Copyright 2020 – The Caine Group, LLC – All rights reserved
Over the past few years, I’ve enjoyed doing some personal writing here on my companies website, but the time has come to make a shift.
I hope you will join me at http://dancaine.net.
We will still do some Caine Group related writing here and look forward to sharing that with you.
Thanks,
Dan
I am fortunate enough to be spending a few days at the Kennedy School at Harvard as part of the Kennedy School’s program for Senior Executives for National and International Security.
One of the lectures we listened to today was on the role of energy in our national security policy and how energy transitions from carbon-based approaches to more sustainable energy will impact both global economies as well as the underlying fabric of global security
The US and our allies and partners need to think strongly about what a world looks like where oil is not a baseline power source.
What happens when that political and policy lever is not in play for global decision-makers. What does that look like, and what investments are leaders making now to ensure decision space in that new market?
This blog represents my personal views and does not represent the views of any element of the US Government or my views as a US Government employee.
We all read yesterday of the incredibly tragic loss of not one but two military aircraft.
The first loss was an F-18F Super Hornet crew recovering from an in-flight emergency in Florida. The jet was a part of VFA-213, “The Black Lions”, out of NAS Oceana, Virginia.
The second loss was in Iraq when an HH-60G PaveHawk of the US Air Force crashed near the Syria/Iraq border tragically killing all seven crew members on board.
I’m saddened that the majority of Americans are disconnected with our nations’ warfighters. They are more concerned about what is on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, or Instagram versus what is going on in the many dangerous corners of the world where our nation is decisively engaged and our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsman, and Civilians are defending our freedoms.
I think it’s important for my non-miliary friends and colleagues to understand something. Please understand, that even after 17 years since 2001, these losses hurt all of us – a lot.
The losses are tragic, whether they are safety or combat-related, and we all feel the pain to the core – no more so than their families, their loved ones, or their unit members.
For many of us with a lot of deployed time, we feel the soul-crushing sadness and heartache that these families feel. To a person, we wish we could make it all go away for the families. We wish we could carry the burden for them. We wish we could bring back their loved ones.
And I wish that the Nation would be more connected to our military members.
We all will think of our Fallen this weekend, and every weekend, and the families of the fallen that continue on showing us what true bravery really is… and… we will never ever ever forget.
I read with great sadness this morning of the passing of Professor Stephen Hawking.
I have had the incredible honor of meeting some very tough people in my life – none tougher than Squadron Leader (Ret) Ned Cullen, MBE, and his Family.
Ned is a Royal Air Force Fighter Pilot and “TopGun” graduate – and one of my best friends in the world. He looks exactly what you would think a dashing, brave, smart talented RAF Fighter Pilot would look like – reddish blond hair and all.
Ned and I met in 2002 as our nations trained together for a very sensitive, very special mission which ultimately went down in the western deserts of Iraq in March of 2003.
On the first night of the war in Iraq, Ned was there, overhead protecting the UK Special Air Service (SAS) and our special forces while flying in his RAF Harrier jump jet – taking the fight to the enemy night after night.
One evening in April of 2003 Ned came up to me and told me he was not feeling 100% – that his fingers were tingling a bit. That did not stop him from flying combat missions night after night.
Upon returning to the UK in the Spring of 2003 Ned was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease or Lou Gerhigs Disease as it’s known here in the US.
What would stop most people in their tracks… has never… not once… not for one second stopped Ned or his incredible wife Heather, or their Son Rory from attacking life.
There are hard as nails people you meet in your life… and then there is the Clan Cullen.. every single one of them.
When I think of bravery – I think of Ned.
When I think of courage – I think of Ned.
When I think of tenacity with a huge side of humor – I think of Ned.
When I think of unconditional, never-ending, pure to the core love – I think of Heather and Rory.
Every single day the Cullens attack life no matter what gets sent their way, and every person who is blessed to know them and love them is grateful every day for the chance to be in their lives.
Today is a tough day for the world with the loss of Professor Hawking. He was a giant of a man.
It is also a day to rejoice at the incredible honor of knowing and loving other giants who even now continue to walk this earth – and yes, I’m talking to you Clan Cullen. I love you all.
