Another Suggestion

After running into a website for a post-graduate history lab in the UK, I thought, "why not do something like this with your fellow military history workers, researchers, etc from work and SHFG?"

The Military History Laboratory, sponsored by....
and that's where the questions began. Who would sponsor it? Why should they? Would anyone attend? Where do I start? Couple approaches came to mind.

Marine Corps History Laboratory: hosted by either Marine Corps University (yah, right), Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, or Marine Corps University Foundation. The latter two are more likely but doubtful. However, there is a pool here to pull from. The first invites could go out to the employees of HD, NMMC, GRC as well as students and post-baccalaureate faculty at MCU. Since the goal is to make this a peer-reviewed group, one would have to at least have a bachelor's in history or been published several times or working in the field to be invited.

Of course, there are more options when you expand to the broader community of military history.

Military History Laboratory: hosted by SHFG or SMH--more likely SHFG since it's local and the group would be local. Not only HD, NMMC, GRC and MCU people, but Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Air National Guard Bureau personnel would be invited.

Goals? Well, one would be to foster relationships amongst the various organizations staff, but mostly to encourage those working on projects, who are writing, use the people as the first round of vetters, and simply to be able to exchange ideas in the comfort of comrades.

I wonder if this would fly? I may have to put out some feelers and see if anyone would be interested. I know it may conflict with the Military History Classics, but that may be too formal. Maybe I should start just with the Marine Corps and work the way up--who knows, may not get anyone to show.

Anyway, food for thought.

~Cheers

Pay Dirt, Again!

Once again, I was just foolin' around with an idea and came across a stash of pictures--this time they were marked "Marine Corps, Fort Crockett"--holy cow! Simply amazing. Check out the bottom left hand corner of picture for written description.





Also, compare this to a modern day picture of Fort Crockett, some of the old buildings are still being used--not as they were intended but still being used!

Enjoy.

~Cheers

Pay dirt!

I struck pay dirt today. On a scouting mission for materials for my tentative thesis topic, I found some pictures that were all labeled "unknown". They looked familiar, the people, the background, the pose--it hit me that they could be the "candid" shots of the regiment getting their "group" picture taken.

After doing some comparison (via the phone), I was skeptical because from the comparison some of the items didn't match up. It was later in the day that I saw the group shot and realized that I had found the pictures of the regiment but what I was comparing them to was the group shot of the BRIGADE!

I was floored--I had found a cache of pictures that NO one has, and they had gone "unknown" for 45 years and I had solved the puzzle. Oh wow, I was so excited. I still am. I am going to go back tomorrow and take digital shots of them and see if I can get them scanned for me.

Another gold mine today was the personal memoir (unpublished) of an enlisted man serving with the brigade--nearly a day by day blow of doings! AND I ran into the ONE person who knew about a "Giant" who served with the brigade and low-and-behold, the giant did an oral history! Oh man, I can't wait to dig into THAT tomorrow.

This is why I love my type of history--the research. These nuggets are gold to me. I love this, and I can't find the words to tell you why or how much. Just take my word for it :)

~Cheers!!!

Bits and Pieces

In the past month, I have been very busy--so I apologize to anyone who reads my ramblings. I'm not sure anyone does. Anywhoooo.

The SHFG holiday reception was earlier this month and it turned into a wonderful time, despite the cruddy weather. It also reinforced a feeling I've been having regarding those of the academic field of history. They don't much care for those of us who aren't 1/ PhDs and 2/Non university professors. I don't understand this and it makes me want to be snotty back to them--I'm bigger than that so I won't be.

I've had this feeling particularly since taking the latest class from a professor (who still shall remain nameless) who has made it very clear that I am an idiot, biased and can not be objective simply because of my employer. Um, jeez, lady, that sounds like you're saying that because I work for a particular company I don't have the freedom to come to my own conclusions--wow--she's wrong but what's worse is that she's in the same boat because she's not tenured yet.

This particular PhD will never find my name on her rolls again and I will quit the program if the make her my thesis adviser. After a class with her telling the entire room her 'theories' on topics where I'm considered the SME (subject matter expert) for my company (her ideas were wrong by the way), I knew I was in trouble. If I get a B in the class I will never say a bad word about her again.

Anyway, I digress. I don't know if I'm getting a bit 'full' of myself or if I'm actually starting to gain a bit of a good reputation at work, but it seems as though I'm being handed more and more high level responsibilities as compared to a couple of the others in the office. I just hope I live up to the expectations.

And, I'm sorry.... back to the issue of PhDs and their ideas regarding those of us non-academics, as someone once said, "Can't we all just get along?"

~Cheers