Cheating is OK today

My high school and college age grandkids, and most of their peers see nothing seriously wrong with finding every "game cheat" they can on the internet to make it impossible for them to lose a round of "World of Warfare" or whatever. Additionally, when a new piece of computer technology or electronic gadgetry is announced, "hackers" around the world stop everything they are doing in an attempt to disable existing capabilities, or to add something they felt the manufacturer should have included. And when manufacturers make changes to their hardware or software to prevent or reduce hacking, many of those techies loudly cry "foul", as if they did nothing wrong in the first place. Too many of our young people today desire everything handed to them, with little if any personal sacrifice or commitment on their part. If it takes a cheat here and there to meet their desires, so be it. Why? Most would say "it's not fair any other way."

Well said

I read the following comment today from LTG (Retired) Ricardo Sanchez, past top commander in Iraq.

“My assessment is that we have a crisis in national political leadership,” Sanchez said. “When will America recognize the danger we face? When will the corrosive partisanship of American politics end and allow for a bipartisan solution to arguably the most dangerous threat our nation has faced in over 60 years?”

Well said. He received a standing ovation last weekend after making this remark (and others) to a group of military veterans.

Red to green

If you are/were a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. NASCAR fan, the image of his bright red, number 8, Budweiser sponsored race car will be hard to erase from memory next year, as he begins a new chapter of his career with Hendricks Motorsports, driving the green 88, Amp Energy Drink sponsored car; or depending on the race involved, a blue 88, National Guard sponsored car. If you have a number 8 tattoo somewhere on your bod, then you may want to go get a second digit placed beside it. And, now is the time to buy his old number 8, Budweiser gear, because it's going to be highly discounted for the remainder of this racing season. When I was at Bristol Motor Speedway last month, his gear was selling at a 50% discount. The lines were long as his faithful "red horde" fans opted to buy just one more thing in red.

Football Sunday isn't the same anymore

I used to be a rabid Green Bay Packer and Washington Redskin football fan, and my Sunday afternoons were generally reserved for NFL games on TV, no matter what teams were playing. But now, I've lost most of my enthusiasm. The NFL is not the same as it used to be…too much emphasis on individual players rather than on team unity, and there has been a general loss of integrity and ethics throughout the league. Any others feel the same?

Knowing where you're at

Thanks to hi-tech gadgetry I now know where I'm at whenever I wish to know. I bought a hand-held global positioning system (GPS) unit last July and have been having lots of fun keeping track of my movements while out for my morning walk, or while riding along in the passenger's seat with my wife, giving her continual updates as to our exact location on the highway, our elevation, our expected time of arrival at our destination, the time spent moving and stopping, and when to expect the next exit or rest stop. Those of you with in-car navigation units are already aware of this, but having a hand-held unit is so much more fun. Like when I'm watching TV with my wife at night, I can sit and calculate the distance from our house to, say, Marquette, Michigan. Then I pick another destination, then another, until she shouts, "Put that thing away!" Then, there was the other day when we were backing out of the garage. I just knew she wanted to know how many feet we had gone as she slowly moved in reverse. "10 feet, now 12, now 13, now 14." Fun stuff, eh? Yes, I definitely know where I'm at when I want to know. My wife on the other hand needs no help in that regard. She's known where "I was at" for years.

Something for everyone

After the grilling that Gen Petreaus and Amb Crocker withstood by Congress, they both probably wished they were back in Iraq. What they had to report was fair in my view, and gave something for everyone…troop reduction by mid-2008, and a strong recommendation to not depart too soon. But still, I have to admit that a troop reduction of 30,000 is not really a recommendation, but a necessity, given that there would be no troops available to replace those 30,000 that are part of the surge, if they returned home as normal by next summer. That, coupled with the general lack of progress by the Iraqi government as reported by Amb Crocker, will give ammunition to those in Congress who want a much larger troop reduction sooner than later. Like most Americans, I have absolutely no idea what the situation will be in Iraq by the end of this year, and any light at the end of the tunnel thereafter is obscured by many more unknowns. Depressing situation for us here at home, and something that's no doubt causing a lot of stress and concern by the families of those now serving.

Way over the top

The totally inappropriate and incredibly disrespectful ad portraying GEN David Petraeus as GEN Betray-us, in the New York Times, paid for by a far left-wing democratic political group (moveon.org), is about the worst thing I can remember any political oriented group stooping so low as to release. I'm basically neither a democrat or republican, preferring to support the most qualified individual or policy. But if anything will turn the military farther away from supporting the democratic party, this type of thing is it. STUPID!

