I have been the victim of a forced marriage — what could be called a shotgun wedding. In all actuality, it could be called an “M16” wedding. With this union came facts (forced entry) into my brain’s database: An M16 is an issued Marine Military Rifle and to further worry me… they jam all the time. While an M16 is an accurate weapon (according to my son), these rifles are not the best and often fail to shoot.  An M16 is the same weapon that is seen set up vertically with issued boots and issued helmets when Marines are killed on the battlefield. These personal effects of the dead become a memorial to be honored by brother Marines. The terror of the battle is often gauged by the number of rows of these “rifle, helmet, and boot” memorials which can be seen too regularly in news magazines.

He grew up near Boston with four other siblings in an Irish-Catholic household. His parents, hard working and spiritual with education and public service being the main theme of their family's ethos. He has used his time serving his country as a way to grow personally and professionally, and he finds himself now playing an important role in Third Army's Responsible Drawdown in Iraq and Buildup in Afghanistan.