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General Stanley McChrystal, by way of his civilian-centric strategy for the war in Afghanistan, is experimenting. Thirty-nine female Marines are poised to deploy as "attachments" with an all-male infantry for the express purpose of gaining the trust of Afghan women. After training at Camp Pendleton, located just south of Los Angeles, the Marines will travel to rural villages in Afghanistan's most violent province.

Deployed in Iraq I was deployed in Iraq in September 2009 for my first four-month rotation flying missions with my new unit. Multiple holidays and a birthday missed with not a single day off. No such thing as a fun Friday night, a lazy Sunday morning or even a Wednesday to think, "I'm halfway there." Everyday is a no frills Tuesday--the same day over and over again. Same uniforms, same chicken and rice to eat, same routine. There are only the rare tell-tale signs to offer any concept of time: pizza being served in the chow hall so it must be Friday, or a football game on TV so it must be Sunday. But it doesn't matter that it is Sunday because business must be done, a mission must be flown. The games are missed. (God bless those ground pounders who go for a year at a time.)

I would like to take a moment to respond to Mr. Uehling's comments on my previous blog, "My Generation at War," because he brings up some very good concerns shared by many. First, I consider it an honor that he, as a fellow veteran, took his time to share his reactions on such important topics that should be discussed and debated between his generation and mine in order to determine the lessons learned to pass on to future generations.

"I read Genevieve Long's "Another War-Torn Generation" this week, and as someone deployed in Iraq would like to respond. A very well written article, yes, but perhaps she should have talked to the soldiers she saw in the airport. She might have learned why their boots were so well taken care of--"you can tell the quality of a soldier by the shine on his boots." There is a certain pride that is associated with wearing the uniform and accomplishing the mission of a U.S. Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine. A feeling that one who has never stood a watch will most certainly find it hard to understand."

General Stanley McChrystal's recent comments about his civilian peers in the Obama administration have left the sometimes-controversial former commander of the war in Afghanistan standing in the unemployment line. To be sure, McChrystal did cross the threshold of professional decorum in today's military and for that, he needed to be held accountable. But the General was not insubordinate. In fact, his perspective on the troubled situation within the Obama administration's foreign policy team should be considered--and not overshadowed by its delivery or the firing.

I followed much of the Amanda Knox case from the United Kingdom--the home of the murdered Meredith Kircher--and would like to add my two cents to the discussion.

The feud between Conan, Leno and NBC has captured the nation's attention with its high-stakes, blame game drama. But what I find most fascinating is the way it illustrates the rift between America's young and old generations.

Late last month Marketplace Money did a story on "hauls," online video diaries about the junk people buy. Call me a Luddite, but that makes me want to cuddle up with Tolstoy's War and Peace. If you have a different reaction it might be because you--like so many savvy entrepreneurs in the information age--are seeing dollar signs where others might see cultural decline.

Remember the Bosnia intervention? Back in the days of easy, feel-good wars fought from above? In fact, America's involvement in Bosnia was going to be so simple that then-President Bill Clinton promised U.S. service men and women they would be "home by Christmas." (It was never clear whether President Clinton meant Christmas 1995 or 2004.)