"Doctor Major Keith Curtis Sir!"

Mid 1974 - Notified of "direct commission" as officer in the Air Force Medical Service Corps.
What an exciting time that was!  All noted in this episode: "Yes!  Lightening Can Strike...". The Luke AFB newspaper even published an article about it: "Is the Sergeant, er, Lieutenant In?"

Late 1974 - Notified of first assignment as Second Lieutenant to USAF Hospital at Mountain Home, Idaho.
Julieann and I were always pretty dialed in to living somewhere in the West so this was a gift from the powers that be (It was Colonel Harold Batiste I believe).

Dec 31st,  1974 - Left Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.  Last day as Air Force Staff Sergeant. Drove to Idaho.
We had a 1970 Cougar that sported a 351 Cleveland V-8.  We were ready to tackle the world.

Jan 1st, 1975 - Reported for duty at Mountain Home Idaho.  First day as genuine brown bar.
First job:  Hospital Squadron Commander. This was a crazy experience to be sure.  Overnight, I had to turn from someone who didn't care about Air Force Grooming standards as mandated in the infamous Air Force Regulation 35-10, to someone who had to enforce it.

Spring, 1975 - Attended Health Services Administration course at Sheppard Air Force Base, Wichita Falls Texas...to learn fundamentals of being a health care administrator.  Instructors/gurus; "Smokey Stover", Major-Logistics; "Mac" McClean, Captain-Registrar-Patient Affairs; Gary Weishauer, Captain-Resource Management.  Overall course supervisor, Keith W. Curtis, Major, MSC, PhD.

Members of our MSC class quickly became aware of the Curtis management style - sort of a blustery, straight forward, size-those-young-whippersnappers up Lombardi style that could be a little intimidating at first.  He was right in our faces most of the time and we took to calling him "Doctor, Major Keith Curtis Sir" in recognition of his obvious pride in having a PhD.  This, never to his face of course.

Some of us thought he pursued the "Dr." title to give him a more equal platform with the whacky group of physicians (can you say "Berry Planners?") we had in the Medical Service back in those days.  For those of you don't know, Berry Plan docs were draftees in various stages of their medical training.  Many were disgruntled (understatement) because they were in the military making a lot less money than their civilian counterparts.

We all made it through though...with very few hiccups, some great presentations from our instructors and guest speakers and some heavy O'Club partying to work off the tension.

I'll never forget, but I wish I could remember more, about the parting presentation to our class by "Doctor, Major Keith Curtis Sir."  He had obviously taken a lot of time to prepare it, using color - I think fluorescent chalk on blackboard plus slides.  His theme was a metaphor that went something like this; as MSCs, our job was to stick our hands in a "bucket of worms" and pull out something good.  I was pretty dazzled although a few of my classmates thought it was over the top.  But then again that was me, a North Dakota kid who had a patent on the word Naiveté.

Circa 1986 - The next and last time I recall seeing the Doctor was when he was a Colonel and Administrator of Big Willy.  He had a couple of MSC interns with him and had stopped by the MSC assignments section at MPC where Paul Murrell and I were working.  He gave me 'that look' and said something like; "So where do you want to be one day?  In my job (as Administrator)?" He was referring to Wilford Hall Medical Center of course and I said; "Absolutely!"  I left out the "Doctor Colonel Keith Curtis Sir" part out of my response and as a result now live to tell about it...

Spring 1987 - I loved the Corps but retired out of MPC and the Air Force with 24 years, almost half as an enlisted person.  My second career in health care management went well plus Julieann and I got to raise our kids in one spot from then forward.  Nevertheless, I have often wondered with some regret what it would have been like to stick around and compete for that Big Willy job...in the place where I pulled graveyard shift KP, peeling potatoes in the fall of 1963.

Circa 1990? -  The good Doctor had retired and went on to become a management professor in the Health Care Management masters program at (I believe) the University of Oklahoma in the city.  While there, he also wrote a textbook on management; "From Management Goal Setting to Organizational Results." Special price for university students...$85.  I wanted to buy one but not at university prices.

