Category Archives: Military Service

Grounded

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groundedThe sub-title of this book by Robert M. Farley, “The Case for Abolishing the United States Air Force,” reveals the premise. I requested it from the library because I read that it discusses the founding of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in 1947. Military planners had decided many more nuclear weapons were needed for Soviet targets at about that time. That led to the construction of the Rocky Flats Nuclear weapons Plant where the plutonium parts were constructed for all those weapons.  I worked at the Plant for many years beginning with the end of my U.S. Army assignment to NORAD in1969. I was therefore interested in what the military planners were thinking in the late 1940s that led to the beginning of construction at Rocky Flats in 1951. I was disappointed. There is no mention in the book that I found to mention anything about the expansion of Soviet military targets that led to the need for more nuclear weapons. All I could find was that the USAF was assigned most of the nuclear arsenal because of their long-range bombers and the Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). I decided to post a review, although I believe the book is flawed, at least for my purposes, by what it does not describe.

The book has several discussions of how the USAF being a separate service creates conflicts in military resource allocation, training, procurement, and strategies that are counterproductive. There is no doubt air power is needed for military missions. However, it is explained the war is an extension of politics and adding the politics of competing military services simply makes the act of engaging in war less than efficient. The author even observes that “…independent air forces make war more likely.” The reasoning is that the independent USAF will argue for policies that “…increase its visibility and access to resources” (which will make the USAF commanders more eager to go to war). The service will vie for political advantage by recommending use of its capabilities, and that certainly could and probably has influenced political policy decisions. Continue reading →

Blog Posting for Blood Stripes

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I began a review of this book with the comment “This is the best book I’ve read for some time.” It provides insight into the raw and uncensored emotions of men killing and being killed in the Iraq war. I believe this book should be required reading for Presidents who might need to request war powers from Congress and those in Congress who would have to vote on such an act. People making war policy should also be reminded how the U.S. encouraged Shiites to mutiny against Saddam Hussein in 1991, and that we did not give their mutiny any support. Thousands were tortured and killed. More than a decade later we invaded and the Shiites in some areas actually did celebrate the arrival of the Marines despite the earlier abandonment by U.S. politicians.

The need for the war in Iraq has been debated endlessly, and much of that debate was going on while our soldiers were killing and being killed. The Commander-In-Chief, the Marine commanders, and all the rest of us asked that combat soldiers go to war with “rules of engagement.” Combat soldiers are trained kill the enemy and not to be “peace keepers” or “nation builders.”  The General commanding the Marines told them, First do no harm. The second order was “No better friend, which referred to building a common cause with the people of Iraq. The third order was “No worse enemy.” The first two orders had nothing to do with Marine training. The last order finally arrived at what Marines are trained to do, “…if some bastard wants to fight, hunt him down and kill him (or her) before they do the same to you.” I think we somehow cobbled together things expected of the State Department and combat soldiers and expected young soldiers to figure it out. From what I read they somehow did an amazingly fine job.

kThe enemies of the Marines were fighting came from diverse backgrounds. They included religious fanatics, young single men, men with large families, mercenaries, and poor farmers who believed they were fighting to defend their village. One of them mentioned the movie Braveheart, and that portrayal of the fight for freedom.

For those who insist Iraq had nothing to do with al-Qaeda, Lebanese journalist Zaki Chehab was embedded with the insurgents. His chronicle, Inside the Resistance: The Iraqi Insurgency and the Future of the Middle East, describes men claiming to be part of Zarqawi’s al-Qaeda in Iraq which began opening terrorist training camps in Iraq “…shortly after the post-9/11 American attack into Afghanistan.” Zarqawi had originally fled to Iran and then to the Iraqi Kurdish mountains. He established a route through Iran to smuggle personnel and equipment from Afghanistan. “By the fall of 2002, the Al Qaeda Underground Railroad was running full steam—from Afghanistan, through Iran, and into a northern Iraqi hideout.”

We also sent soldiers to fight in a war that we only noticed on occasion when watching news clips of politicians arguing with each other about the war. The lives of average Americans who did not have someone close to them fighting in the heat, filth, and fear of the battlegrounds in Iraq were unaffected. The Marines acknowledged that they joined because they were promised the chance to kill legally, but were envious of the free and fun lives of the young people who hadn’t joined. One of them asked, “Don’t these people give a shit that we’re at war?”

I admit I worried about soldiers in the book who were described as “addicted to battle,” or those who felt satisfaction when they saw the “pink mist” created as their bullet passed through an enemy. However, we were the ones who put them there, and we must be thankful there are men such as these. George Orwell, the famous writer who did fight in combat in the Spanish Civil War, once wrote something to the effect that “People sleep soundly because there are rough men willing to do violence to protect them.” I would substitute “brave” for “rough.”

