July 29, 2003
Grumbles from the Enlisted Military
It seems that the current crop of legislators and White House administration missed the rah rah party boat on supporting the troops. In fact, while troops are busy dying in Iraq, the nefarious group is ensuring that those who don’t come home in bodybags will come home to a veteran’s benefits program that is amputated at the knees or higher. Older veterans are voicing their outrage at cut-backs and at an administration they say are liars and “are gutless party lapdogs who listen to what puts money in their own pockets or what will get them re-elected”. Response was weak as one spokesperson said “The cost is exorbitant. And we are dealing with a limited budget”. The good news is that one retired officer interviewed will vote for Bush anyways. Then again no one claimed officers had the rough end of military service.
Spouses of deployed military men are also in an uproar and are being told to shut their pieholes because hey, “loose lip sink ships”. Many are angered that the promise of a quick war and a short deployment is coming unraveled at the seams and a longer occupation of Iraq is inevitable. One wife of a Maj. Gen. was praised for keeping the clucking coop in line with military patriotism. Well hey, it’s not like her husband is going to be running around with a M-16 anytime soon, so what does she have to worry about?
Well, those enlisted men can rest assured that when they finally do come home, they can drink themselves silly, because, they are going to need it after seeing all the veteran's cuts that are making their way to legislature. I'm sure a lot of them are going to be seething about this one for a while... and everyone thinks Vietnam Veterans are an angry group? Wait 'til 150,000 angry Marines come back here and find out that Republicans looted their benefits. After they serve their term, they'll be essentially booted to the curb with a firm salute and little else besides a pittance to their brave service.
But who needs to entice a volunteer military when we can just draft the ignorant saps? That's exactly the plan Ragle and Hollings have in their "Universal National Service Act of 2003". So get in line at the post office and have your selective service card ready boys (and girls) between age 18 and 26, because soon you could be forced to sign on the dotted line to go kill people thousands of miles away with billions of dollars worth of bombs, nifty GPS guided missiles and whatever else the DoD can spend money on. But you might want to pilfer some of that expensive equipment on your way out the door because there won't be a whole lot in the way of benefits if you get shot up in the process.
Posted by Stephen VanDyke at July 29, 2003 12:25 PMI am of two minds here. On the one hand as a veteran (U.S. Navy, fifteen years), I decry the cuts in funding currently taking place under the Bush Administration’s watch. But I suppose the nation electorate is willing to swallow his hollow promises of increase military spending as long as they get their tax cuts! Shame of them!
On the other hand I am bothered—quite a bit in fact—by the constant griping going on inside the ranks of our professional (Army) forces. The Navy routinely sends carrier battle groups to sea for six months at a time, and submarines to sea for three to four months, and yet sailors are not sending emails to news agencies and loved one complaining about the adventure. Hello! This is the military, we kill people here and occupy land; this is not a 9-5 job. There is an old saying in the service: if the (insert branch of service here) had wanted you to have a wife and family, they would have issued you one. Moral of the story: duty comes first as long as you are a member of the Armed forces. Suck it up, be a man!
I agree Mr. Martin
Soldiers have no rights and are subject to hardships that no human being should have to endure. I am a veteran of the Army light infantry. C co 4-22 inf.
I was a machine-gunner in Operation Uphold Democracy when we invaded Haiti. Those days were crazy. Every soldier was subjected to briefings on how to deal with the media. We all knew they were looking for anything to sensationalize our experience there. These soldiers should not be making comments to the media. The media will take anything and run with it. That is thier job of course. No hard feelings as they would say. :0!!!!
No one put a gun to their head and forced them to enlist. Stop crying. Soldiers have deployed on open ended deployments throughout history. As to your comments about Major Generals, I suggest you brush up on your military history. Tell that to MG Dean a POW in Korea or MG Rose Commander of the 3d Armd Div in WWII who was KIA, or BG Merrill KIA with the 10th Mnt in Italy. I could go on, but I sure their’s a reputable library where you live.
As to cuts Veterans are getting the message that Bush and his administration have one of the worst records on Veterans we’ve seen. Now if they just remember when they vote. Problem is someone like Dean won’t be any better.
Posted by: Bob at August 1, 2003 10:53 AMMilitary rank & file support for the current president (or conservatives in general) will not be impacted by either Iraq deployments or eroding benefits. It’s commonly accepted the Bill Clinton is to blame. FOX News is the the news source wherever there’s a television on military bases (and there are televisions in all common areas-dining halls, gyms, waiting areas, command centers, etc.). Complaining about reduced benefits is virtually a part time job for NCOs anyway. If individuals’ complaints are percieved to reflect on the unit or service as a whole, the individuals will be ostracized.
Posted by: John at October 23, 2003 09:45 PM
