Books are written about the lawyers who dedicate pro-bono time to helping the indigent. One such book put out by the American Bar Association is a collection of stories about the good work being done. But none of the stories tells a tale like the one going on in Charleston.

Unlike the military men that were once stationed adjacent to bordellos and trading posts, this 21st century Marine sentry hasn't worn a uniform in quite some time. But that doesn't make him any less duty bound or his imposing stature any less intimidating.

Last Friday morning, hundreds of volunteers left deployment centers throughout San Diego County to count homeless people, an annual enumeration of homeless people run by the San Diego Regional Task Force on the Homeless.