Years later, I managed to locate a used copy on Amazon for a lot less and bought it.  The book turned out to be an academic treatise  quoting folks like Toffler, Maslow and Drucker.  It had good basics and memorization pain for grad students but not for me as I had already studied most of those.  I wanted to read something more visceral...about sticking my hands in a "bucket of worms" and pulling out something good.  I wanted to be able to say; "Keith...you were right and I have done it.  Thanks for the heads up!"  So I'll just write it here.  Now.

"Dr. Major Keith Curtis Sir" was a damn good man.  I am proud to have known him. 

To My Pals (You Know Who You Are)

Okay…these are the sites I draw my news from.  It’s all mainstream stuff and I’m sure “fake news” often creeps in but they are nothing at all like extremist left and right fringe media.  I also like to focus on transcripts, live telecasts on CNN (Congressional News Network) and what appear to be facts supported by multiple sources like Snopes, Truth or Fiction and Politifact.  Can all of these sources be wrong at times?  Of course they can but on the whole - they are the best we’ve got. And don’t forget Twitter - knee jerk thoughts posted in 240 characters or less straight from the horse’s mouth…and very often from the horse’s ass.

To me, fringe media exists for one purpose - to exploit and incite fear and bias in their audience.  I’m going to include fringe politicians in this as well although I realize our definitions of “fringe” vary widely.

Unfortunately, I believe pointing this all out is…pointless as old white guys, “OWGs” have their minds made up and that’s that.  It’s a new day though and I wish I was going to be around to see what is sure to transpire over the next 10-20 years.  It’s going to be a noble experiment and, like the Affordable Care Act, I am sure there will be hiccups but again, as with the Act, the good (“preexisting conditions”) will outweigh the bad.  I sincerely believe lives will be saved and the Common Man will have a better opportunity to work and live a decent life.

This little rant will not change a thing though within this little email group we have had going for many years - there are far too many divides.

So with this, I am bailing on the hurt and disappointment I feel when I see one of us being lured into the extreme edges of race (muslims, etc.) and guns (bump stocks and automatics) along with other issues of our time.

Thanks Dooooooooods.  It’s been a hell of a ride, culminating in a fantastic reunion in Las Vegas a year or so ago.

"It’s not hard to see at all…

Except for those who refuse to look."

- 6/25/2018

PS - I wrote this a couple of days earlier but decided to hold off on sending. I was considering some advice once shared with me by our very own Harold W. (Bill) Grinstaff that went something like this; “When you write something that some might find disturbing, put it in a drawer overnight and let it simmer.  You might change your mind and decided to defer.  Well, I did...and I didn’t.

"Leadership" - Just What the Hell is It?

Yes, I had to study it in grad school, and yes, I had to study it in the military.  But wait...what the hell IS leadership really?! Reduced to its purest elements and in no particular order, I would say it, at least the successful "it," consists of nine critical factors:

1. Sincerity - Believe in people.  If you are not sincere in this, they will pick you off from a mile away.
2. Enthusiasm - It's infectious...really!
3. Curiosity - The search for understanding... for knowing what is right, and what is wrong.
4. Innovation - A hunger to do things better.
5. Decisiveness - You have to be ready to get out on that limb when it's called for.
6. Compassion - The genuine desire to help.
7. Humor - To diffuse stress and discomfort in yourself and others when the pressure is on.
8. Smile - A killer, light up the room sort of smile.  If you don't have it that's okay...see #7.
9. Tolerance - Of ambiguity that is.  This is a biggie.  If you can't do this... you can't lead. Period.

Aside from whatever schools might teach you, I believe these elements have to be part of you...going in.

Now here's some old fashioned and modern day "click bait" (Without links...you can Google them ok?) for wannabe' leaders:

• High Reliability Organization
• Lean Management
• Management by Objectives
• Zero Defects
• Performance Improvement Program
• Six Sigma

Yeah man; these and others like them will have you buried in the books for a while. While I generally shy away from newly spun management fads, certain elements of all these programs can add value for a leader and his gang.  Examples include wrapping some measurable objectives (MBO) around your organizations goals and using statistics (6S) to help you track and locate areas you can improve.

From my old "I Love Me"
Collection.  It's about "spirit."
Thanks Charlie Brown!

As an aside and personally, I would like to have a Certified Project Manager at my elbow to help me and my gang figure out the best way to get from point A to point B. Assuming of course...we are headed in that direction.  Also assuming we have a bunch of independent and dependent variables to consider.  (Now I am really wandering off course here right?!)

