Mead, John, CSM

I am currently retired, but catching up on all the activities that I missed out on: hunting, fishing, kayaking, competitive shooting, and taking life one day at a time.

I truly miss the Army, but if the truth is to be known, the best years that I had were as a junior leader.  That is where the leather meets the pavement, with daily contact with my soldiers. I felt then that I made the most significant impact on my soldiers. Of course, being a CSM had its merits, but face it, I wasn't on the ground with every minute of the day in direct contact with the troops. I also missed operating the weapons systems that I had been trained on: Chaparral, Vulcan, Redeye, and Stinger.