Neel505 - About

About

"Happy is the man who, like Ulysses, has made a glorious voyage...then returns to spend the rest of his life among his family." ~ J. du Bellay

In Brief

I'm an Alabama Boy living in Virginia with my wife, Kady, among my kids and grandkids, between the Blue Ridge and beaches; and surrounded by battlefields. I'm married to a beautiful Birmingham girl, and she has made my life wonderful. We chose the Old Dominion in retirement to be close to our family.

I grew up in Birmingham, the middle son of a railroad man and a country girl.

I am a retired career soldier, joining the Army at twenty-three and staying for twenty-four years, serving as a scout and infantryman in the 82nd Airborne. The Army assigned me to NATO in Izmir, Turkey, three times, and I consider it a second home. I served for two years on Her Majesty’s Service in the British Parachute Regiment, and I taught ROTC at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI).

I am a graduate of the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy, Class 47.

After the army, I worked at VMI for over sixteen years as the Corps and Institute Sergeant Major.

Nowadays

In 2018, after 41 years, I removed my uniform and promised I would never put it back on. I haven't. I no longer use my rank, and I will not answer to it. My name is John, Johnny to family and friends.

Unlike my uniformed days, I have plenty of free time for family, travel, and hobbies. It is an enjoyable way of life.

I've slowed down a lot and do only one thing on my to-do list each day. Most days, I walk the trails around my house, visit one of the many parks in the area, or scour a local battlefield. I spend cold and rainy days in my office writing, working on this site, doing family research, or reading. Many evenings, I am out back with my telescopes. I'm an avid photographer.

I spend so much time with my grandchildren that I am in danger of becoming a nice person.

Name and Panther

The name for my site comes from those early days of dialup internet and e-mail. Looking for an address, every combination that I tried was taken. I added my regiment to my last name and became neel505 at AOL. I kept the moniker for my site and just about everything.

My panther comes from the 505th Parachute Regiment's unit crest. That panther is for the regiment; this one is mine.

The stylized N represents my last name but is also a DV, the Roman numeral for five hundred and five. I believe this is very clever.

In Detail

I'm a typical middle kid. My brothers were studious, well-behaved, and educated at the same liberal arts college, you know—Tools. I'm not the smartest of the three, just the best-looking. I'm kidding—I'm way more intelligent than those two frat boys.
I still double-space between sentences, though I'm trying to break that habit. I do not think "disrespect" is a verb, and conjugate "plead" as "plead, pled, pled." I love commas and put them anywhere and everywhere. I use ellipses [. . .] to indicate my pregnant pauses, thinking, searching for a better word, and brain cramps. My spelling sucks. I do not do math.
I use army rank abbreviations and 24-hour time. Sorry 'bout that, Associated Press Stylebook.
I call my friends "mate." "Cheers" can mean goodbye, good luck, thank you, and "let's drink." I speak just enough Turkish to get where I'm going, order food, and get myself in and out of trouble. I often speak in movie quotes and will expect you to get the reference. If I call you "Bobo" or "Sports Fan," treat both as terms of endearment.

I was a bad student, educating myself with the Encyclopedia Britannica and World Book. I have an inner need to impress people with my intelligence—ask me a simple question, and you'll get an exhaustive answer, with historical context. Take notes.
I read a lot, mostly sci-fi, science, biographies, and history.
Politics, politicians, and people who can't talk about anything else piss me off. I have only liked one president: Ronald Reagan.
I'm a music snob. My tastes are forever stuck in the '60s and early '70s. To me, the Beatles and their bubblegum music still suck. Dan Fogelberg remains my favorite singer/songwriter. I like old Springsteen songs from before he became so socially and politically rediculous. I don't like the person. The Eagles are the best group ever. I dig Sister Hazel and Toad the Wet Sprocket. Ronstadt is forever my fave.
I'm an Auburn fan. War Eagle! I firmly believe that this is our year. Pity Me.
I do not believe there is or ever was a supreme being. Don't try to convert me; you'll only run away crying and doubting your beliefs. True Story. However, if you want to deceive yourself, I don't care, so long as you do not attempt to force your superstitious taboos on me.
I am mostly tolerant of idiots, but I will not accept your perversions and delusions as normal or your lies as truth. I will be polite until you show me you can't do the same. I will refer to you by your proper pronouns and will not care if it hurts your little feelings.
I am a white male, a Boomer, and a proud American Southerner. My heroes are Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Turner Ashby, and JEB Stuart. I say, "Ma'am" and "Sir," hold doors, tip my hat, and wave at total strangers. I am a well-armed and trained life member of the NRA. I use a Pixel phone, Windows computers, and all things Google. Deal with it.

Pleased to meet you.

John

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