Who are we talking about?

I heard a news media person on TV this morning talk about the people who are figinting the war we're in as being, "primarily from the lower class and unable to do anything well except join the military." How this idiot got his job is beyond me. But then, many in his profession today are equally guity of not speaking and writing enough about those who make a decision to join and serve.

If you want to find out for real who these people are, and what segment of society they come from, then attend a basic training graduation somewhere. Earlier this month I was at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri doing a story about soldiers in training, and while there I stayed at a local motel outside the post. I was there the night before the traditional weekly graduation for basic training, and most of the motel guests were family members or friends of someone who was graduating the following morning. Standing next to them in the lobby listening to what they were saying, and talking with them on an elevator ride to and from our rooms reinforced what I already knew. These are just plain Americans, from all walks of life, from all economic and demographic segments of our society. Just plain folks. One common thread ran through each of them…pride in the fact that their son or daughter was about to graduate from a meaningful training program, and they were exceptionally proud.

So, to those in the media who continue to represent our young military members as being "those who can't find a job elsewhere", I say get your collective butts on out to Fort Leonard Wood, or anywhere else where the miitary is training initial entry personnel, and get your facts straight before opening your mouths, or putting pen to paper.

Lesson learned…people do read my BLOG!

I stopped writing this blog last February, primarily because I felt not many were reading it. Last week when I visited Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri to write an article for the July-August issue of Army Engineer, and then went on up to St. Louis for the 3-day, 2007 Engineer Regimental Training Conference, I was asked by several folks, "What happened to your BLOG, you took it off the AEA website". "Yup, that's true", I said, "Guess I need to put it back online". Another lesson learned.

What I found out while at Ft. Leonard Wood was reinforced while I was at the St. Louis conference. Poeple in the Army today are much busier than I thought. And, in many cases are making do with less. Waiting for Congress to pass the budget so things could move forward, units getting ready for another rotation to Iraq or Afghanistan after too few months back home with families, some personnel and grade shortages being dealth with, and equipment shortages in the reserve components. Nothing really bad, but together stress builders for sure, that our folks don't need. I'm continualy amazed at how resilient they are, and how adaptive they have become in recent years.

I'm worried we may be facing some future problems in the Army as a result of how our training base has been degraded over the years in terms of people and resources to support a training tempo equal to the needs of the combat and combat support force. NCOs in the training base are often having to do double duty in many cases, and there are growing shortages of people in key positions. I have written an article about all this for the July-August 2007 issue of Army Engineer, so won't go into any more detail here. Suffice it to say the Army needs to place greater emphasis on growing the training base to keep pace with growth and change in the Army's front line forces.

Anyway, the BLOG is back. Hope you enjoy. If so, make a comment at any time. Thanks