COL (ret) Daniel (Rags)J. Ragsdale
Founder and Principal Full Spectrum Cyber Solutions
It's hard to believe it has been 45 years since we stood together on the Plain. Despite many subsequent years in the classroom, thirty in uniform, and more job changes since than I care to count, I still don't know what I want to be when (if?) I grow up.
Over those years, I've had the good fortune to work in remarkable organizations, alongside brilliant and hardworking men and women, tackling some of the toughest challenges facing our Army and our nation. I have literally (and by literally, I mean figuratively) pinched myself every single day, wondering how on earth I ended up in the room. To be honest, I was always fairly certain they only kept me around because I gave hope to other, less capable but scarily enthusiastic men and women like me.
As most know, the real star of our show is my amazing bride and high school sweetheart, Cindy (aka, The Beautiful One). Not long after our graduation, she willingly, but perhaps unwittingly, agreed to serve a life sentence at my side. For the record, her repeated requests for "time off for good behaviour," while well justified, have consistently been denied.
Despite my many well-documented shortcomings, we somehow managed to raise three amazing (now-adult) kids, each of whom followed the service academy path, one to USMA, one to USAFA, one to USNA. Please note: there is no truth to the rumor that I told each of them they could go to ANY school they wanted, provided its name began with "United States..."
While two of them demonstrated a gross lack of judgment in their choice of schools, all three are blessed to have inherited their looks and brains from their Mom. They are all flourishing and their combined 40+ years of service, and three (soon to be four) combat deployments, are a source of great pride for Cindy and me.
I'm keeping busy these days with consulting work and trying to stay a half step ahead of the technology curve. But my greatest honor, of course, is serving as Vice President for the Great Class of 1981, Strength as One!
Over those years, I've had the good fortune to work in remarkable organizations, alongside brilliant and hardworking men and women, tackling some of the toughest challenges facing our Army and our nation. I have literally (and by literally, I mean figuratively) pinched myself every single day, wondering how on earth I ended up in the room. To be honest, I was always fairly certain they only kept me around because I gave hope to other, less capable but scarily enthusiastic men and women like me.
As most know, the real star of our show is my amazing bride and high school sweetheart, Cindy (aka, The Beautiful One). Not long after our graduation, she willingly, but perhaps unwittingly, agreed to serve a life sentence at my side. For the record, her repeated requests for "time off for good behaviour," while well justified, have consistently been denied.
Despite my many well-documented shortcomings, we somehow managed to raise three amazing (now-adult) kids, each of whom followed the service academy path, one to USMA, one to USAFA, one to USNA. Please note: there is no truth to the rumor that I told each of them they could go to ANY school they wanted, provided its name began with "United States..."
While two of them demonstrated a gross lack of judgment in their choice of schools, all three are blessed to have inherited their looks and brains from their Mom. They are all flourishing and their combined 40+ years of service, and three (soon to be four) combat deployments, are a source of great pride for Cindy and me.
I'm keeping busy these days with consulting work and trying to stay a half step ahead of the technology curve. But my greatest honor, of course, is serving as Vice President for the Great Class of 1981, Strength as One!