Marine grunts looked down on anyone who was not a Marine grunt. They called everyone outside that category Persons Other than Actual Grunts, or POAG. The acronym evolved into the word “pogue.” Everyone in the Marines not in combat units, everyone in the Navy, Army, and Air Force were pogues. Anyone who never wore a uniform was the worst kind of pogue. If I would have the honor of meeting one of the Marines portrayed in the book I would ask for my Army comrades who served in combat roles in Vietnam to be excluded from that description.

There was a Marine Chaplin who told the survivors that they would have to deal with the guilt for surviving while others did not. I understand that. A quote at the beginning of Chapter 15 is “Freedom isn’t free, but the U.S. military will pay your part of it.” The Marines who survived would deal not only with the guilt of surviving but also the loss of “…the purity of being surrounded by a group of men who, whether they loved or hated them, were devoted to giving their blood, seat, and lives for the same of their mission or their Corps.”

The book observes that victory will not come from the service and sacrifice of the soldiers who fought in Iraq. That will happen, if it happens, within the culture of Islam. The soldiers have only functioned as the soil for the seed of freedom. The ultimate victory, if it is achieved must happen within Islam.

One of the corporals was scheduled for a DUI trial, and the female judge opened the hearing by reading the award citation for his service in Iraq. The judge didn’t finish reading the entire citation, and later said she couldn’t finish because she realized she was being overcome with emotion. She simply ended the reading and announced, “Case Dismissed.” Reading that brought tears to my eyes.

“H-Money,” one of the interpreters for the battalion continued to carry a sniper rifle and “fought like a lion.” Fatima, another interpreter, made it to the U.S. and was working on becoming a citizen.”Muhammad remains alive and continues to fight Americans. Most expect this kind of war to go on for many, many years.”

Military Reunion in San Antonio

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Thirty one graduates from  the U.S. Army Infantry Officers Candidate School (OCC) who were commissioned Second Lieutenants on March 9, 1967 gathered in San Antonio to remember those who did not survive Vietnam and those who have passed since. I was assigned to the third platoon under the command of Tactical (TAC) Lt. Paul R. Longgrear.

A small but dedicated group of the former candidates had located or learned the fate of most of our fellow graduates and organized the first reunion in Washington, D.C. That reunion included a visit to the Vietnam Memorial where the names of our fallen comrades are included among the 58,272 total (as of 2010).

I resisted participating in the reunions, because the overall OCS experience was unpleasant (proving my command for understatement). The physical requirements were intense and demanding, and I struggled to keep up with those who physically were dominantly like football halfbacks and were agile and could run fast while I was the lumbering lineman.

My wife finally convinced me we should attend a reunion at Fort Benning to take part in the dedication of a plaque with the names of those from our company who were Killed in Action (KIA). She was right; I felt better after we attended the reunion and renewed acquaintances.

We also attended a wonderful reunion in Southwest Colorado in 2011, and I wrote a posting about that gathering. To remind us that we are all approaching the end of our lives, the man who hosted the gathering died of a heart attack a couple of weeks later.

That brings me back to San Antonio and the 45th anniversary of our commissioning. We didn’t arrive until after the visit with Wounded Warriors at the Brooke Army Medical Center. Those who did make that visit were still emotional about what they had seen as they talked to us. They were especially grateful to those who provide the private funds to the Center.

The first event my wife and I were able to attend after a social gathering was one of our comrades reading the letter written by William Barrett Travis pledging that the Alamo would be defended to the last man. The names of our comrades who were killed in combat and those who have passed were then read.

The same gentleman seemed to more enjoy playing the guitar and singing a song of remembrance and a song of faith. That was followed by several of us going on a several mile drive in what I think was a giant circle, parking, and going on a two mile hike along the River Walk. Someone mentioned it reminded them of a forced march with the Rangers during our OCS training. We finally found a restaurant we later learned was about three blocks from the El Tropicana Hotel where we started. Map reading to find a destination is apparently a skill that doesn’t last. (Several of us promised to hardly ever mention the hike.)

The next rainy and chilly day we went on another hike that was advertised as “a few blocks” that turned into several. We walked past the Korean Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, and the Confederate Memorial on the way to Alamo. The Vietnam Memorial is a very large sculpture of a radio man kneeling beside a man who was probably his mortally wounded company commander. We then toured the Alamo and read the names of the volunteers who died there to give the other Texans the time to organize and prepare to defeat Santa Anna.

We had a wonderful sit down dinner at the hotel that evening, and one of our friends arrived at the table sniffing and wiping his eyes. “What’s wrong?” “Allergies.” But he then broke down and began to sob. He had gone to thank Major Graham White for his service, and was called “Sir.” He said, “I wouldn’t even be able to lift his jacket with all those medals, and he called me Sir!”

