Where in the world have I been?

Since my father's passing in August 2014, I stepped away from flying, school, family, and social events. I have been retrospective and contemplative but now I am forging ahead. I have returned to graduate school to fulfill a promise I made to my dad during his last days on Earth. It has been a challenge!

I have taken classes in theology, geoscience, and business while trying to master web map application development at work while learning to fly drones. I have obtained my Remote Pilots License and I am mastering the mechanics of flying a Blade 350QX2 quad copter. It is totally kicking my tail most days but I refuse to quit.

Through all of this, Vietnam still pulls at my heart strings. We recently observed National Vietnam War Veterans Appreciation Day. Thank-you to all the men and women who put on a uniform and fought a war that no one understood. I was born in 1974 to a father and mother who had been shaped by their experiences during the war. My father served in the National Guard while my mother's brothers served in the Navy and Marine Corps. Many of the kids I grew up with had dads and uncles who were Vietnam veterans. Sometimes, I wonder if my generation will ever be able to step out of the shadow of Vietnam. For now, I cannot step out from the shadow and I have renewed my desire to map all the causality locations from MTSU. This is driving my desire to better myself as a remote pilot, GIS analyst, and web developer. I am working on a story map for the six men that we located in 2014 and so far, I have created a poster to reflect our research. More is in the works, so stay tuned as we return to Vietnam in 2018 and attempt to locate the remaining causality locations for the rest of the Blue Raiders of Vietnam.