Commentaries

Happy Holidays for all…including you
November 30, 2016 — The holidays are supposed to be one of the most joyous times of the year and studies show this is the case. The majority of Americans do feel positive emotions like happiness, love and high spirits during the season. However, some people experience negative feelings, like anxiety, grief and stress. Many people, trying to create the “perfect”... MORE

Spending more on gifts won’t bring more holiday happiness
November 21, 2016 — Commentary: The holidays are approaching once again, and so the season of gift giving is upon us. Its arrival is marked by barrages of nonsensical advertising and holiday specials on everything from sweatshirts to new cars to payday loans... MORE

Commentary: The holidays are approaching once again, and so the season of gift giving is upon us. Its arrival is marked by barrages of nonsensical advertising and holiday specials on everything from sweatshirts to new cars to payday loans.

American Shipbuilding and the Charleston Navy Yard: A Link to the Past
November 15, 2016 — In the 1720’s a large merchant ship sank at Browns Ferry on the Black River in Georgetown County approximately an hour northeast of the Naval Weapons Station Charleston. At the time of the sinking, Benjamin Franklin was a young man in his 20’s and George Washington was not yet born. The Browns Ferry carried 25 tons of bricks made on a local... MORE

In 1976, approximately eight thousand people line the banks of the Black River in Georgetown, South Carolina to watch as the early 18th century colonial merchant ship at Brown's Ferry is raised.

Jimmy Stewart: True American Patriot
November 8, 2016 — Jimmy Stewart once said, “What’s wrong with wanting to fight for your country? Why are people reluctant to use the word patriotism?”... MORE

Brig. Gen. James “Jimmy” Stewart (Painted right, during tenure as colonel) flew more than 20 combat missions into enemy territory as a command pilot. His missions included bombing raids in Berlin, Brunswick, Bremen, Frankfurt, and Schweinfurt. By the end of World War II, Stewart had risen to the rank of colonel. He remained in the Air Force Reserve, and eventually became a brigadier general in 1959. In 1968, he retired from the Air Force and was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, and ultimately, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. (U.S. Air Force Painting by Senior Airman Tom Brading)

Everyone wants your money – recognizing and combating cyber crime
October 28, 2016 — Winning the lottery or owning our own prosperous business is a dream most of us share. Every day through e-mails, text messages, websites and social media, people are promised opportunities to make a lot of money and become financially independent. Many times, these are false promises. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. One of the... MORE

Pikachu and why you need to be aware of using mobile apps
October 28, 2016 — There are over 2,000,000 apps available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store. One very popular app, Pokemon GO has opened its users up to criminals. The Better Business Bureau warns of scammers leveraging the app by sending phishing emails to deceive victims into thinking they need to pay for the game. Another app released this... MORE

Hurricanes and domestic violence, two disasters
October 19, 2016 — As we recover from Hurricane Matthew, I can’t help but recognize the similarities between such a natural disaster and the unfortunate man-made disaster of domestic violence. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). Domestic violence is a topic few people enjoy discussing. However, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic... MORE

Navy Corrections - A History
October 19, 2016 — Over the last century, the U.S. Navy corrections system has evolved to mirror corrections practice and philosophy used by civilian institutions around the nation. By replacing the “Articles for the Government of the Navy (Rocks and Shoals)” with the Uniform Code of Military Justice in 1951, progressive improvements in the treatment of naval... MORE

Making cyber security a cultural norm
October 18, 2016 — Making cyber security a cultural norm follows the same path as learning about societal cultural norms. We learn acceptable society norms at a young age and, as circumstances change, society’s culture evolves. By being aware of situational information security awareness, people can become instinctive about cyber security. Once cyber security is... MORE

Mindset Matters Most
October 18, 2016 — “Words matter, actions matter more and mindset matters most,” defines my command philosophy for the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA). As leaders the words we choose are crucial to communicating the right message. Furthermore, we must model and practice what we preach because our actions will certainly communicate an even... MORE