Stripes letters: on Low morale/TX governor should visit troops/Read PNAC

[lebkuchen]

Asking too much of soldiers?

In many leaders’ minds, soldiers should be supernaturally endowed with abilities to follow all the standards laid down for up to and exceeding a year while thousands of miles away from friends and family.

The officer division has near-absolute power over a particular unit. This is essential when in the midst of combat, but certain aspects of day-to-day living are asinine to doctrine. Officers are not above the law, but their ability to point out the gray areas and hypocrisy around them give them a sometimes long-term immunity to anyone questioning their orders.

Officers have power to make troops’ lives less stressful. Most are so removed from what’s going on they have no idea what the consequences of their actions are. When they do, these reflections of low morale are viewed as a “lack of discipline,” and officers become so paranoid of their units looking bad, that they rain down threats and standards in hope they’ll magically make all the problems go away.

Many sergeants end up feeling as if they’re everyone’s enemy. Too often they choose to build greater alliances with those over them, because those below won’t take money, rank or freedoms if they’re betrayed or let down. A similar fear lives in them of suffering for their fellow soldiers’ shortcomings, but at this level, the imposition of administrative actions and choking standards is often unprofessional.

The first response a soldier will give when a new standard comes down is, “They should do my job for a week, then say that!” But this is coming from an unmotivated soldier who needs to realize that disciplined soldiers do not have problems with morale. Leaders can counter with heavily over-used mantras, such as, “You’re a soldier, deal with it” that accomplish nothing more than to destroy trust and respect.

Spc. Andrew W. Wright
Forward Operating Base Speicher, Iraq


Count your blessings

“Changes in living space” (letter, Sept. 14) demonstrates the huge difference in attitude between combat-arms troops and basically everybody else in uniform.

I could only dream about the plush manner (in Arifjan, no less) in which the letter writer is cared for, and to read about her complaints was both galling and darkly amusing.

There are thousands of soldiers and Marines throughout Iraq who live as I do — no power, no running water, no air conditioning — running daily missions on foot with 60 pounds of gear. Yet, we do not typically voice our complaints; we simply do our jobs.

I am aware that the Air Force allows its airmen to be “accustomed to different living standards, but please … be thankful for what you've got. Be happy you’re not being shot at every day, that you don't wake up to the smell of burning excrement or the sound of incoming fire. Enjoy the ice cream, hot coffee and fast food. After your four months are over, go back home and be proud that you’ve served your country. But please don’t complain about how horrible life is. You have no idea.

Spc. Rex King
Tal Afar, Iraq


Governor should visit troops

I am an infantry noncommissioned officer with a unit from Hawaii. We are here defending our country and freedom in this foreign land.

Lately, most of the Texans here, myself included, are wondering why our governor hasn’t taken time to come here to see us. All the people from the unit that I am assigned to have already been visited by their elected officials. To me, this shows me exactly how much all my fellow Texans are valued by our own elected officials.

I am a native-born Texan from Houston. There is nothing more rewarding to me than representing Texas here. Dealing with the untold stress of this war is far more than most back home could possibly imagine.

Sgt. David O’Neal Crockett-Jackson
Balad, Iraq


Document is a must-read

In response to “Grim reminder of the future” (letter, Aug. 28http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=31224), read the Project for a New American Century (a neo-conservative think tank that contains major players in our current administration) report, “Rebuilding America’s Defenses.” It contains a step-by-step blueprint for American policy that the government is now following. It predates the first George Bush presidency, showing that he may only be the public face of an agenda that was already laid out before he took office.

We are duty-bound to defend the republic, but anyone who considers himself a true patriot should read this text.

Alone, the mention of needing a “catastrophic event” to galvanize the nation so they could push their agenda forward is a dark foreshadowing of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. It is a must-read, but it may send a chill down your spine, considering the current rhetoric being touted.

Warrant Officer 1 Gerald Kuruc
Baghdad

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=125&article=31688

[DemInDistress]

1. From Paul Thompson's Timeline of Terror

April 01' James Baker at a round table meeting with Big Oil,Energy Giants,Communications,US War-hawks and ken Lay,Baker says,"the advance
of PNAC will likely e a slow one absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event like a New Pearl Harbor".The Bush Crime Family knew
how to shape public opinion,a sneak attack inside the USA on the World
Trade Center.But why the WTC? Both flights 11 and 175 came down the Hudson River passing a nuclear power plant in Westchester County.Cert-
ainly a nuke strike would have created widespread damage with radio-
activity.Strangely,Larry Silverstein lease holder of the WTC,he closed
the deal in July 01' and immediately tripled the insurance.What was
Larry thinking?
James Baker and the Neo-cons got their wish 4 months later,911...

[lebkuchen]

5. I have his timeline.

Thanks for making the connection.

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Good that warrant oficer needs a medal by the way

and so does the editor

[Karenina]

3. Indeed.

:kick:

[lebkuchen]

4. That PNAC letter is amazing, isn't it?

a gem.