R.B. Miller Almost Wins Hogaboom Writing Award

As described previously, the majority of my publications were short and in a particular section of the Weekly World News.

In distant second place are a series of longer essays (usually 2000-3000 words) in the Marine Corps Gazette. Most were entered in writing contests, and I recently won my ~4th 2nd Place or Honorable Mention, not bad for an enlisted grunt. This was my first (and, by the contest rules, last) entry in the Hogaboom Essay Contest.

Look for my article in approximately the October issue, and expect the excerpt below to have one fewer comma. By the way, contrary to the implication, I won $500, not a bad consolation prize. My least favorite consolation prize was for a writing contest in Outdoor Life (something about how being a lousy hunter made me a better Marine). First Prize was a $22,000 guided elk and moose hunt in Canada. Second Prize was a cheap pocket knife normally given to subscribers to induce them to subscribe for another year. I won second.

The above is from the June issue. If you don't subscribe, you should. Note that the lieutenant who won could be my son or grandson if I'd been more successful in dating earlier in life.

Hogaboom himself was a very impressive figure. Read his Wikipedia bio if you don't believe me. If you've ever heard that there's serious inflation in medals and ribbons these days, here's some supporting evidence. Although his are more important, Gen Hogaboom is actually wearing fewer ribbons than I do, a crime against logic, fairness, common sense, and everything else you can think of.

If you look carefully, the ribbon in the 3rd row 2nd column resembles a transgender pride flag, or some hippie ribbon made via tie-dyeing. In fact, that's the ribbon for the World War II Victory Medal. With Memorial Day and the 75th anniversary of D-Day approaching, thank anyone you see wearing this ribbon. There aren't many left.