Candid assessment

I’m glad to learn that the Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN George Casey, is concerned about the quality of recruits the Army is now allowing to join. At a recent gathering of government executives, General Casey noted that the number of people joining today who have a GED rather than a regular high school degree has increased, as have the number of CAT 4 individuals (lower end of the quality scale). While it’s still too early to judge the overall impact on the Army as a result of these statistics, it's fairly obvious to me at least, that there may be future problems which will be difficult to overcome. He also indicated that many mid-grade leaders are deciding to leave the Army. These are the people the Army has groomed for years to assume senior level leadership positions. The decreasing mid-grade experience base situation is further exacerbated as a result of the Army’s new structure which calls for an increase in mid-grade leaders at brigade level. I like the fact that those at the very top are now being more realistic about what kind of shape the Army is in, but I don’t like the fact it’s taken so long to say so candidly.

So many decisions these days…

Seems like the older I get, the more decisions I'm faced with. Fortunately, none I'm dealing with now have any major significance. If you've been a reader of my BLOG, then you may know I'm a big fan of Apple, Inc. and all their products. All my work is done on Apple computers, and my morning exercise program would not be complete without my iPod playing various songs in my music collection. Everything was going along just fine when about a month ago I began reading rumors about new iPods "on the way". My mouth began to water, and my anticipation meter started to rise. Then, earlier this week, Apple introduced the new iPod line-up. I want a new iPod, but which one do I buy? Again, not a major decision, but it seems like all I have done the past two days is read opinions from people on the I-net about the new iPod line-up. Many like me are in the same boat…which to buy. When faced with such situations, I tend to just hunker down…and do nothing. In my younger days, I'd have just ordered the one that cost the most, and had the most "cool" stuff. Today, I'm more conservative, but lurking just below the surface is my desire to "get one now". But, which one? Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Air Force blunder

Nuc weapons loaded on a B-52 flying on a mission over U.S. soil? Yup...happened August 30th, from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota to Barksdale Air Force Base, near Bossier City, in Louisiana. Great. Back to the good old days of the USSR! Someone was asleep at the switch on this one. Glad I'm not that person.

Printing, mailing, delivery of AE Magazine

There may be some out there who subscribe to Army Engineer magazine, and wonder why, for example, the July-August 2007 (and all others for that matter) was mailed from Springfield, MO so as to arrive at the tail end of August (2nd month in date title). Rather than having the cycle set so that it's received at the front end (1st month in the date title). Simple answer is because it's always been that way, right or wrong, and to make a change now would require doubling up the production effort and editorial calendar to move it forward by at least a month. Not easy to do, and I suspect most subscribers care more about timely and consistent receipt of six issues a year, whatever the date title. Anyway, just in case you wondered. If not, have a nice day.

Progress or not?

Looks like the next couple of weeks are going to be interesting in terms of news coming out of Iraq, and whether or not it is going to be reported fairly, or spun to meet the agenda of special interest groups…all political. The President stole some of the thunder by taking his "A-team" (his words not mine) with him to Iraq to get a first-hand look before the pending progress report is released, and debate begins in Congress. My gut says there won't be any appreciable change in troop levels at least until well into next year, but when I balance my gut against political realities, I am not so sure. Whatever, any person who looks fairly at the situation has to admit there has been some recent progress militarily. It's the lack of progress by the Iraqi government that tarnishes the overall record. Again, evening TV news will be interesting to watch.

Close Combat Badge

I was very happy a year or so ago when the Army authorized the Close Combat Badge to recognize the role played by non-Infantry Soldiers engaged in combat. Combat Engineers were included in the criteria, as they ought to have been. The eligibility as I read it includes the following: A Soldier must have been:

* Assigned or attached to an Army brigade or smaller unit that is purposely organized to routinely conduct close combat operations and engage in direct combat, in accordance with existing Army rules and policy.
* Under fire while engaged in active ground combat, to moving into contact and destroy the enemy with direct fire. Battle or campaign participation is not sufficient to qualify for this award; the unit must have been in active ground combat.

Makes sense to me, and I say commanders and leaders should make sure recognition is given to all Engineers who are directly engaged in combat, along the same lines as their brothers in the Infantry. What does not make sense to me might be instances where the "system" allows the award of such recognition to a person who for whatever reason was engaged in the "fringes" of combat, not necessarily moving into contact to destroy the enemy by direct fire, and was not specifically assigned or attached to a combat unit. Could, for example, an Engineer Soldier who is not a Combat Engineer by MOS, and who is not assigned to a close combat unit, but was still engaged in some sort of "combat action" such as being hit as a part of an ambush while riding in a convoy be allowed to receive the badge? I would hope not.

But, I remember from my combat tours during the Vietnam War, that there were too many in the military who seemed to me to be "recognition seekers and badge collectors". To them, it was more important to come home from Vietnam with a combat patch on their right shoulder, with as many "rows of ribbons" as they could get to adorn their uniform, and then to be able to strut around looking like some sort of combat hero, which most certainly many were not.

I suppose there will always be those sad leaders who say to their troops, "charge forward men, I'll be closely observing you through high-power lenses from my position here in the rear." Then, when the fight is over, that so called leader is first in line to make sure they get their own "personal badge of honor". That's too bad, because by them doing this, the true significance of the "badge" is tarnished for those who really deserve it.