There are no Ex’s!!

How ironic things turn out!

Bobby

I met with the folks from my unit today and I’m getting very excited! And God sent me a great missive today — not just the warm words from other military folks on this site, but also, a former Marine who’s a professor at a neighboring Cal State campus found out about me, called me up, and he’s hooking me up with great committee assignments for people who want to bring the military and academy closer together. He’s already set up meetings with other profs, who have worked with the Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Even though I’m the only staunch pro-military professor on my campus, there are dozens of campuses in California and we can form a supportive community.

So there’s good news out there! I haven’t met the ex-Marine yet but he seems like a great guy and he won me over with this line over the phone:

“Not to be rude, but how the Hell did a Soldier end up in an English department? How are you surviving?”

How can you NOT want to be buddies with someone so direct and warm?

Army strong!

“I assumed that Saddam had chemical and biological weapons and coveted nuclear arms. I believed that he had repeatedly flouted UN resolutions and weapons inspectors and that such behavior had to have consquences. That Saddam butchered his own people was undisputed; I had no doubt that the world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him. ..

“And I was certain that by choosing precipitous, unilateral military action over the hard slog of diplomacy, coerive inspections, and smart sanctions, America was missing an opportunity to build a broad base of support for it’s policies. …
What I could not support was a “dumb war, a rash war, a war based not on reason but on passion, not on principal but on politics.”…

The world is in more danger than ever by millions of the enemies implanted around the world and we have cold ignorant lunatic that thinks “talk” will work.
Does this sound like a man that cares about anyone’s health.
And I sure don’t ever remember air-raids tests as a child, ever (near an Air-Force Base) And during his coming of age, period I do not ever remember any Army Post doing this, and after 4 years active duty, I went into Medical Field Unit reserves, and it was all about bio-chemical warfare. So, Reagan was looking way ahead of the threat Russia and Middle-East anthrax, and so I really read everything I could on the anthrax after 9/11, and I believe it middle-eastern terrorists inside America that mailed it.
And I just don’t ever remember any of us not able to give our opinons about presidents.
And I remember when we were told we would not get paid, because Jimmy Carter said the government was short on money. But, we ended up getting paid. That the government was short on money. Sound familiar with all Obama’s threats of taking veterans benefits. And now looking at Obama and looking back to Carter, I believe he hated us. And I remember where I was standing in the military hosptial when the Iranian hostages were released and everyone in the military felt proud, after Carter had made America feel so bad. And Obama is making America feel worse than Carter ever did. Can you imagine if our soldiers had read what he said. Because I know one Iraq soldier, and he said John Kerry’s comment about uneducated just really lowered their moral. And you don’t say things to low a soldier’s moral during war when they have to focus on living. And I’m sorry but, I really feel sick to my stomach.

Obama, Putin Agree To Lower Nukes | Sweetness & Light
http://sweetness-light.com/arc.....ower-nukes

“It is difficult to forge a lasting partnership between former adversaries,” Obama said. “But I believe on the fundamental issues that will shape this century, Americans and Russians share common interests that form a basis for cooperation.”

Um, REALLY? Like centuries of Anti-Semitism and general oppression and brutality?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200.....r_wh/obama

Second – well done Artboy – another great writing (and reading) experience.

Lastly –

edgy with disdain for what he called “the relentless, often silent spread of militarism in the country”

His stupid professor and he both deserve Fs for this statement alone – by 1983 the US Military was all voluntary – so without conscription (which a lot of the countries The One ™ admires still have) and the draft (which is more avoidable than conscription) – the US was turning away from a ‘relentless. . spread of militarism’ not toward it.

Once again – The One ™ is a liar and on the wrong side of America and history.

God Help America

BP, I congratulate you on the courage of your commitment and the honor you hold for our Nation. I wish you the best in your endeavors.
The Army doesn’t have any fancy catch words like we Marines do, “Semper Fidelis”.
So I guess I’ll leave you with this, “Keep your powder dry and your ass down!”

Don’t forget you have family here in S&L ville, brother!!
LD
Corporal of Marines

“My warmest compliments, Mr President, and the compliments of my country” bowed the Count. “It is a great honor to be here in your beautiful White House”.