Major White (the son of one of our comrades) was in dress blues and jump boots, and he gave the keynote speech for the evening. His resume includes multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and he has a long list of commendations including two Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars. He talked about his Army comrades who had suffered injuries that would have devastated average people, but returned to service after lengthy and intensive rehabilitation. The theme was “Army Strong,” and “This is your Army!” George Orwell wrote something to the effect, “People sleep peacefully in their beds because there are rough men willing to do violence for them.” I would substitute “tough and brave” for “rough,” but Orwell had it mostly right.

There was instruction on how to do a “Texas line dance.” There were some willing to participate and many others of us willing to watch.

I’ll end this by briefly mentioning a speech by Paul Longgrear. He was at Lang Vei, where the North Vietnamese used tanks with devastating effects that caused extensive casualties. I will refer to a review of the book “Night of the Silver Stars” that recounts details of the battle.

Military Reunion After Action Report

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I was one of the 240 young men who reported to the 52nd Company of the U.S. Army Infantry Officers Candidate School (OCS) in September 1966.  Candidates were assigned to platoons mostly alphabetically, and I had the good fortune to be assigned to the Third Platoon. I say good fortune, because the platoon had an incredible assortment of talented candidates led by the most demanding Tactical (TAC) Officer, Lt. Paul R. Longgrear. The platoon dominated the weekly honor platoon competition, and scored the highest in other training competitions. About half of the candidates made it through the intensive six months of training and were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in a graduation ceremony held March 7, 1967.

Most of the new Army officers were assigned to the Infantry, but some of us were given commissions in branches such as the Chemical Corp, Army Intelligence Service, Military Police, and Finance. Most would serve at least one tour in Vietnam. A few of my fellow OCS graduates began working a few years back to locate everyone and gathering as many as possible for reunions. They especially wanted us to remember and honor the eleven young men, including one TAC officer, who died in combat.

Some of my fellow candidates from the Third Platoon recently arranged a reunion at a wonderful location in the area of Colorado that was the setting for a Zane Grey book “Riders of the Purple Sage.”  Ray and Kathy Heaton have a wonderful bed and breakfast about 6 miles from Dove Creek in Southwestern Colorado called Winterhawk Lodge B&B. The attendees were, alphabetically, Carl Jones, Kathy and Ray Heaton, Sheryl and I, Bob and Margarette (Butch) Holt, Dave Huebner, and Allen Hyman.  Carl and Dave won the distance driving award with their 2300 mile round trip. The Heatons provided us wonderful meals beginning with chili-frito pie the first evening (chili on top of fritos and topped with an assortment of condiments), cooked to order breakfasts including farm fresh eggs, sandwiches for lunch, and a delicious brisket the second evening. There was always plenty of coffee, tea, and lemonade. The hummingbirds were busy at the feeders all day, and a small herd of deer arrived one evening. You could safely say we had escaped the hustle and bustle of the city.

Winterhawk is in the center of much Southwest Colorado history. Ancient Puebloans had numerous settlements in the area, and Ray gave a tour to Hovenweep (a Ute/Paiute word that means deserted valley) National Park. There are remains of cut stone buldings estimated to have been constructed in the 1200’s. (Someone commented that the ancient ruins brought TAC officer Longgrear to mind.) The Anasasi (a Navajo word meaning Ancient ones or Ancient enemy, and a name not preferred by modern Puebloans) continue to have an influence on modern day Colorado. Beans cultivated from a several hundred year old stash left by the former residents are still grown in the area. The grain elevator in Dove Creek has a large painted sign that says, “Adobe Milling, Home of the Anasazi Beans.” Locals of the Dove Creek area say that the beans are good cooked with “collards and critters.”

Ray led another tour to Dolores Canyon Overlook, which is called the “Grand Canyon of Colorado.” We happened on Ray’s cousin Al Heaton with some ‘wannabe’ cowboys on a trail ride. Al operates the “East Pines Ranch,” which is over 100,000 acres. His crown jewel offering to guests is to let them do the hard work of helping him and his real cowboys move his cattle to winter range on a five day trip down the Dolores River (which brings to mind the two “City Slickers” movies).

Sheryl commented it was interesting to hear conversations about different memories of specific experiences during our six months together. There were also fasinating stories of what the different attendees did in service of the country and afterward. It was an honor to be with a few of my comrades for a short time again. Winterhawk is an ideal destination, and we will have fond memories of the reunion. I will close by quoting some words from the front of the pamphlet from the 40th anniversary reunion that was held at Fort Benning, “All gave some…some gave all.”