Sunday, March 22

My son, my son


Francis X. Archibald, (Frank), 64, loving and devoted husband of Lisa Perry Archibald, and retired Director of the CIA's National Clandestine Service, died peacefully March 13, 2020 with his wife and family at his side in Phoenix, Arizona.
Born July 31, 1955, in Charleston, SC, Frank was the eldest of five children of Francis X. Archibald of Mount Pleasant, SC and the late Mary Cooper Archibald. Frank graduated from Hanahan High School in 1973 where he was a member of the Hawks' so-called "Iron Men" football team, playing both offense and defense positions for entire games. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1974 and served with distinction as an Infantryman and leader earning the rank of Sergeant. After leaving the Marine Corps, he graduated from Clemson University in 1983, where he was a Captain of the Tigers' rugby team. He remained an ardent, lifetime supporter and fan of Clemson and its football team in particular. Frank then joined the CIA and began an extraordinary national security career.
Over 31 years with the CIA, Frank served in Latin America, Africa, the Balkans, Southeast and Southwest Asia. Frank held senior assignments at CIA Headquarters in Counterterrorism and Counterintelligence, and was Chief of the Latin American Division. He was a Distinguished Graduate of the National War College in 2001. The capstone of Frank's career was being selected the Director of the National Clandestine Service, an assignment leading all of CIA's operations worldwide. During his CIA career, he received the CIA's highest award, the Distinguished Intelligence Cross for heroism, as well as numerous other CIA awards. Frank retired from the CIA in 2015.
Frank subsequently became a senior advisor for the Crumpton Group, an international consulting firm that provides clients with intelligence-driven solutions. He also served on the Board of Directors for the OSS Society. While working for the Crumpton Group, Frank and his wife Lisa maintained homes in Mesa, AZ, and Mount Pleasant, SC.
Frank was a voracious reader with a lifelong interest in American history and its political, military, and social leaders. He studied and admired the leadership lessons and traits of many, including President Eisenhower, General Walter Bedell Smith, and Martin Luther King, Jr. He often played Doctor King's greatest speeches in his car en route to work at CIA, which helped shape Frank's inclusive, respectful, low-key, and effective leadership style.
Frank traveled the world serving America, but dearly loved his home state of South Carolina, in particular its low country, friendly and interesting people, local culture, food and environment. Over the years, more than one of Frank's shoes was lost to "pluff mud"-a type of marsh mud around Charleston that creates a powerful suction when stepped on-reminding him he was home. Shrimp and grits were often on his lunch and dinner menus, and he never missed an opportunity to strike up a friendly conversation with his low country neighbors.
Whether in South Carolina or Arizona, Frank thoroughly enjoyed the company of family and friends. Christmas often found him dressed as Santa, enthusiastically playing the role for his grandchildren. He organized treasure hunts and played the role of a leprechaun for them, devoting himself to ensuring their happiness. For the older children whose lives he was privileged to join as they were just starting out in life, Frank provided career guidance, mentoring, advice on good citizenship and responsibility, and a boundless generosity of spirit and love. 
His natural, easygoing, self-effacing demeanor drew family members, friends, and others to him. He was always ready to share a story or laugh with those he met and genuinely enjoyed the company of people. A telling example of Frank's gentleness of spirit and love of family was his care and use of his late mother's 2001 truck. Frank maintained it regardless of cost, driving it carefully around the streets of South Carolina and across the country to Arizona. Frank's truck is still with us; he is with his beloved mother.
Frank is survived by his loving wife, Lisa; his father, Francis; brothers James (Lisbeth Sandoy) and Patrick; sisters Martha and Wynn Godbold (Rett); nephews Steven Archibald (Rondalyn), Senior Airman Matthew Godbold USAF, and Cooper Godbold; grand nephew Steven Archibald; mother-in-law Betty Perry; children John Vomocil (Wendy), Rob Vomocil (Leanne), Tory Capps (Arlie) and Terence Dylan Vomocil (Jessica); 12 grandchildren; and lifelong family friends Roger and Wendy Funderburk, all of whom are greatly saddened by his passing. Frank was predeceased by his mother Mary and father-in-law Robert W. Perry.
A memorial to honor Frank's extraordinary life will be announced when conditions permit a large social gathering and arrangements are completed.
Frank was a double lung transplant recipient. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) (https://unos.org) or the CIA Memorial Foundation (https://www.ciamemorialfoundation.org).

Monday, March 2

Milia\tary service exemptions

On February 23, I sent this letter (annotated) to the editor of The Post & Courier, Charleston, SC, (unpublished):


"Dear Editor,

"In (the)Beetle Bailey (cartoon) on Feb. 22, Sarge and his subordinate each only has four toes on each foot. Aren’t missing toes as valid a medical exemption from military service as was (POTUS) ‘“bone spurs in heels?”"