“Hey, Count Krappy” smiled the President, shaking hands. “How’s it going?”

“Um, fine, thank you” gritted the irked aristocrat. “My name, if I may be so bold as to correct your Excellence, is Krapynszki, not ‘Krappy’. My family have been the Counts of Krakow since the 12th century, sir”.

“Crackheads? Sounds like some of my family. Anyway, that’s great. Good for you” grinned the President, with his usual practised charm. “Push those teleprompters to one side and grab a chair, Semen”.

“Excuse me once more, but my forename is Semyon, Mr President. It is a perfectly normal name in my country. And it is pronounced ‘Sem –Y-on’, not, um, that other way”.

“Whatever. Take a load off. You want coffee? Tea? Hey, you know what’s so great about my job? Check this out” The President picked up a nearby telephone and winked broadly.

“Hello, Republic of Tonga? It’s me, Barack. Guess what? You can kiss my ass, that’s what! Its war! We launch in five minutes! Hahahahahahaha! Naw, chill baby, chill. I’m just messing with you guys. I’m all about breaking the war mentality, you know. You’re alright. Later, Tonga dudes. What do you think of that, eh Count? Pretty cool, huh?”

“Um, a most impressive display of diplomatic skill, Mr President” murmured the appalled Pole.

“You think so? Yeah, me too! I can do all sorts of stuff in this job. Kill flies. Order up pizza any time I want it. Take the wife on a chopper ride to a Broadway show whenever. It was worth waiting six whole years because being President rules! But anyway, the reason I wanted to see you, Semen, is because…”

“Sem -Y –on, Mr President, if you please…”

“Of course, Seaweed. Anyway, the thing is that I’ve been in Moscow, you may have seen something about it on the TV, bringing my positive message of hope and change to the Russkies and as part of our nuke deal the Russians have nixed that missile shield you were counting on. Sorry. You guys are just going to have to learn to get along without any help from Uncle Sam”.

“Nixed? Nixed you say? Nixed! Mr President, I confess that this intelligence leaves me stupéfié!”

“Huh?”

“Amazed, shocked, dumbfounded! Since when has the Russian bear a veto over the foreign policy of the American eagle?”

“Huh? Bears? Eagles? What are you talking about – football?”

“I am talking about America betraying both her proven friends and her national interests, Mr President – and not for the first time!”

“Now look, Simpleton; my Administration is all about warm smiles, open hands and a new realism in foreign policy and that realism says that Russia equals big and strong and your country equals small and weak, so guess who I want for my best friend? Not you little guys”.

“But Mr President; not only Poland but all the nations of Eastern Europe look to the US for support and protection…”

“Well, you looked wrong, Krappy. Tough break. Now, if you’ll show yourself out and send in the next supplicant, I mean ambassador”.

“Very well. Good day Mr President”. The furious Pole clicked his heels and left, brushing past the waiting flunkey.

“Mr President?” murmured the menial. “May I present his Excellency the Ambassador of Georgia?”

“Georgia? Well, what do you know? beamed the President. “What up, cracker? How’s things in Atlanta?”

In Barak Obama: The Audacity of Hope page 294.

“I also said that “after witnessing the carnage and destruction, the dust and the tears, I supported this Administration’s pledge to hunt down and root out those who would slaughter innocents in the name of intolerance” and would “willingly take up arms myself to prevent such tragedy from happening again.”

First and foremost, thank you for your choice. I can see that it not only is a love of country and sense of duty that made you don the uniform but that as a true scholar, you endeavor to get your hands dirty, so to speak, to more fully understand that thing called “the human condiiton”.

I applaud you in your endeavor, sir.

As for the academics in your ranks at the university, it is odd, isn’t it? After WWII, thousands of GI’s used the GI Bill to pursue higher education. Many became teachers. In fact in the 60’s, our yearbooks were a virtual who’s who of veterans. Also, many of my teachers were reservists as well.

As you say, there was a tempering of liberal ideas with the conservative….pragmatism and idealism….I would say the balance was good for us jelly-heads, to learn how best to arrive at solutions.

