Adm. Eric Olson on wisdom from Jimmy Buffett

During a keynote presentation at the FOSE Conference, Adm. Eric Olson, former commander of the U.S. Special Operations Command, projected an image of a painting showing prehistoric people gathered around a campfire. The painting was “The Storyteller,” by Martin Pate.

“It reminds me that no man should tell another man’s stories,” he said. “Jimmy Buffett says, don’t try to describe a KISS concert if you’ve never seen one.”

It may seem incongruous for a decorated four-star admiral to talk about the garish rock band and the laconic folk/rock singer, but he’s right. The sentiment about the need to experience KISS before talking about it is drawn from the lyrics to Jimmy Buffett’s song “Mañana.”

Olson also projected a slide showing five military personnel dressed in various kinds of combat gear --  fatigues, a flight suit, camouflage.

“This looks like a scene from the Wizard of Oz,” he said in leading up the point the slide makes. “Or a Village People concert.”