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Friday, January 17

Make Trump Wait

Published January 17, 2020

Letter to the Editor
The Post and Courier
Charleston SC

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should have held onto the impeachment document until after the 2020 election.

This would have precluded President Donald Trump from screaming he was not convicted, and it would have saved face for the Senate Republican sycophants, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, who will not convict.

/s/Francis X. Archibald
Liberty Midtown Drive
Mount Pleasant

Friday, January 10

It’s good to be in Carolina

Until I was 20 yeas old and joined the USAF in 1951, I had only been out of Massachusetts twice (excluding trips to N.H. for swimming). When I left with the Air Force I never looked back, although I maintained a curiosity about my home state. After all, I had a mother and sister and other relatives living there and visited on occasion.  

So it  came as no surprise that I would be interested in the work of the Spotlight Team ((won Academy Award, for Best Picture, 2016) of The Boston Globe, reporting last November on the traffic mess in Boston. (So, it takes me awhile to catch up on my reading.) 

The Team reported, for example, that the number of cars and trucks registered in Greater Boston jumped 300,000 from 2014 to 2019. And traffic was a mess in Boston before I went in the Air Force. It isn’t the jump in the number of cars alone which is the problem.  

It is the growth in the population and number of workers driving into Greater Boston, the increase (59,000) in people driving to work alone (Americans love their cars), and the age of the subway system (two decades older than many residents) and the lack of bus lanes.

Seattle has 40 miles of bus lanes, London 180 miles, New York about 100 miles. Boston has roughly 10.

So when you drive to work in Greater Charleston and your mean travel time is 24.6 minutes on either I-26, I-526, Highway 17 or other roads don’t gripe.  

It’s good to be in Carolina. 

Thursday, January 2

The Pajama Party

Residents of the Independent Living section of South Bay at Mt. Pleasant, SC, (minimum age 55) held a “pajama party” to celebrate the beginning of the New Year. This was a tad different from the usual pajama or sleep over party commonly held by teens as a rite of passage.

Being of a more cerebral nature the adults stayed home at night and bypassed the “sleepover. ” We met in the morning in the card room where Bloody Marys, orange juice, quiche and biscuits were available. About twelve residents (one man - me) and some staff were in attendance.

All the ladies wore colorful pajamas, some topped off with a bed jacket.  The conversation was lively, everyone ate and drank and a suggestion was made that next year everyone try to get a new resident to join the event.

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Sunday, September 1

Medical care for the ages (and aged)

I want to share two medical procedures I have recently had with the hope it may help those with similar problems to take positive action, i.e. consult with doctors (especially cardiologists) and spinal specialists. 

In June, I had a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) because the aortic valve in my heart (the most important) was not functioning properly. In layman's terms,  my doctor (an aortic surgeon) replaced the aortic valve with a minute wire cage inside which was a pig-skin valve. He did this through my groin. Prior to the procedure I was short of breath, tired easily, and sweat profusely during the slightest extended activity. e.g. carrying groceries, walking around the large building (South Bay @ Mt. Pleasant) where I live. Since this successful procedure I have more pep and energy and, for example, am able to ride a stationary bicycle for 30 minutes.

In August, the second procedure was the injection of steroids into my lower back on the right side. Three doctors assured me that x-rays did not show any problems with my hips.  For several months I suffered with continuous pain due to arthritis, had to use a cane and then a walker to get around. I limped daily and normal activities took double the time to complete. It has been three days since this injection and already I have relief from the aching in my right leg from my waist to my foot. The expectation is that in about 14 days time I may be able to dispense with the walker and only use the cane to help maintain my balance. 

Consult with your doctor.  You may be glad you did.

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Saturday, June 29

Going to the moon

Letter to the Editor
ThePost & Courier
Charleston, SC

Published: June 29, 2019  

Going to the moon

 On June 23, I watched the CNN special “Apollo 11”  which will be re-broadcast at 9 p.m. June 29 and at midnight June 30.   


From the beginning to the end, I was captivated by the telling of the story, using film seen fifty years ago and new, previously unseen, film.     I knew that the three men, Neil Armstrong,  Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins would return to earth safely, but the presentation was so effective, the apprehension felt was real when Armstrong and Aldrin left the lunar module and climbed down the ladder to walk on the moon.    


After the capsule re-entry, it made me proud to see the aircraft carrier Hornet standing around the drop site in the Pacific, and helicopters circling overhead.    


Nothing was spared in the effort to pluck these three brave men out of the water and onto the Hornet to the clapping and thunderous cheers of the crew and other officials.     


It was a fitting end to the presentation to see President John F. Kennedy at the podium at the University of Texas in September 1962 proclaim to the world, " We choose to go to the Moon...We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win.” 

   
We have not seen such gravitas in the White House since.

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