When I was 18 years old, like many young men, I thought I knew it all and there was nothing left for me to learn. Vietnam was raging at the time so I joined the army to get a taste of war, like many of my favorite authors. I was very lucky. After training to fight in a war that had no meaning, it ended 8 months after I enlisted and I wasn't sent to Vietnam. Instead I was sent to Ft Ord, CA. to be a Military Policeman. My job was to fly and drive across this glorious country and bring back the men who had deserted from Vietnam. I hated it, at first. Until I came to understand why these gentlemen (no females back then) went AWOL to begin with. There were hundreds of different reasons, but not once did I hear any man say he deserted because he was a coward, and I came to respect these brave men as much as the soldiers who stayed and fought. They taught me a valuable lesson. That I didn't know it all. No, I didn't really know anything about life, or death. About the character of a person without the preconcieved notions we all have. But I learned. After a tour of Gemany, where I thumbed all over Europe and met people from dozens of different countries, I was done with the military and I came home, grew my hair long and did the hippy thing. I thumbed acoss this country and met a cast of characters that I will never forget. This is my experiences. I did not go to college, I learned everything I know from the libraries across this country and the internet when it evolved.  I have been an avid reader my entire life and have written thousands of stories since I was a small boy. I have written and published short stories and poetry on the internet in such places as Haggard and Halloo Publications, Scene4, and a dozen other sites. I am also a contributing writer on OpEdNews, where I write about the political discourse in this country. I have a very popular blog on Open Salon called Scanner's Blog, where I have written hundreds of stories and articles in the 3 years I have been there. I invite anyone to come by and give my stories a read. As my mother would say "put your feet up and stay awhile". Thanks~

Honorable Discharge from the United States Military
A high school graduate with limited college, who has studied writing and writers my entire life. Self educated and proud of it.