Jody and "Home Defense"

The army trains using a variety of methods. One of the tools that is used and is freely and frequently messed up in movies are "jody calls," the cadences that the army uses to build teamwork and a sense of unity while marching and running.

I'm unsure of where the term "jody call" came from, but it shares the title with the ubiquitous "Jody." "Jody" is the guy who shows up at your home or apartment the day after you leave on deployment or training or duty.

My wife and I are in our thirtieth year of marital partnership and bliss. Even early in our marriage and military career/partnership, we were able to joke about infidelity. Even after the birth of our children, we embraced the military life much like the wonderful .38 Special Top-40 hit "Hold on Loosely" (but don't let go), and continued to joke around. And that's what we have done for 28 years now.

In early 2004 my unit was alerted for deployment to Iraq. Deployment is tough, even on families who are used to it. Factor in the word "combat" or "war," and, well, things get a tad edgier and more nerve-wracking. In the life of my children, I have been on the road in my civilian job or on military duty on more occasions than I, and probably my family, can count. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Iraq, Kuwait, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Spain, Tennessee, and Virginia have been darkened by my professional and military shadow in the lifetime of my children.

Through it all, my wife and family have held on loosely and kept that odd military sense of humor. So it was that just weeks before my departure to train for the upcoming deployment my wife and I were joking about "Jody."

"When Jody comes by, honey, just make sure the grass is mowed and and hedges are trimmed." We both smiled.

At that very moment, our 15-year-old daughter walked in hearing our conversation and asked the big, loaded question. "Who's Jody?"

...

...

The Pregnant Pause.

I looked at my wife, and she looked at me. Our daughter stood waiting patiently for an answer. Finally, I spoke.

Slowly.

"Uh, well, you see, uh, Jody is the, uh, (more quickly now) imaginary character who shows up the day after Daddy goes on deployment..." Big smile!

Our daughter's eyes narrowed, her left hip shot out with her left fist planted firmly upon it, and straight out shot shot her right arm, hand extended, index finger up and waving back-and-forth. "NOT in THIS house!" she stated emphatically and forcefully. I just looked at my wife and smiled.

She smiled right back.

Free Market Example for Airlines?

Imagine for a moment what would happen to America's and the World's airlines if they were forced off the government dole. Seriously.

Since 9-11 America's airlines have received billions of our tax dollars in subsidies, law-suit protection from terrorism (which in and of itself is ridiculous that any airline, person, or other business or entity could have foreseen and stopped such a sneak attack), tax-supported security (TSA), et al. And before that, those same airlines were subsidized with government air traffic control systems, government-owned and operated airports, and any number of programs bought and paid for by you and I. I've always wonder why in the world I have to buy a ticket when I've been helping to pay for it since I was fifteen (I'm at least three times that old now)!

What would happen if airlines had to own the airports? What would TSA be like if they had to treat you, the customer, as if you were actually a customer, instead of a crazed, terroristic maniac? What would occur if the air traffic control system was owned and run by the airlines? What if they had to manage the air lanes on their own because they owned them?

And what would happen if they had to pay property and other taxes on the items they used, instead of paying piddling amounts to the government owners - which is eventually you and me?

What would happen?

Today, right now, as you read this, there is a transportation mode in America that fills all these criteria!

Seriously? Really?

Yes. And today, these private companies are in better financial and physical condition than they have been in seventy years! Additionally, they pay substantially higher wages, benefits and retirements than most other businesses. And, their work force is generally less educated than similarly-compensated employees in other businesses inside and outside of transportation .

These companies own their means of transportation almost exclusively, paying property taxes to local and state governments. They control these routes with their own employees, controlling traffic all over their systems. They own most of the equipment, and buy and maintain it in their own shops, with their own employees. When they need new or expanded facilities, they build it themselves, and maintain it. If a piece of property is damaged, they will have it repaired and operating within days. They even have their own police forces that are required to be fully certified federally and in the states in which they operate. And they have been highly profitable, even through the nation's current financial difficulties.

That's America's freight railroads today.

Surprised? Most people are. But, these are the reasons that men like Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have invested heavily in railroads recently. Buffett stunned many when he bought, with billions of dollars, all outstanding shares of BNSF Railway, a company that operates from Birmingham to Seattle, San Diego to Chicago, and most placed in-between.

Incidentally, Buffett HASN'T been investing in airlines.

Perhaps it is time for airlines to emulate success, and demand that the government turn over the Federal Aviation Administration's TSA, Air Traffic Control, airports and buildings, and other pertinent items to them. It is clear that these things can't get managed much worse, and I'd be willing to bet that they could do it much better.

Maybe then Warren Buffett and Bill Gates would by an airline.