By Tomas M. Figueroa
In 2003, following the completion of my initial six years of Ready Reserve duty, I was waiting on transfer orders to be placed on Inactive Reserve status (this is when you have an obligation with the Army Reserves, but does not require monthly participation or annual trainings—you’re …
By Rick Poleck
After what feels like a long and dreary season, winter is always somehow coerced into giving up its shades of steely gray to peeks of warming sunshine, welcome blue skies, intermittent dots and splashes of color, and the fragrances of floral displays called “spring.” The senses come alive, …
By Ricinda Perry
I have really enjoyed our time together over this series, and my family has definitely benefitted since it made me more aware of my own bonding opportunities. In concluding this series, I want to share with you the center hub of family bonding … the dinner table.
What do …
By Ashley McIlwain
I had gone to the post office and was met by a line of people out the door. My shoulders sank at the reality that I couldn’t just come back and was sure to be waiting for quite a while in this long line. Sure enough, over 20 …
By Coleen York
I don’t know what it is about the mind of a woman, but it seems like we struggle with worry way more than our male counterparts. Our female psyche is able to simultaneously think of 75 different outcomes for every decision and situation. Usually 90% of them are …

By Ashley McIlwain
I was watching my niece fight her nap. Her eyelids looked like they were packing luggage for a family of five, and yet, she would rather tote around that heavy load than to just close her eyes and let it slip away. She wanted to stay awake even …