But with strictly academics at the oars of the ship of higher learning, I think we merely end up going around in circles. While a conservative and critical thinker actually entertains the notion that the liberal may have a point..or even agree on some level… the liberal tends not to reciprocate. They are deeply prejudiced, hardwired to defy any counter-argument and absolutely indignant at the suggestion they might be wrong.

As you well know, this is the recipe for disaster….in the classroom or even on the battlefield. I look upon great battles in history and one stands out in my mind….Rommel vs Patton in Africa.

There are also some very interesting cock-ups by the Union army in the War Between The States.

Being obtuse to reason, facts and actual evidence is a mystery to me. There have been many times in my life when I was absolutely sure of a thing, only to have it explained to me and for me to admit I was wrong. I have never been afraid to apologize…as long as I know what I’m apologizing for.

You will run into people in your military career who are just as obtuse as liberals. Unfortunately, they will have all the authority and rank…and you will also run into the lower ranking person who is absolutely wrong but is certain they are right. And they may at some moment hold your career in their hands. Be careful.

The best piece of advice I can give you is to “never miss an opportunity to remain silent”.

But with that, I’ll also quote Pappy Boyington, USMC Corsair ace and Lakota Indian. “Show me a hero and I’ll show you a bum.”

Both of those pieces of wisdom are trite, yet very deep at the same time.

Most of all, have fun in your assignments. Some will be truly enjoyable, many downright dull, and some laborious.

There are also some things that you will never see. “The best base, the big picture and the REAL Army”. I modified them from my Air Force memories.

Borrowing from “Catch 22″, “Nobody can see the big picture…it’s too big”.

Mostly, I admire you going out there to see it firsthand, knowing full well it may further alienate you from your academic peers. Obviously that’s a risk they are not willing to take. So you’ve already demonstrated your resolve. I do hope though, when you get into a disagreement with an obvious idiot who outranks you…that you can simply find the mind to say “Yes, sir” or “Yes ma;am” and move on.

There will be times when you will just shake your head and wonder how this happened. However, most of the time, you will see structure and even method to the madness and when everyone around you is all pulling in a positive direction and achieving results, it’s magical. Not that kind of communist comrade kind of thing….but that individuals who know that to pull together is to not only survive but to win and win big.

You will also see more positive mental attitudes that you will know what to do with.

Enjoy it.

Good Luck!!!

And if any of you haven’t seen it, I recommend it.

In deed, we have the best educated military in the world. And that says a lot to me. A hell of a lot.

People dedicated to excellence. Excellence in self; Excellence in their units, and to the nation.”

hear, hear, Rusty. Well said! The sad thing is the asymmetry of this situation. To wit: The military contains many officers with advanced degrees, but the university professoriate in the United States has so few faculty members with military experience, it’s almost negligible. I went to put in my leave orders with Human Resources at my university today — a campus with about 35,000 students and something like 3,500 faculty members. I found out I am one of only two reservists employed on the campus, and I’m the only professor who is also a Soldier or any other kind of military person. I guess I felt a little proud, but mostly saddened — not so much by the military, but by the academy, which suffers, I think, from the self-centered and narcissistic ambition that military training can often temper or even squelch. The reason I chose to sign up for the Army in my 30s was simple; all the Soldiers I’d ever taught were incredibly respectful of others and willing to think of things higher than themselves, while no professors seemed to display those qualities. Selfishly, perhaps, I went military to save myself from becoming another navel-gazing, selfish, liberal academic.

Okay, sorry abuot the Navy mixup. It was the Virginia Beach thing. Being half Filipino and having cousins in Virginia, I automatically think everyone in Maryland & Virginia is naval if they’re military at all! Haha. I’m not into the all-white Navy outfits though, I’d be so paranoid about how to keep those things clean. The Army outfits aren’t all that pretty, but what the heck, they work. :) [Army strong!]

Bobby

That’s guts for you. “Several” people anonymously admit to a student organizer that if they had known they could have gotten away with it that they would not have registered with the selective service. Talk about a tidal wave of civil disobedience.
Also…what’s up with the terrible grammar and spelling throughout? For a student at Columbia and future Harvard Law student, this article was incoherent.