Reflection — Nobody asked me, but….

Is American Patriotism Gone?

Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic is testing the United States’ resolve. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated recently that the coronavirus outbreak is the “biggest challenge for the world since World War Two.” There are many parallels of the current crisis to the global confrontation during the middle of the last century. In this New Your Times article, the author discusses this topic with noted military historian Robert Citino. The relative similarities and the stark contrast between then and now are both enlightening and concerning.

Reflection, Random Thoughts, Pandemic LifeDavid PetriJanuary 9, 2021Patriotism, Pandemic, Sacrifice, Government, Constitutional RightsComment

Op-ed: I’m a veteran and will #VoteTheOutdoors on election day

I am a veteran and an outdoor enthusiast who has spent the last 10 years working in the outdoor industry. Without a doubt, our industry is the first in which I experienced the same level of camaraderie and commitment to purpose as I did during my 22 years in the Navy on active and reserve duty.

This shared ethos is not surprising. Today’s outdoor industry and the $787 billion recreation economy it supports have roots that began over 70 years ago with the returning veterans of World War II. According to a Forest Service report published in 1989, the desire for outdoor recreation grew as millions of servicemen returned to civilian life.

Reflection, Veterans, OutdoorsDavid PetriOctober 22, 2020Outdoors, Public Lands, Veterans Comment

Johnny Ayers View

This song is a follow on from my poem Stolen Honor, it imagines a fictional soldier — Johnny Ayers — who was part of 1st Platoon and the impact the President’s unjustified actions had on him.

Veterans, Random Thoughts, ReflectionDavid PetriOctober 17, 2020Veterans, Leadership, AccountabilityComment

Stolen Honor

The poem is inspired by the true story of First Platoon and the Court Martial and subsequent pardoning of First Lieutenant Clint Lorance by President Trump. Their story can be found here.

Veterans, Reflection, Random ThoughtsDavid PetriAugust 17, 2020President Trump, Failed Leadership, Accountability, HonorComment

I Can’t Breathe

ReflectionDavid PetriJuly 7, 2020Social Justice, I can't Breath, George Floyd, Black Lives MatterComment

Lives in the Balance 2020

On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was murdered. His death was caught on video and shared around the world. Outrage rightly followed. Protesters took to the streets demanding action — DEMANDING JUSTICE! The following weekend, as I tried to come to grip with another life lost in a system of institutionalized racism, I turned to music as a way to help answer the questions that were screaming in my head. I recalled a Jackson Browne song from the 1980s — Lives in the Balance. With pen and paper, I sat down and reimagined Mr. Browne’s song as a response to the current events of 2020.

ReflectionDavid PetriJune 9, 2020George Floyd, Social Justice, Black Lives Matter, President TrumpComment

Preparing for a Good End of Life

“Those who contemplate their aging, vulnerability and mortality often live better lives and experience better deaths than those who don’t.”

Random Thoughts, ReflectionDavid PetriFebruary 9, 2019end of life, dyingComment

Remembering President Bush

In July 1990, I was an Ensign reporting aboard my first ship, although technically it was not officially a ship yet. The USS GEORGE WASHINGTON was under construction in Newport News, VA. One of the many important events in a ship’s life is its Christening- the official launching of the ship into the water. The GEORGE WASHINGTON was to be Christened on July 21st. As a one of the ship’s officers I was able to attend and experience not only this ceremonial naval custom, but also an important chapter in the ship’s history.

ReflectionDavid PetriDecember 5, 2018President Bush, USS GEORGE WASHINGTONComment

I cried because of that ….

I, like so many others, felt a sense of excitement perhaps even joy upon hearing the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death. Yet as a Christian, I also felt a sense of uneasiness along with that sense of jubilation. On the one hand we should be glad that he is gone – no longer able to promote his vision of hate and terror around the globe. I certainly am. Yet, I take pause with the level of celebration being reported on the news.

ReflectionDavid PetriSeptember 11, 2018Never Forget, 9/11Comment

Perspective | Veterans don’t get to decide what ‘respecting the flag’ means

As a veteran I have been troubled by this idea that as a group we have the moral authority to claim our country’s iconography as righteously ours. That perceived disrespect towards our nation’s symbols is also a direct affront to those who have served in the military.

Reflection, Random Thoughts, VeteransDavid PetriSeptember 10, 2018Nike, Flag, National Anthem, Kneeling During Anthem, Kaepernick, TrumpComment

Reflections of a Plank Owner

Random Thoughts, ReflectionDavid PetriJuly 4, 2017Aircraft Carrier, Commissioning, CVN 73, Plank Owner, USS George Washington Comments

Big Shoes

ReflectionDavid PetriJune 18, 2017Fatherhood, FathersComment

Remembering My Mom

ReflectionDavid PetriMarch 29, 2015RemembranceComment