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“They teach us how to go to war. They teach us how to fight. But they don’t teach us how to come home,”

What differentiates a “sea story” from a “war story”? Humor, of course. War stories tend to be dark and show the pain of military life. But sea stories find the humor of serving in uniform. Tales from the Green Side is a collection of sea stories told through the eyes of United States Navy FMF (Fleet Marine Force) Hospital Corpsmen serving alongside their Marine counterparts.

I just wanted to take a few minutes to thank everyone for the tremendous support of our book Tales from the Green Side. For those who may not be on social media, this past week, it has been Amazon’s #1 New Release in the Doctor’s and Medicine Humor Category for seven… seven days running. It also spent five days as the #1 New Release in their Medical Fiction category and is still #2. Thank you - when we launched this, it was more for Amazon to print on demand for us to sell at

We started the company to provide a writing/ publishing platform for veterans and first responders - a place where their voices can be heard! However, it is open to anyone who needs help getting their story out to the world. If you think you have a book that needs a platform, contact us at info@8404publishing.com. When you get a chance, please check out the website www.8404publishing.com.

What is a storyteller, without a story to tell? Therefore, this month I am sharing with you my latest reflection. It is longer than the “standard” reflection, I hope that you find something in it that touches that part of you, the part of you where you start to ask questions of yourself. More importantly, start to ask questions those around you. Without further adieu my latest story - Why we write…

Welcome to the first issue of my monthly newsletter Notes and Scribbles from My Desk. I will be using the online publishing platform Substack to publish my newsletter. Substack is an online email newsletter platform that lets independent writers and podcasters publish directly to their audience through both free and paid subscriptions. Please go to the following link to sign up for my Newsletter and any future associated Notes and Scribbles (https://johnniegilpenjr.substack.

“Alive” is relative. “Why did you fall asleep at the wheel?” “Why were you so tired?” “Were you just getting off shift?” “Had you been up all night?” All valid questions, asked ad nauseum. My answer: I shrug my shoulders. It’s a pitfall of being a juggler, front and center, in the largest ongoing three-ring circus in the world—the Covid-19 pandemic.

After a crazy shift in the E.R., I sat on the couch with my wife, Leslie, watching the news. As Tucker Carlson was talking about the coronavirus like every other TV reporter, my wife turned to me and asked, “Are you all right?” I gave her my standard reply, “Yeah, babe, why?” She looked at me and said, “You look empty.” At that moment I realized I was doing a piss-poor job of masking what was going on inside my head.

By Johnnie L. Gilpen Jr., MS, MHS, PA-C CAQ (EM) NRP https://thewarhorse.org/you-have-not-seen-the-last-of-these-marines/ Please click on the link above to read the story. You Have Not Seen the Last of These Marines  was the first of three reflections I wrote for The War Horse Journal (WHJ) ( https://thewarhorse.org/ ). In 2019, I was selected as a War Horse Combat Medic and Corpsman Writing Fellow. The War Horse Journal’s Seminar for Veterans and Military Families is more t