Monday, April 26, 2004
WELL, I'M BACK...AND LOOK WHAT THE MEDIA DRAGGED IN...
I had a great vacation...sort of. The weather was terrible, but the golf and companionship was great. Wondering the whole time how the great debate is going, I summed up the entire weekend by receiving and responding to the following email:
Greg,
Was wondering if you noticed if the troop support is still there? From my eyes , I don't see it much anymore. Just in driving and lookin around I see that the US Flag is not out as much. And some of the ones I do see , should have been respected and taken down along time ago.
I am not longer surprized at the reactions of deaths in Iraq and Afgahn. I feel that Pat Tillman showed America that there are some real heros in the world. We could all stand to have Role Models such as that in the NFL , NBA, MLB, NHL . But alot of those trops dying were not celeberties, so why should there deaths be not just as important?
I hope that we have not let our guard down, but I see that we have. And again I feel that we will have another sad awakening.
Blake
National Director 82nd Airborne Division Association
Commander Low Country All Airborne Chapter
My Response:
I think it is, but the problem is in the relay of information on how we're fighting the war on terror. People are used to seeing military involvement in the "old way" of fighting battles...and thanks to the media, it's not being understood completely by us non-com-civies. I just finished reading Endgame by USAF General (ret) Tom McInerney and US Army General (ret) Paul Vallely...very interesting take on how we're fighting this war. They're military analysts for Fox news, and I think they get it...
To put it bluntly, the American people are used to large divisions of troops moving in "sweep and clear" operations. You know, soften them up with some heavy artillery and tomahawk missles...then send in troops to clean up and go home a month later. It's NOT that kind of war...it's primarily intelligence led, high-tech, light and medium infantry and special ops...
And we don't get to see that stuff...we only get body counts. There's a wall inside the CIA building with stars for each member of the intelligence services and special ops/black ops people who lose their lives in the performance of their duties...there are no names under those stars and most of us will never know what they did for our country. There ARE those who respect and understand that...but far more who don't...primarily those who don't have faith in their government leaders and can't contemplate sacrifice on behalf of that faith.
That's the best I could do...thanks for staying in touch. I'll try not to go on vacation again for a while.
I had a great vacation...sort of. The weather was terrible, but the golf and companionship was great. Wondering the whole time how the great debate is going, I summed up the entire weekend by receiving and responding to the following email:
Greg,
Was wondering if you noticed if the troop support is still there? From my eyes , I don't see it much anymore. Just in driving and lookin around I see that the US Flag is not out as much. And some of the ones I do see , should have been respected and taken down along time ago.
I am not longer surprized at the reactions of deaths in Iraq and Afgahn. I feel that Pat Tillman showed America that there are some real heros in the world. We could all stand to have Role Models such as that in the NFL , NBA, MLB, NHL . But alot of those trops dying were not celeberties, so why should there deaths be not just as important?
I hope that we have not let our guard down, but I see that we have. And again I feel that we will have another sad awakening.
Blake
National Director 82nd Airborne Division Association
Commander Low Country All Airborne Chapter
My Response:
I think it is, but the problem is in the relay of information on how we're fighting the war on terror. People are used to seeing military involvement in the "old way" of fighting battles...and thanks to the media, it's not being understood completely by us non-com-civies. I just finished reading Endgame by USAF General (ret) Tom McInerney and US Army General (ret) Paul Vallely...very interesting take on how we're fighting this war. They're military analysts for Fox news, and I think they get it...
To put it bluntly, the American people are used to large divisions of troops moving in "sweep and clear" operations. You know, soften them up with some heavy artillery and tomahawk missles...then send in troops to clean up and go home a month later. It's NOT that kind of war...it's primarily intelligence led, high-tech, light and medium infantry and special ops...
And we don't get to see that stuff...we only get body counts. There's a wall inside the CIA building with stars for each member of the intelligence services and special ops/black ops people who lose their lives in the performance of their duties...there are no names under those stars and most of us will never know what they did for our country. There ARE those who respect and understand that...but far more who don't...primarily those who don't have faith in their government leaders and can't contemplate sacrifice on behalf of that faith.
That's the best I could do...thanks for staying in touch. I'll try not to go on vacation again for a while.
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