This week on the podcast, I interviewed Colonel Ben Danner, retired Colonel of the United States Army.  Otherwise known as, Coach Ben Danner, the most overqualified and distinguished coach and teacher of Jarrell Middle School in the history of the world.  But I get ahead of myself.  Ben's story starts in Bonham, Texas (I am skipping the non-Texas roots); then detours through Austin College in Sherman, Texas (where my tentative connection with Ben originates); through Westpoint; through Europe and the Middle East; through the command of a tank division in Kuwait; to being awarded the Bronze Star; to Alaska; to College Station where the Army paid for Ben to obtain a Master's in Philosophy; to teaching philosophy at West Point for three years; to Florida where the Army paid for Ben to obtain a Master's in Public Relations; to many other places where Ben was in charge of the press corps for the Army; to Fort Hood where Ben was in charge of the media relations when Nidel Hasan fatally shot 13 people and wounded 30 others; to being a Military Analyst at KCEN-TV; and finally to coaching junior high athletics and teaching English to the teenage boys and girls of Jarrell Middle School.  This little summary does not nearly touch everything this man has accomplished.  You need to listen to this podcast.  During the interview, I felt that Colonel Danner was minimizing his accomplishments and being humble.  Yet, I will say again, Ben Danner, the most overqualified and distinguished coach and teacher of Jarrell Middle School in the history of the world.

My path crossed Ben's this past summer at my college fraternity retreat.  I had never attended this annual event but decided to do so with my newfound journey and philosophy on life.  Upon meeting Danner, I was fascinated with his life.  I had never heard of the Army paying for anyone to get a master's in philosophy, much less met someone that taught philosophy at West Point.  I learned that I missed Ben by one year at Austin College.  He was there the year before I got there.  I learned that he pledged Beta Chi Omega (my fraternity) and has the distinction as being the only sole maggot to complete the difficult process, the others in his class quit.  He accomplished this feat knowing he was transferring to West Point the next year.  This is crazy.  After meeting him at the retreat, I knew I had to get this man on my podcast.  It is with great honor that I present to you, my interview with Colonel Ben Danner, Retired United States Army.

"Retired Army Colonel just trying to enjoy this thing we call life... and do right by others."

~Colonel Ben Danner, Retired U.S. Army and 8th Grade English Teacher