Thoughts on 21st Century military service...

I've had the opinion that "don't ask, don't tell" was a mistake from the getgo. It brought attention to yet another group of "victims" and when the eventual repeal of the policy happened we'd see all kinds of politically correct acts on the part of the military brass to assure the world that "we think gay is okay".

Now we're on track for it to happen; House OKs repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell'

FWIW, I'd come across gays in the military during my 22 year career. The good ones who wanted to serve their country kept it in their pants and didn't make waves, just as heterosexuals who wanted to serve didn't turn into horn dogs once the service was made more accessible to women. It's called restraint, anyone can exercise it.

So the whole thing was a non issue until that damned policy was passed. Really, not a big deal at all.

But the highlighting of the issue in this fashion will insure every drag queen and dyke who wants to make their lives into a political statement will start lining up at the recruiter's desk. Watch for morale to take off like a mud seeking missile.

Just what in hell has Washington really done for the troops? I mean besides treat them like hamsters in a maze when they can, castigating them on a routine basis for being stupid (John Kerry's statement comes to mind), putting them under a microscope when the failure of PC brass to eliminate the Ft. Hood shooter explodes in the news, call them every foul name under the sun in order to further political aims during the Bush Administration, ignore them as much as possible at all other times.

America is at the mall and the military is at war.

During Viet Nam the military were scorned and vilified, you didn't even have to see combat to see that. Just wearing the uniform brought the attitudes out.

With that in mind, a lot of folks who lived through those times have gone out of their way over the last decade or so to thank the troops in whatever way possible. So in that way it isn't as bad.

But when some trooper is getting ready for his fourth or fifth deployment to the "sandbox" and there is just about zippo coverage of the war in the news it has to have an impact.

At least during the Viet Nam War it got publicity, that was at a time when the MSM tried to maintain an appearance of impartiality. Now, there is jack. Everyone is tuning into "American Idol" or it's successor.

As an example of the lack of caring, I'd been running the "R.I.P." posts here for a while, it isn't much but better than nothing. Anyway, I'm also a member of the "Catholic Dads" blog. So I figured I'd run them there also. Could have saved myself the aggravation.

In short order I was told by the administrator I should modify the posts due to their excessive length. Fair enough, obituaries aren't too exciting.

But that was followed by a post on that blog from the resident dingbat socialist who was offended by what he felt were items of a political partisan nature. Although the "R.I.P." posts weren't mentioned by him a fellow traveler enthusiastically brought them up, piously averring sympathy towards the military as shown by his membership in the 4th Degree of the Knights of Columbus.

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T

I initially responded that he seemed to care for the vets as long as he didn't have to face the unpleasant fact of their deaths. After his reply of "sorry you take it that way" I said to just forget it. To hell with them. You no longer see that particular link on my sidebar.

Where am I going with this? I started with the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell", devolved into a general gripe about how Foggy Bottom trashes the troops and just ended opining about the public in general not giving a shit.

So whats the point?

The point is that man/woman in uniform isn't stupid and they're busy taking notes for future reference. That extends from the grunt getting shot at in Afghanistan to the dental tech stationed at the Air Force Academy in Colorado. Just as those who served in and during Viet Nam remembered how things went and responded by backing the troops with an attitude of "hell no, not again", so too will the current generation's military members respond in what they deem an appropriate manner in the future.

What will that response be? I have absolutely no idea. Really, none at all.

But those who served in Nam only had to do one tour. The military wasn't strapped across the breakers then as it is now. With the exception of Admiral Zumwalt & Co., no one was routinely using the troops for the equivalent of a sociological petri dish (and not all of Zumwalt's ideas were bad). The stress and frustration is correspondingly higher. As may be the eventual response to all of us who seem willfully oblivious to their sacrifice.

So for what it's worth, tell any military member how much you DO value their service. If for no other reason than that they damned well deserve it.