So a successful leader has to have some built in attributes and should cherry pick some useful management tools.  What attributes and tools would you add?  Or do you think a good leader should be something else entirely?

My credentials?  I have worked for some of the most amazing bosses. I have led some wonderful Air Force health care teams.  I have also led dozens of wonderful, whacky, sometimes toxic and most often talented multi-disciplinary health care contract teams in well over half the United States.  (For more on this, Google "herding cats.") 

"Louie Louie...Oh No!..."

No, not the "Louie Louie" of legendary music fame.
That is just what the millennials call "click bait" and yeah, I am as guilty as anyone of spinning that stuff from time to time.

Actually, here I am referring to "Louie" the tournament Texas hold'em poker player of Sacramento's now defunct Casino Royale fame. I played with Louie in a number of tournaments at that Casino although it was not my preferred location for weekday events.

I would often begin the day at Capital Casino and at times would be eliminated early. There was no reentry option at Capital back then so when it happened, I and few others would race up the freeway a few miles to what we called " Plan B", actually Casino Royale, to enter their tournament. Timing was usually tight though as both tourneys began at the same time and entries closed an hour or so after they started.

Louies favorite, Casino Royale

Louie was a quiet, friendly old guy, bearded, possibly of Mexican-American descent.  With a habit common to  more than a few tournament players, he carried a back pack filled with a lot of sundries one might include in anticipation of a long day at the tables. I think most people, upon meeting Louie would think of him as a sweet, innocent old man....(kinda like me without the "sweet" and "innocent" part).

Not a particularly good poker player, Louie nonetheless showed up  at the Royale regularly and made contributions in the form of tournament entry fees. Over time, I noticed he also liked to occasionally pull out a small spiral pad and make notes. I thought it might have been to note play details for his future reference as some of the more serious players do.

One day at a Capital Casino I overheard another tournament player mention Louie's name and when I asked was told he had been banned from play at the Casino Royale. Apparently Louie had been pocketing chips from his tournament stack for use in later events.  He must have thought by adding accumulated chips it would give him more chances to end up cashing in some future tourney. I am guessing his notes may have included a running total of chips he had stored in his famous back pack.

Around that time, Capital Casino added a reentry option to tournaments there and that ended our rush to join the "Plan B" event at the Royale. Not long after, I heard that the Royale had let Louie rejoin the tournaments there and as a result many of their regulars had angrily quit patronizing it.

The Casino Royale later moved and then closed.  I don't know what happened to Louie. He is the only known cheater I have encountered in a dozen years of studying the nuances of playing tournament hold'em poker.

I kinda' miss old Louie. Sure he was cheating, but I don't think I ever saw him hit a final table let alone cash.

Three Guns - Looking Down the Muzzles

First Gun - 1964...

He had just turned eighteen.  A brand-new Air Force Airman Third Class, he was a medic, a Preventive Medicine Specialist stationed at Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis, New Mexico.

There wasn't much money floating around at the time so the junior enlisted men would often pool theirs and buy some liquor to party  in one of the barracks rooms during their nights off.

One weekend night a handful of them were partying in a room and were all pretty drunk. The discussion had turned to marksmanship when one of the airman bragged he could shoot an apple off the top of another's (my) head. A .22 rifle was produced. They were illegal to have in a barracks at time. All weapons were supposed to be checked in for safe-keeping with the Base Air Police.  Nevertheless there it was.

He sat in a chair with an apple on his head while across the room the self-proclaimed marksman aimed his rifle and pulled the trigger.  There was a pretty loud noise, the apple split and behind it appeared a hole in the metal wall locker.  There were some complimentary remarks made and they carried on with the party as if that were a normal occurrence.

Second Gun - Ten years later...

He was a brand new Lieutenant in the Air Force Medical Service Corps.  First job...Hospital Squadron Commander  at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.  Just a few months in, the base commander had called an early morning shakedown inspection beginning at 5am.  After a short night's sleep, he and his First Sergeant and a couple other senior NCO's assembled at the squadron barracks and began a room-to-room search for contraband; primarily drugs and weapons.

