-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! ARTICLE 7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Berets for Everyone! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed.: A Special Operations Warrior vents over general Shinseki's latest decision to make every soldier feel better. I understand they still have a problem sizing berets for military police canines. *********************************************************** By Serpent 71, SF Warrior Well the word is out about black berets for everybody and the SOF community is going nuts. Many have asked, how could he (Gen Shinseki) do something like that, just give the black beret out to everybody. Well I think I have the answer. A few years back, then Sergeant Major of the Army, Eugene McKinney attended to United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) Command Sergeants Major conference at Bragg. Every Ranger, SF, SOAR, CA, PSYOPS, and Delta CSM was there. McKinney launched a trial balloon to the CSMs, asking them what they thought about the possibility of the whole Army getting to wear berets. Needless to say, he was pummeled with numerous reasons not to even consider handing out berets to everyone. Then came last week and the spectacle that resurrected the beret idea. Here at Fort Bragg, we had a change of command ceremony for the USASOC commander. Army Chief of staff, General Shinseki was in attendance. Out of the hundreds of soldiers present, he was the only one wearing a BDU cap. A big bad 4-star general felt like just another "shmoe" up there on that stage with the official party. All around him were privates, NCOs and junior officers wearing berets. Green ones, black ones, maroon ones but not a single BDU cap to be seen for miles, all except for his. For once in his life he felt miniscule next to "Real Men." He couldn't stomach the fact that he wasn't "special" like everyone else around him. You see, even though Gen Shinseki has a Ranger Tab, he has never served a day in Ranger Regiment. Ranger School was just another ticket punch on the road to Army Chief of Staff. Granted he was an FO in Vietnam, was wounded and received the Bronze Star for Valor, but he was just an ordinary guy, in an ordinary unit. On that parade field, all those medals and cushy assignments he had done didn't mean squat to the men of the Special Operations Command. All they saw was just another "leg general" and he knew it. So, instead of doing the honorable thing (earning it), like most of us that wear one, he decided to just hand them out like candy. Why didn't he get it honorably? Go to jump school, get assigned to an airborne unit and voila, you've got yourself a maroon beret! If an elite airborne unit just doesn't quite quench your appetite for adventure and you want more, go down to Fort Benning and volunteer for duty in the Ranger Regiment. A couple of ass kicking weeks in the Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP), a stint in Ranger School and you got yourself a black beret. But if you want a little more, come to sunny Fort Bragg! In as little as six physically and mentally challenging months of Special Forces training, six more months in language training and a quick three weeks in Survival, Escape, Resistance, and Evasion (SERE) school, you can get yourself the coveted green beret! What do all of those things have in common? EFFORT! You have to get up off your butt and do it. I guess Gen Shinseki and his fellow officers that support his suggestion to hand out berets to everybody must have the same work ethic. Why bust your ass to get a beret when we can just give them out to everyone. That is what is wrong with this Army. Reward complacency and mediocrity and punish initiative and daring. It doesn't pay to be special anymore. Gen Shenseki should be ashamed for even mentioning the concept of berets for everybody. Bad news for USASOC, a command that has a hard enough time keeping guys in SF and an even harder time trying to recruit qualified guys to join SF. We won't even talk about the major blow to the morale of the finest infantry regiment in the world. I could just see the look on the faces of the Rangers, the guys on the cutting edge of this country's military sword. Guys, that for years, have accomplished nearly impossible tasks, from climbing the cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc to taking down Panama in a few short days, reduced to the same level as a PAC clerk at the Pentagon. When will the brass finally get it through their thick heads. It's not the hats, It's the leadership stupid! ========================================================= ARTICLE 8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Security Sucks at Most Naval Installations ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed: Something to think about. How vulnerable are we at home? I don't advocate making every installation into Ft. Knox, but point security for high value objectives would be more than appropriate. *********************************************************** By a concerned Tourist and Veteran My wife and I went on vacation to the east coast a while ago and decided to visit the naval base at Norfolk, VA. As tourists, and not even knowing where we were going, we drove onto the naval base through the gate (no guards and no gate), on past the Marine Corps anti-terrorist training center (no Marines in sight), and, after driving around lost for 15 minutes, ended up at the pier. We parked 20 yards from two nuclear aircraft carriers (the USS Stenson being one. I don't remember the name of the other one.) A nuclear powered submarine in the water and another nuclear sub was up in dry dock. They were so close that you could have hit them all with a slingshot and a rock. Not only was there no security on this day, it was obvious that there was no security any day. This was during a period when Prez Clinton and Janet Reno were howling about terrorists attacks, yak, yak, as if security meant something. In the latest incident, you would think that the Admiral in charge of the USS Cole would require the ship's commander to put advanced security in place before docking at a hostile port. I would think that the ship's commander would have put out his own security, even if he had not been ordered to do so, out of a need for self-preservation for himself and his ship. What the hell are these guys thinking of? That's what I want to know. Now we have 17 dead, many wounded, and a 20' x 40' hole in a totally