Letter: Perspective On America’s Evolving Armed Forces
RE: “THE NEW AMERICAN ARMY” Dear Editor, I read your article on the “New American ArmyYou must Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this content.
RE: “THE NEW AMERICAN ARMY” Dear Editor, I read your article on the “New American ArmyYou must Subscribe or log in to read the rest of this content.
19 comments
Thank you for your service and the sacrifices you and your family have made in the endeavor. Thank you for being a credit to our country and an example to those who served with you.
Well fits, it appears the writers perspective is a little different than yours. Looking in from the outside often makes a person’s perspective look foolish.
you nailed it, “a writter’s perspective’. You are the fool, Idoit-cam!
Where did you serve ?
Over my 30 year career, more than a I care to think about.
Things didn’t work out to well in Iraq
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a good summary of the entire Bush administration… syntax included.
What’s an o between friends?
“Casual pot use gets you booted.”
Can you imagine if this was the case during Vietnam?
Yep, most of the drug dogs couldn’t smell pot it you were smoking it in front of them. A buddy of mine told me it the USS Enterprise off the coast of Vietnam caught fire all of SE Asia would have been high.
I guess I forgot to sign it – you’re welcome.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
We have always drawn down the forces when budget trumped security. Our Armed Forces remain the best and most enduring exemplar of our aspired national values.
Lest we forget, the preponderance of sacrifice has been borne not by the professional careerist, but rather the short-term citizen-soldier. Draftee or volunteer, they mirror our society. They are the stakeholders of our military heritage and bill payers of failed leadership.
As the world’s largest and most successful meritocracy, the DOD remains a creature of democracy and an instrument of national politics. To suggest its membership is immune to the examples set in politics, business and the media is folly.
“Standards” remain the tools of the scoundrel and arrows of the meek. They are always relative and seldom offer a true sight picture, particularly in the fog of war. Given the choice of a fat warrior or a trim coward, the peacetime coward endures like a rash.
Our Founding Fathers got it right. A large standing Army is the least desirable option in times of peace. Regrettably, our American experience has shown deterrence afar affords us safety at home.
Sic’s article was what it was, a high-flying cherry pick that noted a “trend” but not much else. You did right in calling him out, though any casual observer of history would not have been surprised. These discussions are as old as our Republic.
Better you had remained “anonymous” since those of us who served take umbrage at those who would usurp military titles in opinion sites as these, particularly if you are not retired.
I saw two RIF deals in the Army and it will get more stringent as time goes on. Very few promotions and the Officers will be very tightly graded on there OER. Reserve officers will be the first to go along with enlisted with low scores and or discipline violations. Nothing new this administration has much more important priorities.
I entered the Army in the very early ’80s I had functionally illiterate “hanger ons” left over from the Vietnam war. The dopers were mostly gone but the alcoholics were still around.
This will make my third draw down. I suspect you’re wrong about the Reserves though, the USAR should actually come out of this ahead of the game. The Guard will be hurt and the Active component will be decimated in the literal sense of the word (1 in every 10 sent packing – though it will probably be even worse).
All due respect,and an excellent letter,but you weren’t drafted.Huge difference between then and now.
Not as much difference as you’d think, 1 year deployments, objectives not clear, fighting for/with truly foreign people – drugs (if not alcohol) readily available.
All that said, we’re at 1% or less who are caught. I’ve seen estimates of drug usage in the Army during the 70s as high as 40%, alcohol wasn’t even tracked. When I first enlisted, we had beer machines in the day room and 2 beer lunches were the norm in Germany.
No, I wasn’t drafted – most of the kids who were drafted went because they couldn’t figure a way to get out of it or felt like service was the right thing to do. I’d guess it was about 50/50 – 40/60, I’ve seen studies but none that were definitive. Our all volunteer system has its merits but it is exorbitantly expensive and you’re faced with adjusting admissions standards when you can’t make mission. Despite the dirt bags we let in in the mid 2000s, we still have a pretty good Army.
If the draft still existed,it’s doubtful the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan would have happened.Very few Americans have actually been touch by them,in terms of personal loss,like they were with,Vietnam.
I was speaking of Reserve Officers(ROTC) on active duty who do not have a Regular Army commission. Not USAR officers called up with a unit and or as fillers. Little doubt USAR will be ok, regular units will be shrunk especially combat arms. It is already happening with 22,000 O-3 on the hit list. Even the Marines are seeing senior NCO being shown the front gate.
West Point officers are now bailing at the 5 year mark in such great numbers that the old “reserve commission” isn’t an issue any more – in fact the scheme you probably remember doesn’t even exist anymore.
Yeah, but at least the Marines aren’t issuing “stress cards.”
Sounds like Dugout Doug was wrong about old soldiers, it is now young soldiers. Probably the opportunities are better with less BS and politics. The ring knockers use to have a strangle hold on promotion boards and command slots which exclude many a good leader. Let us hope Follow Me is still strong.