My Thanksgiving is canceled this year. I am weary of this darned virus, and I’m sure I’m not alone. 

Traditions are important, and I find them even more so as I’ve gotten older. I shall miss my family’s holiday traditions this endless year of 2020.

Every year for the past 35 or 40 years, we have spent holidays with our daughter, son-in-law and their two girls. Sometimes we went to their home in Flagstaff when the girls were small. 

Sometimes they came to our house, where I cooked the turkey and made the pies (one pumpkin, one pecan). My daughter brought side dishes, and she whipped up feathery mashed potatoes while I made gravy.

What will she do for gravy t...

No matter how successful a veteran’s military career is, transitioning to civilian life is challenging.

 If there’s one thing my 24 years in the Army have taught me, it is that we can overcome anything.

I’ve made it my mission to help fellow servicemen and women find their fit through advising and mentorship at transition sites and LinkedIn forums in addition to my current role as an operations manager for an Amazon fulfillment center.

At Amazon, I motivate, develop and support my teammates to become the best leaders they can be – all thanks to the skills I developed in the Army. This is the kind of opportunity I want for all veterans.

Successful entry into...

My weekends used to consist of seeing my mom – taking her shopping, out to eat, sometimes just spending time with her in her room. 

She would spend much of her time traveling down the hallways of her nursing home, saying hi to her nurses, the other residents, smiling, being joyful, being her social-butterfly-self. 

At the start of lockdown, my mom was adapting well, making jokes, telling me her frustration of what she had seen on the news; excited to go out and do errands with me once the lockdown was done. 

When COVID hit, like other nursing homes, it started with one case, then overnight, it seemed to balloon to most of the residents – my mom being one. 

...

Schools provide our kids with intellectual stimulation, social interaction and educational instruction. 

But for some students, they are so much more. They are a refuge, a source of stability, and maybe the only place they get a full meal throughout the day. 

For these students, school isn’t just a place to learn. It is a lifeline. 

The coronavirus upended all of our lives in countless ways – with school at the top of the list. It’s understandable that many parents, teachers, and districts are exploring virtual learning options until the pandemic passes. 

But for many students, “virtual learning” is not an option. How do you learn online if you don’t have a...

Schools provide our kids with intellectual stimulation, social interaction and educational instruction. 

But for some students, they are so much more. They are a refuge, a source of stability, and maybe the only place they get a full meal throughout the day. 

For these students, school isn’t just a place to learn. It is a lifeline. 

The coronavirus upended all of our lives in countless ways – with school at the top of the list. It’s understandable that many parents, teachers, and districts are exploring virtual learning options until the pandemic passes. 

But for many students, “virtual learning” is not an option. How do you learn online if you don’t have a...

Schools provide our kids with intellectual stimulation, social interaction and educational instruction. 

But for some students, they are so much more. They are a refuge, a source of stability, and maybe the only place they get a full meal throughout the day. 

For these students, school isn’t just a place to learn. It is a lifeline. 

The coronavirus upended all of our lives in countless ways – with school at the top of the list. It’s understandable that many parents, teachers, and districts are exploring virtual learning options until the pandemic passes. 

But for many students, “virtual learning” is not an option. How do you learn online if you don’t have a...