While camping about four or five years ago, we invited a friend out for a Saturday evening barbecue by the lake. Upon arrival he immediately tuned the radio to the Prairie Home Companion, a National Public Radio staple hosted by Garrison Keillor for some thirty years. I was immediately addicted, and have missed it only twice since – every Saturday from five to seven p.m., either in the kitchen or on the patio, depending on the weather. For the uninitiated, the show is reminiscent of old-time radio, with live performers doing sketches, musical pieces, and monologues (the sound effects are great). For the most part, Real Wife and Red Haired Girl tolerate these interludes, albeit with not a little eye rolling and grumbling. Garrison Keillor is an old sixties liberal, the modern mutations of which seem to have taken our country in a decidedly bad direction, so I am sometimes irritated at the subtle Bush bashing that often appears in the show. In looking at show’s web site to see what the guest lineup for tonight is, I came across this column that he recently posted. It reminded me of something the USAF recruiter told me some thirty-four years ago. He said that one can always tell that a person has served in the military, no matter how many years ago, simply by their demeanor and the way they comport themselves. At the time it seemed like more piling on of reasons why I should sign on, but in the years since it has often come back to me. My military experience has undoubtedly helped me in my career through having learned the value of focusing on problems at hand. On my recent trip to Germany I was honored to have had quite a number of conversations with young soldiers, airmen and marines while waiting for flights (usually in smoking lounges – one bad aspect of the military that is unfortunately with me to this day) and was struck by that common trait.

Back to the subject. In his column, Mr. Keillor makes this same observation far more eloquently than I ever could. Coming from one who, by his own admission was a Vietnam draft dodger and is, to this day, a flaming liberal, means something. I particularly like his suggestion to amend the Constitution to require that presidential aspirants have completed at least two years military service. Alas though, toward the end of the column he sinks back to the left’s tendency to denigrate Dubya, and even more telling, mildly insult the very people he had just complemented. His reference to the current Army as “blue collar” is akin to the mantra “we hate the war but support the troops” in one breath and protesting military recruiters in the next. Nonetheless, it is a good read, and I will still tune in to his show (5:00 central time on your local public radio station). Enjoy.