Joseph Badal's Blog

Everyday Heroes: The American Fighting Man I found this translation from 2008 of an article written by a French soldier who served in Afghanistan with Americans. His observations and comments about American soldiers in combat are eye-opening and should make every American proud. Although I have no frame of reference to agree with the author […]

EVERYDAY HEROES NOUS SOMMES CHARLIE FEBRUARY 1, 2015 At the time of my writing this blog, all the names of the victims of the terrorist attack on the Paris offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo had not been released. Rather than name just a few of the victims, I chose to use NOUS SOMMES […]

JOSEPH BADAL EVERYDAY HERO CHRIS KYLE JANUARY 1, 2015 Chris Kyle wasn’t an Ivy League graduate and didn’t come from privilege. He was just a country boy. He played football and baseball and showed cows in Future Farmers of America events. He was a Texas boy who loved the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Longhorns. […]

For those of you who have read my monthly blog before, you might be surprised by this month’s subject. Joan Allen didn’t serve in the military. As far as I know, she never saved anyone’s life. The only combat she ever experienced was being the mother of three boys who are, to say the least, […]

As with the protagonists in all of my novels, my monthly EVERYDAY HEROES blog subjects do not leap tall buildings in a single bound. They are everyday people (or organizations, animals) who rise to the occasion when confronted with obstacles. They often risk their lives and/or their reputations to help others. My subject this month […]

How many times have you heard someone say, “You dirty dog” or “You’re worse than an animal?” Phrases like these demean animals and imply that humans who behave badly are animal-like, less human. Further, they imply that individuals who are less human and more animal-like lack nobility and are incapable of human traits such as courage, […]

I am currently on an international book tour. I thought this post would be appropriate because it highlights EVERYDAY HEROES from many places across our globe. This video proves that EVERYDAY HEROES come in all shapes and sizes, and from all over the planet. It also makes a point I have made in the past: […]

 I write once a month about someone or something that has, by his or its behavior, sets a courageous example for the rest of us. I have written in past blogs about soldiers, Marines, private citizens, dogs, and even a bear. In every instance, the subject of one of my blogs has shown courage in […]

Joseph Badal worked for 38 years in the financial services industry, retiring in 2007 after 6 years as a director and senior executive of a New York Stock Exchange-listed company. Before he began his finance career, Joe was a decorated Army officer for 6 years, with tours of duty in Vietnam and Greece. He also […]

I never fail to be amazed at the examples all around me of people who qualify as Everyday Heroes. When I first decided to write this blog I thought it would be difficult to find subject matter for a blog entitled Everyday Heroes. I was wrong. This month my Everyday Hero is Jason Ehrhart. I […]