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Another good story, Dave. Now I've got one for you.

I was a Navy Lt. assigned to the Marines as a Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer back in the late 70s. And I went on a deployment to WestPac aboard the USS Okinawa (a helicopter carrier) where I was operating with a Marine regiment out of Kaneohe, HI.

So I was living aboard ship in a small officer's cabin with 3 other guys, two Marine Captains, a Navy doctor, and myself.

And I had great conversations with one of those Marine Captains and we became friends for 3 months aboard ship, had meals together and so forth.

So 35 years later I'm reading a Free Republic comment about a Marine Corps General who was highly respected and somebody said Trump should hire.

I saw the picture of the guy and instantly recognized it to the face of our soon to be elevated Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis. Never had any contact with Jim since our deployment, and I got out the Navy 3 years later, but I can tell you that you will never meet a better gentleman nor caring/dedicated man.

So it shows you how given average training and desire, a man or woman of great dedication and merit can rise to the highest level in this country.