This past week I was honored to be a New Member of the Army War College, at their National Security Seminar (NSS). More on the NSS and Army War College in my next blog post. There were many fascinating military and civilian students and staff, and fellow New Members in my smaller Seminar group. But equally interesting were those I met on the 30-40 minute bus rides to and from Carlisle Barracks and our hotel.

Picture your classic coach bus, with two seats on each side. Promptly at 7:00 each morning we are able to get on the busses. The same was true for the afternoons when departing for the hotel. We get on, and then there is a waiting time until the bus is full.

Most of us attended not knowing anyone else who was a New Member. Therefore you were most likely going to sit with a complete stranger on the bus, especially that very first morning. I chose to sit with Anne, aka Catherine as I found out thru one of her stories.