets worse. He tells me his only cure is to die...

Leader vs manager

A question keeps coming up, are managers really leaders? There are no absolute terms such as never. of course not. Leadership encompasses the ability to exceed rational expectations set by managers. At least that is sort of how Colin Powell said it. So are people resources? The skills people possess are the resources and the proper implementation of these skills is what is managed. The time is here when companies will realize their leadership as the few step forward in these times to lead through the storm...so if you can't lead get out of the way and let those that can do.

Conversations with an old friend

There is a friend I have know since 1965 when we were in Vietnam together. After my first tour we lost track of each other until I had completed my second tour and we ran into each other at Ft. Sill while at the Advanced Course. It was still a time in the Army when you could go hang out at the Officers Club without having this PC drinking thing hanging over your head. You just acted responsibly. His career was at a crossroad and so was his marriage. Religion and convention of the time really did not favor divorce so he stayed in what was a very tense situation. I have recently come back into contact since he is dying and wants to talk about how life was and how it overwhelmed him.
It seems that when he was on a tour as an advisor to the South Vietnamese and posted on the middle of what was called the Iron Triangle his wife and another family member decided to protest the war and gave his name to an organization that in turn gave his name to the North Vietnamese. They found where he was and spoke to him through Hanoi Hanna telling him his wife wanted him to come home and quit killing the innocent. Then the harassment began...whenever he left his camp...At this point he tired and promised after some rest we would resume. I can't stay here and wait. I thought of all that I had to do...but something inside said do what is most important. We will continue our conversation.