After a few rooms were complete, he knocked on a door announcing their presence.  The door suddenly opened and the Lieutenant was staring down the barrel of a shotgun.  The airman inside insisted they would not be confiscating his weapon.  Before the Lieutenant could react, the First Sergeant stepped between them.  The First Sergeant knew the airman well and quickly diffused the situation by explaining they would just have the airman's shotgun stored in the base armory for safekeeping.

Third Gun - Seven years later...

He was a junior Captain less than a year into his job as Hospital Administrator at Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana.  He had a lot of hospital experience by then, as enlisted man and officer.  He loved the job and spent a lot of time out and about in the hospital, seeing if staff needed anything to help them do their jobs better. Often, he could offer assistance and sometimes, with medical funds limited, all he could offer were condolences.

One evening around dinner time, he was talking with the staff in the Hospital Emergency Room when he noticed a button under the reception counter.  He asked the NCO in charge what the button was for and the NCO said; "I'm not sure. Let's press it and see what happens."  So he did (Let's add a little emphasis on "naive" right here okay?).  The ER phone rang almost immediately and one of the staff answered it.  Part of the conversation mentioned the "button" and the calling party then asked to have the Administrator put on the line.  It was the Security Police announcing they had received an emergency signal from the ER and asking if everything was "all right.'

The Administrator, now realizing it was a 'panic button' said it had been pushed by mistake.  The caller said; "Sir, please open the emergency room door and step outside with your hands raised.  He complied with the request and as soon as he was through the door, looked to his right toward the entry ramp.  There were two Air policeman there, backs against the wall with their revolvers aimed at him.  He explained the situation and all three went into the ER.  After satisfying themselves there was no emergency, the police left and the Administrator suddenly knew a lot more about hospital operations.     

The Naked City...and Tournament Poker

"There are 8 million stories in the Naked City.  This has been one of them." - Opening line of the TV series by that name. 1958-63.

I am reminded of this old quote as I contemplate the billions of "bad beat" stories that have likely been told since cards, and especially poker were invented. Most veteran players are tired of hearing them...they believe they have seen and heard it all and they are probably right. But if you play poker regularly, you have yet to hear your last one - one of your pals will surely lay one you and soon.

From another...better day.

And now I am sure you have guessed it. Here is yet another.

Just yesterday, playing a World Series of Poker circuit Senior (age 50+) event, I was hanging around with an average starting chip stack of 10k an hour and a half or so into the tournament. The action came to me and I looked down at a pocket pair of Tens. I raised to 4 times the big blind as I wasn't too anxious to see a call.  Surprisingly, four players stuck around. Flop was little card, King, little card.

The player, I'll call him "Individual 1" ahead of me bet and I hung around as I wasn't too sure he had a king - I was cautious about hanging on with a lesser hand but bored* from folding so many earlier hands and wanted to see more cards. The other two players folded. Turn was another king. Individual 1 doubled his previous bet but it wasn't much of dig into my remaining stack so I called.  Besides, I was still trying to decide whether he had a king. The final card, the "river" was a 10 giving me a full house.

Individual 1 again increased his bet.  I thought; "Yup, he's got a set of Kings but I got him!"  I acted a little...looking at my cards then looking at the tournament clock then looking at him. Finally, with a reluctant air, said "all in."  Individual 1 said; "I gotta' call" and turned over...a King-Ten off-suit making him the winner and me the opposite of a winner.  Now, many players and books would suggest he didn't have strong enough hand to call the initial raise but nevertheless, there he was and he had me boat over boat.

Yes folks, there are billions of sad stories in poker.  This has been one of them. Condolences are welcome here and yes, I should have got the hell out of that hand right after the flop.

PS - if you haven't had enough yet, there are more stories and most all are not about bad beats...thank God.  

Poker in Des Moines
Don't Move! Much anyway... 
Poker Face 
The Perfect Muck
Moron Poker
The Clock
When You're Losing
Luck of the Draw - Where Poker Begins
Aces in Places
Profiles in Poker
Cards in the Air!
Poker is...a mofo!
Poker...More on "Dat Metaphor"
Pocket Aces - Dat Metaphor
Chasing the "Cheese"
Veni. Vidi. Velveeta.
The "River"

*Note:  "Bored" is an extremely dangerous attitude in tournament, or for that matter any other kind of poker.  If this happens you lose focus and when you lose that you will very likely get zapped.

