Good Morning.

As I tore the page off the calendar last week, I remembered something.

Long time readers of this space probably have this little ditty stored away somewhere in their memory banks....




Yes, that's the old intro from "Unfiltered"....11 years ago now. It was ten years ago this past April that it regrettably went off the air, and the entire Air America Radio network collapsed not long afterwards.

But that also means something else...I can't confirm the date, lo these many years later, but somewhere around this timeframe is the tenth anniversary of our humble "Ask a Vet."

I can scarcely believe it when I write it...I've been doing this like clockwork every week for a decade. The only other thing I have done longer or more consistently is my regular Scouting life.

That's 520 weeks....520 columns. Through work turmoil, joblessness, cancer, dodging eviction, wondering if we're going to make it...AAV has always been here.

But my struggles pale in comparison to those who I write about. I've never been in uniform, never been at war, never been shot at, and never had to come home to an indifferent nation and uncaring leaders.

I had high hopes that one day this column could be retired - our 'leaving' Iraq and 'winding down' in Afghanistan seemed to be hopeful moments, but it appears that the time for that has past.

And so, we will carry on...I can only hope it's not for another ten years, but it seems likely.