Into the breach steps a new wartime hero

I was pretty disappointed when Admiral Tom Collins retired as head of the Coast Guard. He was by far my favorite military official who shared his name with an alcoholic beverage. (A close second was Sergeant Smirnoff, who was something of a campus recruiter when I was in college.)

I'd like to think it was a coincidence that Adm. Collins left the military last year, around the same time I decided to swear off the refreshing gin cocktail of the same name.

So imagine how happy I was when I realized this week there is a new Tom Collins protecting our nation (albiet at the expense of our liver): Colonel Tom Collins, the spokesman for the Coalition Combined Forces Command in Afghanistan. What's even better? Col. Collins came out of retirement for the job.

Talk about a real American hero. Thanks, Col. Collins, for making it safe to enjoy cool refreshing gin-spiked lemonade in rugged hotspots around the world.