Fort Leonard Wood

This week I was fortunate to have been able to receive a series of briefings from key personnel in the U.S. Army Engineer School & Headquarters of the Engineer Regiment, at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. No way am I going into the details of those briefings here...you'll have to wait until the July-August 2011 edition of Army Engineer Magazine to read about all that. But, short and sweet news here is: the Engineer Regiment is in excellent hands as evidenced by the outstanding work which I saw first hand.

Fort Leonard Wood is BIG today, with joint training underway not only for Engineers, but for MPs and Chemical soldiers as well. On a Thursday and Friday of most weeks of the year, the population of the installation swells with the arrival of thousands of family members coming to watch with pride their young soldier graduate from training. It's an inspiring scene.

Then there's the off-post part of the area. I remember back when it was a pretty bleak place outside the main gate to post. Today there are numerous chain restaurants, motels and retail stores in large, well maintained shopping areas located nearby. It's light years ahead of what it once was, and is one of the most outstanding military installations in the world.

Every time I come out this way, I leave energized and more confident about our military than I was when I arrived. Kudos to all in charge who made this all possible.

Remembering

This is the Engineer Regiment's Stained Glass Memorial dedicated years ago to recognize those engineers who served during the Cold War period.

It's located in the original portion of the Army Engineer School building opened in 1988, and which is now no longer used by engineer students there, who attend classes in a newer addition. Thus, I wonder if those students are aware of its existence. Perhaps they do find the beautiful and solemn memorial as they move about the large modern facility, but I still wonder whether this is so. My point is, we need to always remember those who have gone before...and one way to do that is to seek out memorials of this nature, and offer thanks in some way.

Take a couple of minutes...

As we are once again celebrating the Easter weekend, here's a very nice video to help you appreciate all that we have...here on our planet...problems and all.

Glimmer of Hope

I’ve commented on this before, but I am frustrated with today’s youth and how they generally have become so resistant to developing a reasonable level of personal responsibility, coupled with a seemingly lack of basic values which will help them later in life. For those who flounder and flip-flop from one interest to another right after graduating from high school, with little incentive to improve themselves, a simple solution to would be to enlist in the military. Problem solved...a better person comes out the other end. I’ve witnessed it time and again.

Some conclude all this is due to the rapid advancements in electronic technology such as mobile phones, computers, video gaming, and essentially worthless television shows full of poor examples of personal conduct. My take is that it’s largely due to a collapse in the “family” structure which had been up until the latter part of the 20th Century, one of our strengths. Single parenting, double income earners, a poor economy, and many more things have contributed to a fracture in the fabric of the traditional family; which once ate three meals a day together, shared their visions, fears and joys together, and mostly prospered together. It seems today that few have any time for this. That alone may spell bleak times ahead. True, there are numerous examples of success to be seen around us. That positive serves as a glimmer of hope.

Women in Combat...Make it Official

I have always been a strong supporter of the Army removing restrictions which prevent women from fully serving in combat units. Army Times online has a great article about a woman combat engineer who served with the 27th Engineer Battalion as a Platoon Leader in Afghanistan. That's just one example supporting my point, but it's a powerful one.

Recruiting then and now

I've been reading a series of books about life in the British Army during the early 19th Century, when they were fighting battles in India, Portugal, Spain and France. The books are written by Bernard Cornwell, and are not only fun to read, but from a historical standpoint they are most informative. Check them out...so, what's my point.

I just finished one of the books wherein it was described how the British Army used to (it was legal) engage in what was known as "crimping" where contractors were hired to lure men into uniform with all sorts of promises, none fulfilled, and then once signed up, new recruits were trained and sent mainly to those units who had extreme problems getting volunteers, such as in Australia and the Americas. Monthly pay promised to the men was sometimes skimmed off in various ways, and thus many officers and sergeants profited, the recruiting contractors profited even more. Apparently, this sort of recruiting business is still alive today.