Woodstock - 2019

50th anniversary coming right up.  Also 50th wedding anniversary in June for Julieann and I.

Jesus H. F’ing Christ where did the time go?! I guess it went here...

For old time's sake (auld lang syne)
Love the one you’re with time.

Study your ass off time.

Work your ass off time.

Howdy Doody time.

Experiment time.

Time well spent.

Exciting time.

Scary time.

Party time.

Hard time.

Easy time.

The time of our lives. (It better have been because it was our only time.)

It was our time.  

Now it is someone else’s time.  

Hopefully they will do a better job
Of preserving what exists. 

So they can pass something on for next time.

Gotta’ go.  Time’s up. 

"The Truth: It’s not hard to see at all…

Except for those who refuse to look."

Tom Campbell - 6/25/2018

"Bertha" - A Eulogy

It was late 2003 and she was brand-new, right off the assembly line.  She was 2004 Volkswagen Touareg and she was the first-year model of her kind.

She was loaded with extra plush heated leather seating, a big V-8, moonroof and virtually anything else you could think of as accessories at the time.  She was also big and heavy, even for an SUV.

It was late in the model year so there were some decent discounts to be had.  He saw her sitting in front of the dealership and she looked good so he invited his family to join him for a closer look and test drive.  Approval was unanimous so the they did the deal and took her home.  He quickly named her "Bertha" after the WWII bomb because she looked...well...she looked big.

The original "Big Bertha"

Fifteen years later she has accumulated over 130 thousand miles and enough infirmities that it is time for her to be put down.  Ironically, she still looks good though and her mighty engine still runs strong.

There are some folks claiming to be wise who suggest that when considering whether to buy or lease a new vehicle you should include your best guess as to how long you think you will keep it.  "If buying," they say, "drive it until the wheels fall off."  That is how it is/was with Bertha although we sure didn't start out with that intent.

"Bertha" - December 9, 2018
Still looks good on the outside
but inside...she's toast.

Some (other) folks also advise against buying a vehicle in its first model year as there will likely be bugs that have to be worked out.  That was sort of the case with Bertha as she did leave us stranded and using tow services a couple of times.  She also had this very annoying problem of chattering windshield wipers that ended up being replaced many times over the years.  Plus, a few nonessential parts fell off but we just left them off.  All in all though, she held up well.

Bertha became our go-to family ride...hauling the Campbell family to their many soccer games, school and work.  Since I was a pitiful road warrior and gone much of the time, Bertha evolved from "company car" to Julieann's wheels and that was that through most of her life.

Being a full-size SUV, Bertha was also a tall entry so when the World's Greatest Goldie, Molly grew old she would put her front paws up in back and patiently wait for one of us to heist her butt the rest of the way in.

So that's it...she has been donated to National Public Radio.  Thanks for the fine, long ride Bertha.

On Writing...penmanship that is.

As a kid, and a leftie I had miserable penmanship.  Just couldn't figure out how to hold the pencil without smearing lead... or pen without smearing ink.  The nuns at Saint Peter's Elementary in Huron, Ohio didn't know how to help me and my grades reflected it.  Well, maybe my attitude was reflected in my grades too.

Then one day early in Huron High School, I noticed a girl printing everything and saw how easy it was to read.  Okay, okay maybe I was looking over her shoulder while cheating on a test I don't recall.

So I started printing.  Everything.  I did it for several years and for some unknown reason it put some discipline in my unruly south paw.  Then I tried writing something again and noticed... it wasn't bad!  In fact, some of it looked pretty good.  I carried on from that point taking some pride in legibility.  Cheap thrills I know.

My kids, both lefties, do it too.  Tyler a combination of both and Samantha just about everything...printing that is.

Then.  Computers.  And keyboards.  And the end of a lot of writing.  And my practiced hand went on a leave of absence.  I made a note about it in 2015...I mean a hand written/printed note.  Just came across it in one of my (antique now) notebooks and am posting it here for posterity.  And for the hell of it.

