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It is July 21, 2004   ...Kathleen & I are on Day 33 of our Alcan Highway DXpedition.  We have returned to Dawson City, Yukon after 6 flat tires in 9 days on our stick shift F250 V-10 4WD Truck & 27 foot solar powered Airstream Trailer.  Having just traveled 557 mile N/O of Dawson City, Yukon on perma frost gravel tundra 205 miles north of the Artic Circle.  Above where trees can grow on a road called the "Dempster Highway" that leads to Inuvik & the Artic Ocean, Northwest Territory & The Inuvik Art Festival.  We are surrounded by the smell of thick smoke from Forest Fires that limit vision.  It is time to sit back & Ponder on what has brought Kathleen & I  here & what we have just accomplished.  I pull out a scratch pad and write  Maybe Me?

  Maybe Me

A Patriot who leaves his Home, Family

and way of life to act and live in a new way,

an adult life,

a way that always, from Truck Driver to Riflemen,

do it right the first time or someone dies, get it,

Someone dies when you make a mistake,

Maybe Me.

Veterans perfect these skills and Some come home,

They repeat the ritual, do it right or someone dies,

in this adult world, some are 17, some our 50,

but do it right or someone dies,

Maybe Me.

When your done and home,

No one wants to hear how you did it right the first time,

to succeed you have to blend in,

camouflage yourself to succeed,

be a Covert Patriot to succeed.

People, Friends, Family, and especially the Work Place look at Patriots at weird and in a different light.

Those who succeed keep their skills behind closed doors.

Non Veterans wonder if you want to kill something as they go off on Fishing and Deer Hunting Trips.

Success is to use your Veteran skills,

your life experiences to make your Life Important,

your world, real life experiences that others don’t have allows you to succeed when others fail.

They don’t know what or how you do it or what your doing,

you know to do a full days work, do it right because someone could die,

Maybe Me.

Now kick this up a notch and call it USMC Veteran,

Maybe Me.

Warren R. Wilkosz, Sr.

Cpl. USMC

Republic of Vietnam, 2 tours 1968 - 70

Retired Violent Crimes Detective

Dupage County Sheriff’s Police (Chicagoland)

1975 - 2001

June 10, 2001

 Recipient of the St. Joseph the Worker Award

Founded on the schools motto Vincit Qui Labor, he conquers who labors

 & recognizes the accomplishments of its Alumni since graduation