And then I wrote...

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that the fuss over the need for a seventh FBI background investigation for a supreme court nominee caused me to remember when 1 underwent an investigation while in the Navy.

I don’t know what sort of classification I held while on the staff of the air group aboard the aircraft carrier. I was communications officer, and we sent two low classification “confidential” messages in that time, once to note the need to offload one squadron on Guam because of parts recall, and the other to report that all jet aircraft were inoperative until repairs were made to a catapult.

But after being named classified materials control officer for the newly-formed replacement air group training squadron, someone felt it was necessary for me to acquire a Higher clearance, and so FBI agents visited my home town.

When I first came home on leave, I found out they had contacted the mayor, the chief of police, the sheriff, the principal of the high school, and my dad’s employer, who happened to be the postmaster. Each ot them made a point of asking me what was going on. There may have been other contacts.

Then as a senior at the university, I was on the other end of a background check, because my apartment mate was being considered for acceptance by the Central Intelligence Agency. I answered their questions, then volunteered that it probably wasn’t necessary because he had cryptographic clearance while in the Navy.

They assured me they knew that!

As I write this, the Cubs are playing Milwaukee to determine who would break the tie at the top and become the division winner. Both move on regardless of who wins, with the loser a wild card placer.

The Cubs had trouble scoring runs late in the season, so much so that in one recent 2-1 loss, the loudest cheers at the home field of the Cubs was for a ballboy’s efforts to run down an errant baseball!

I received one of those scam calls recently, allegedly from a grandson who was “in a little bit of trouble.” As an 84-year-old bachelor, I was able to honestly reply that if I had a grandson, I was the one who was in trouble!

I wasn’t surprised by the American loss to the European team in golfs Ryder Cup play. The U.S. was relying too much on a pair of veteran golfers who have had no success in that event over the years, Woods and Mickelson.

I was surprised to hear that there is a European “anthem” and that it is Beethoven’s Ode to Joy, which I think is from his Ninth, or unfinished, symphony. I may be wrong about the latter.