Dakota Summer

1970 - Phoenix, AZ

It was a sixties summer... 1967

Peace, war, love, hate

All in the air

That Dakota night I was

Driven by peace and love

To that hilltop nightclub

To your table

To ask you to “...dance with me”

We have never stopped

First we were friends

Then your heart so big

Found love for me

A war and hate called 

I had serve the cause

Right or wrong

The distance made our love

Phoenix, Arizona - With sheepdog,
"Mopsy's Aerial Motions"

Grow stronger

I carried your beauty

Your letters close

In my heart

Then many years' 

Work and school together 

All the while your beauty

All the while your forgiveness

All the while your tenderness

You gave me a son and daughter

Both shared your beauty 

Both shared your heart

Both shared your thoughtfulness

Son Tyler and Daughter Samantha Campbell

We mellowed to one

A bond formed 

From your hard work

From your patience

In the September of our years

I have never loved you more

I will never love you less

I want to dance with you again 

As we did that Dakota night

Many years ago

And I will

I want to hold you again 

As I did that Dakota night

And I will

You are all around me

Every day, every minute of my life 

My beautiful darling hero

God's Round II - Sacrilege? I Think Not

What if God decided on starting over with her/his experiment called "Earth?"  Given the size of the universe, maybe He/She already has and we just can't see it.  What ideas could we share on a new, improved version? (Thank you to those who have contributed.  Your tips for God are marked with your initials. The others are mine...from my mind...if you don't mind.)

1. Don't sacrifice your only begotten for us.  We're not worth it.  Besides, we need Him to stick with us a little longer.

   

   God's Do-Over. Thinking things over...

2. Don't let a bunch of scribes write the Bible.  There is too much left to interpretation.  Besides, we'd rather hear it first hand. I mean, do we really need the book of Job?  We can't even interpret the Constitution. It's only 4 pages and we have had to amend it 27 times for God's sake (sorry).
3. We like peace so please, make us all the same color.  You pick. We'll see if we can do better if we are literally all begin on the same page.
4. "Let's skip a couple of emotions please...fear and hatred.  Thank you.  Or is that cheating on the test?  Also, banana splits in every refrigerator." - DCWC
5. There are certain inventors...guns and nuclear weapons for example, who should remain unborn.
6. "A couple more hours in the day (without making us age faster) would be nice." - SMC
7. Let's dump that chastity vow for priests and nuns okay?  It's just too much pressure for the human brain to deal with.
8. No kid's diseases. You must be 21 to get sick.  If diseases must happen, we'll be better prepared to deal with them then. 
9. Help us all be born with an innate understanding that rampant population growth is harmful to the Earth and causes us to fight among one another.
10. "Let all children have proper homes, nourishment, education, emotional and medical support." - SMC
11. "Benjamin Button the process. Reward a life lived well with play and innocence." - BH
12. Give our intuition a better engine okay?  At least let us be born knowing how to change our own diapers and tie our own shoes...
13. Do not include Saturday mail delivery.  It is a very expensive service. It is 90% junk mail and the remainder is bills.  Those puppies can wait until Monday.
14. Pennies?  Who needs'em?!  And the 545 + 1?  We need a major overhaul there.
15. "I want Matriarchy to be the prevailing social order." - AG  "Smash the patriarchy." SMC - "Just put women in charge and let's try that for a couple thousand years okay?" - TC
16. Clear up the man/woman controversy that surrounds you okay?  I mean if you Google "God" images you just get zillions of photos of a badass looking man.  Conversely, if you Google Woman God...you mainly get a bunch of images of Ariana Grande and we know she's not God...or is she?
17. Hey!  How about taking a "selfie" for us?!  That would sure clear up a lot of speculation about what you look like.
18. "More wine" - DB..."Hear! Hear!" - JO & TC
19. "Equality" - JMC & SW  "... and students taught to understand and respect our differences rather than bullying" - SW
20. "Scratch house flies, mosquitoes, gnats and no see'ums off the creation list." - JO  "...I'd add ticks, chiggers, probably brown recluses too." - SW  "No fruit flies in my old vine zin." - JO
21. "Term limits." - BeeGee
22. One last thing (maybe). I respectfully request that my family and I be born again, literally. Also, please have all our dogs with us, all the way.  And please make me more tolerant of bad drivers this time around.  God knows, I mean You know, I'm not perfect so why in God's name, I mean Your name, should I expect others to be that way. 

All right...this could end up a work in progress.  I kinda like to come back and edit/update things.  You have input? Great!  Have your people get in touch with my people.