yes it was nice to work like the look more into the hands of health by admin…

Hello Thanks heaps for this indeed!… if anyone else has anything, it would be much appreciated. Great website Super Piano Links http://www.en.Grand-Pianos.org Enjoy!…

I love my country but I hate our president.

The problem, as recognized by General Schwartzenager (sp?), Commandant Kelly, and others was that the majority of the field grade and above officer corps during Vietnam were comprised of those who made rank by seniority and ‘not ruffling feathers’.

Schwartkopf whom I think you meant, (Schwarznegger served in the Austrian Army for two years) was far too junior an officer at the time that conclusion was made. It was actually under the watches of Generals, Creighton C. Abrams and Edward Meyer that those ‘lessons learned’ were made part of the organizational knowledge of the US Army. (I’ll let a friend of mine explain if it ever became institutional knowledge in the Austrian Army.)

It seems that despite all the reforms put into the military promotional system, the old rise to rank of the dim and the dumbest by reverse natural selection is again occurring – when you don’t do anything, you can’t be reprimanded.

Despite my many complaints that the Rear Echelon Mine Finders and “Personnel” MOSs get the promotions to General Officer. I’d have to disagree. These are well educated and among the brightest men and women in the Army. They are also more politician than Field Officer as reflected generally in their backgrounds. If one looks at retired General Eikenberry’s credentials you’ll see he spent much of his career with the exception of a ‘ticket punching’ couple of stints in Battalion and Brigade level command as a diplomat and staff officer. On the other side of the fence you have General McChrystal who spent a good part of his time in the command of units in the field with enough staff time to give him an appreciation of those areas of command. Somewhere in the middle you have General Petraeus who has a career path that went from staff to field with a good bit of academic study thrown in and rather remarkable performance in the field. General George Casey was commissioned through the ROTC and has served in a number of Infantry, Mechanized Infantry and Cavalry leadership positions from Platoon Leader (3 times) to Company Commander, Battalion Commander, Brigade Commander and Division Commander before taking the reins at MNF-I (Multinational Force – Iraq) with enough staff time to appreciate the role and duties of a staff officer. His three platoon commands moving from 2nd Bn 509th (Abn)’s mortar platoon to an infantry platoon in A. Co. to 1st Bn 509th (Abn)’s A Co. mortar platoon. Shows that he was a leader who could be counted on for results in a time when the Army was transitioning from the draft to an all volunteer force and shrinking by nearly half its size (2.5 million to 1.4 million). These are hardly stupid or dim or dumb men. All have advanced degrees and have proven themselves as capable leaders (with the exception of Eikenberryand you might note which of these retired before achieving a fourth star and ask why.) all have served in combat and have developed a faithful core staff who are known for being able to think on their feet and put thought into action.
These men are neither cowards nor stupid. But each and every one of them will follow the orders of the civilian National Command Authority and obey those orders explicitly unless they violate the UCMJ or their duty to the Constitution of the United States. Just as I did and if recalled would do again. They are despite the epithets and derision heaped upon them by both liberals and conservatives alike doing their duty as laid down by their commissions, Federal law and in their oath.
I too believe in the system of military justice far more than I believe in the civilian system that passes itself off as a system of justice. But to a large part that is because I believe in the faith, honor, integrity, self control and full obedience to civilian control that the US military demands of its personnel and most especially of its Officers. My experience is that these were imbued into me and for the most part into all of those I’ve served with or under.

Well, you are certainly on my short list of “Posters to stand up and pay attention to.”

Thank you. I hope that I can be informative and provoke people into thought.

Not so new just recently retired so can now say what I couldn’t while in uniform.

Well, you are certainly on my short list of “Posters to stand up and pay attention to.”

Are you new, ssnark?

Not so new just recently retired so can now say what I couldn’t while in uniform.

I hadn’t noticed you until a few weeks ago, but I must say you are a great poster and welcome addition. I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts.

…

Cowards in senior command enable them.

Ok, on Kerry, Murtha, Durbin, Schumer et alia I’m in complete agreement. You can even add to that list the “dithering idiot” who occupies the Oval Office.

But you can call them other things, but most of those you label ‘cowards’ have proven their courage. I couldn’t be political enough to attain those exalted ranks. I’ve despised several of them, Eric Shinseki and Peter Schoonmaker among them. But it was Shinseki who tried to get Donald Rumsfeld to see sweet reason regarding the use of contractors instead of Soldiers and the number of troops needed to secure Iraq and failed. He did so bravely and mostly in an unheralded series of battles behind closed doors.
These are men, ordinary men most of them who fear for their jobs, have families to provide for and think that they can make a difference. They are politicians in uniform. More times then not, they have to compromise and negotiate and try to mitigate the sometimes great stupidity of their civilian leaders who are blissfully ignorant of the military realities and have never served a day in their lives in military service much less combat. It is a thankless job most of the time. People like myself disapprove of how little they accomplish no matter how hard fought their battles because we see the cost in human lives. People like you, call them coward or worse despite not realizing how hard and well they’ve fought since they can’t bring it out into the open by regulation, law and custom.
I don’t have to like it or them. Neither do you. But they generally aren’t cowards by a long shot. Just Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airmen who fight their battles in a field of politics rather than combat.

It is not unlikely that this Jihadi is lying. They tend to do that.

Yes-I do believe the jihadis have been watching our news, learning from Murtha, Kerry, Durbin and other such Fifth Columnist/traitors to claim abuse and thus strike one more blow for allah against the Great Satan and infidels everywhere. Cowards in senior command enable them. Even if-hopefully-they are exonerated any hope of a naval career is over-thus they are punished in the name of political correctness.

Cowards and traitors serve no useful purpose.

What do people expect? These Jihadis are violent thugs. Do they expect them to come along peacefully, or do they expect the Navy Seals to “use the force” like Yoda, or like Darth Vader, and make them come along without any coercion, or without the thugs causing trouble?

If the fat lip was caused in whole or in part by the Navy Seals, so what?

If they were not out-and-out thugs themselves then they are within the limits of expected behavior under the circumstances.

2) I take it that this thug, this Jihadi, is a Muslim.

As people must know, Muslims are taught to lie to Infidels. It is part of their training and upbringing.

It is not unlikely that this Jihadi is lying. They tend to do that.