الحمد الله

That translates to, “Praise to God!” Today I am proud to be an American. Congrats to everyone on pushing DADT’s repeal forward. Hopefully 2010 will be the year in which we can say, “Mission accomplished.”

Trying to Overachieve among the Overachievers

Alex, the Executive Director of Servicemembers United, reminded me this week that I have a blog and asked me to continue with it. Unfortunately, I have neglected my blog because of the myriad of responsibilities in my life. The Beltway is the Hollywood for those trying to become the next big thing in government, and [...]

Speaking Out

Those of us who are gay have heard time and time again that the best way to change homophobic attitudes is coming out.  I came out well before I enlisted in the Army, but I had to go back in the closet in order to serve in the Army for nine years. When I got [...]

Not Being in Control

In order to lead the life I wanted to lead, I learned quickly to always be in control of myself and the situation I was in.  Unfortunately, I learned that lesson the hard way. A part of Army life is alcohol.  While I did drink in Monterey, it was mainly to escape from the realities [...]

The Difficulties of Trying to Reconcile My 2 Lives

After nearly two years in the Army, my life finally was starting to come together.  For the first time, I was starting to feel comfortable with wearing a uniform, and I had my relationship with Chris.  It seemed that I was in the driver’s seat and that enlisting in the Army actually was a positive [...]

Learning to Prove Myself

During the long drive from Monterey to Southeast Arizona, I decided that I needed to become a better soldier if I was going to the two lives I wanted to live simultaneously: a professional career in the Army and a private gay life. The only way I would be able to not lose my personal [...]

Why Does He Absolutely Love to Travel?

My Dad must ask himself this question every time I say, “Guess what I did? I bought a plane ticket.” Usually his response is, “Christ, what shithole are you going to this time?” I can feel over the phone that he is shaking his head while bracing himself for some bizarre location that I think [...]

Leaving Paradise

While graduation was an extremely stressful time, driving to Arizona for the next portion of my training was a relief. While I knew that I would be attending Advanced Individual Training i.e. Basic Training 2.0, I would be able to focus on one thing: training. In a narcissistic way, I was looking forward to being [...]

Private Murphy and the First Ex-Mister Carnes

In the Army, Private Murphy seems to pop up at the most inconvenient time. No matter how much you plan or how well you think things are going, Private Murphy seems to rear his head and wreak havoc. According to Private Murphy, anything that can go wrong will go wrong… and he will make sure [...]

Relationship and the First Ex-Mister Carnes

Relationships are notoriously difficult for those who are serving in the military. Balancing a highly-demanding career and a true personal life that does not involve the Army is difficult. It is even more trying for a loved one, especially if that loved one is a civilian who does not understand the pressures of daily military. [...]

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