I read in the Army Times online that a Chinese national in California was arrested and charged in a recruiting scam where he convinced 100 other chinese to pay him upwards of $450 as an "initiation fee", to join the Army, with a promise that such would lead to U.S. citizenship. He even issued fake uniforms, ID cards, etc. So...recruiting schemes from the 19th Century seem to still be alive in the 21st Century.

That Was the Week that Was

I recall many years ago there was a television show with the same title as the one I gave this post. It was largely political satire and comedy, and skits were based on recent news events. Given what we saw last week in Washington DC related to the pending shut-down of the government, I suppose writers of the 1960's TV show would have had a field day with that material. It certainly was "a week that was" for us related to the military, and I sure hope we never see another one like it. Not much "funny" about it when you come right down to it. Disgust is a better word.

A New Chief of Engineers Nominated

The President has nominated Lt. Gen. Tom Bostick to become the next Army Chief of Engineers, replacing Lt. Gen. Robert L.("Van") VanAntwerp who has been in that position since 2007, and had been expected to retire this year. I've seen many changes at the top of the Army Corps of Engineers in my time, and one thing that strikes me as important to that job is how much more varied the experience of individuals being nominated has become today, compared to how it was in the past.

For example, I recall a time when in many cases an individual nominated by the President to be Chief of Engineers, would have spent many years prior serving primarily on the "civil side" of the Corps. There is nothing wrong with that, but over the years since, individuals with a much broader range of Army assignments have taken over at the top of the Corps of Engineers. Bostick, for example, is now Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel on the Army Staff, and his other top level assignments have been equally impressive, especially on the troop side. VanAntwerp had a similar broad range of Army assignments, as did others who have come before him since the mid 1990s.

This is all good in my view, and I am sure that Lt. Gen. Bostick will perform exceptionally well at the helm of our branch of service. I wish him all the best, as do I for "Van" and his family who now move on to other arenas in which to excel.

Logo Evolution

This has zero to do with engineering or the Army, but many of my posts are that way. This link shows 25 famous corporate logos and how they have evolved over the years. Interesting view, check it out.

I didn't go and I'm not going

There are a couple of events this week to which I'm not attending. The first is the annual spring NASCAR race in Martinsville, and for the first time in about ten years, I'm not attending at least one of the two Spring weekend races there...truck yesterday (Saturday) and Sprint Cup (Sunday). Main reason I'm not going is I decided I needed a break from attending, because it's starting to become a routine event for me, and I get bored when things become too routine. So, I'll wait until the Fall race weekend in October to get back to my usual seat at the track. Meanwhile, I'll continue to watch NASCAR races through the summer, and enjoy the race to the championship. By the way, as I'm typing this early Sunday morning, I hear and see all sorts of helicopters flying over our house on their way to the track, most likely dropping off their race car driver passengers. It's a beautiful sunny day...perfect for the race...and I won't be there. Regrets already?

The second event I'm not attending is the annual ENFORCE conference at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri which begins April 6th. It's been scheduled a bit early this year and thus conflicts with my busiest work time in preparing the next magazine issue of Army Engineer. So, I'll watch from afar. For any of you who are attending, I hope you enjoy yourself and learn something as a result of being there.

April Fool's Day

April 1st News of the Day:

1. Congress passes new budget which when executed will eliminate completely the national debt.

2. VCU not only makes the final four but wins the national championship (whoops, this may be true)

3. My blog daily views finally reached the 100,000 mark.

4. Microsoft develops a new smart phone that has no screen...instead using your immediate surroundings to show movies in full HD on any blank surface while taking calls and texts at the same time, has no battery...instead converting dust to electricity, and costs only $49.99 with no contract required and unlimited phone minutes and data usage.

I wonder if people play these sorts of April Fool's games any more. I remember the time when I was a Major working in the Pentagon, and as I was getting ready to leave for work our two daughters reversed my US and Engineer Castle brass insignia on my green uniform jacket lapels, and I wore same to work on April 1st. While standing in line for lunch in the main cafeteria, a full Colonel ripped my behind for being so stupid as to not know how to wear my uniform properly. Good laugh from my daughters when I got home that evening and told them the story. "April Fools Daddy", was what they said.