• John F. BerryNeighbor

  • Banning-Beaumont, CA

I’m returning to Redlands in October after serving tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as a mobilized US Army Reservist. My top goal during my deployments was to give people a connection to the military that serves them so well.

Considering less than 1 percent of the US population is in the military – and our forces have been in a perpetual state of war since Sept. 11, 2001 -- I think preserving<br>that fragile link is as important now as it ever was.

I’ve been in the US Army and US Army Reserve for nearly 30 years, so I plan to keep commenting on military matters after returning to civilian life. I will comment on the serious topics, but I also like to illustrate the funny, interesting and human sides of soldiering.

I love when people comment on my posts and engage in fun and creative postings. (Important caveat: People sometimes confuse a soldier speaking his mind with the military itself. They are completely different. So please understand that my opinions are my own and my views do not represent United States Army or the Department of Defense).

And when I’m back in Redlands, I am going to become active in the Redlands Tea Party Patriots. That means I will be commenting often about the tea party movement as well as its concerns and activities. I am a fiscal and national-security conservative. On social issues, I tend to have a live-and-let live attitude.

I am a father. I am a husband. I am a deacon. And after spending nearly 20 years in journalism as a newspaper reporter – including nine at The <i>Press-Enterprise</i> – I have, as the saying goes, “been there and done that.” I am opinionated and proud of it.

So please read my posts and join the fun. I write blunt opinions but don’t be afraid to engage. I read all responses and I try hard to let readers have the last word. I have a “Monty Python” sense of humor and no subject is too sacred for comment.

Oh! Blog responders who leave creative comments earn gold stars.

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