screwed-up ship. The Navy is lucky that it wasn't sunk. Lastly, why isn't this incident being treated like Pearl Harbor? ============================================================== ARTICLE 9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PSYOPS Money Wasters ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed.: As the big guys are complaining about lack of money, it can be found in the street of our personnel offices and the Pentagon... *************************************************************************** By a Ft. Bragg PSYOPS NCO While everyone complains about funding being cut, the Army has a few places it can go to get funds before asking Congress and the public for more. Take a look at Psychological Operations (PSYOP) here at Ft. Bragg. PSYOP is a functional area for officers. This used to mean it was a temporary career field switch, but that's changed. Now, a Captain who switches from his or her branch into PSYOP stays here for the remainder of their career. PSYOP officers come from all branches in the Army, MP, Infantry, Armor, even Aviation. The funny thing about the aviators who switch over is that despite the fact, that they will NEVER again fly a military aircraft, they are still receiving $800 per month each in flight pay. That's correct, even though they are not current aviators, and who knows how long it's been since they last flew, they get paid $800 bucks a month extra. This happens probably because the Army wants to report to Congress that it has X-number of pilots in the ranks of this critically short skill, so they don't cut off the flight pay for the freeloaders. Another thing about PSYOP is the fact that we pay everyone (all active duty) an extra $150 per month to remain airborne qualified, and yet only one battalion out of five, the tactical battalion, has any likelihood of ever jumping into combat. The other four battalions are airborne qualified for no real combat reason. Women, also among the PSYOP jumpers, have zero chance of being sent into a ground combat role, but are trained, equipped and kept current for political reasons. Basically, if the Army didn't let females go to airborne school, Pat Schroeder's crowd would start to look at other schools such as Ranger, SF, and who knows what else to make political waves and further deconstruct the Army's fading warrior ethic. It makes me sick to hear everyone in positions to change these things moan and groan about needing money when I witness daily such flagrant examples of fraud, waste and abuse. Until we stop paying people for not doing their jobs, or paying them to jump out of planes for pay and cute patches, well, we have no right to ask for one cent more of taxpayer money. No wonder the military is the way it is nowadays. ============================================================ ARTICLE 10 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Voices from the Frontlines: We Will Stand our Ground in Kosovo ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed.: From a young tank leader deployed in Kosovo. A grim reminder that our forces are doing their jobs around the world, no matter how ill-conceived their missions. These troops deserve our concern and full support. *********************************************************** By Mike A., Armor Officer The Cole incident should be a poignant reminder to us all that the United States of America, and its armed forces, are targets. We are targets to extreme organizations who wish to make their political statements through terror attacks and murder. I write this to share with you my feelings on this from Kosovo. We are surrounded by angry members of several ethnic groups. My soldiers are not looking forward to having to kill or injure anyone; yet they will, should they be threatened with harm. We have good equipment, good facilities. I recently took my entire company, on tanks, through all surrounding towns (and the adjacent big city) firing artillery illumination all around me. It was a pointed reminder to all those who wish us well or ill around here, that I represent the power, the prestige, and the lethal fighting force that is the United States Army. No one has done anything like that since we (KFOR) got here. I plan on doing it again in the near future. We have many layers of security and good intelligence on the bad people around here. No one should doubt our resolve to remain a force for peace and for stability, and no one should assume that they can force us to retreat. No one should assume they can attack us with impunity." =========================================================== ARTICLE 11 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Quality of Life Update: The Election and Future of our Military ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed: Clear message from Pete: There is much to be rebuilt and repaired. Get out and vote. *********************************************************** By Pete Peterson, Quality of Life Editor Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: http://medical.militarybenefits.org/ In only two weeks we will know whether there is any hope our military will be restored to competence with some semblance of readiness. And, we all have a "say" in the outcome through our vote. Our military is 40% smaller today than it was 8 years ago. And, it is not ready, despite the spin. With this shrinkage has come a plague of problems. Most of them inhibit doing the job we're supposed to be ready to do. "Turnaround time," as we used to call it, is shorter than ever and we've wedged ourselves into nooks 'n crannies all over the world - mostly in places we have no legitimate strategic interests. We've been "winging" a foreign policy all this time. We're all over the road. There's enough evidence to show we're no longer leading the way. We're following second and third rate nations down a path that can only result in further damage to our national image and identity. In many cases, we're not taken seriously and are viewed as a fickle power not to be trusted to back up our words and promises. In the military business, that costs lives. The prestige of wearing our country's uniform is threadbare, even if everybody wears black berets. Our senior leaders, civilian and military, have sold us out in favor of their own personal gain, political future, or retirement plans. Those on active duty that still hang onto the image and the ideal of what a real warrior is, and what the real military is supposed to be, grow weaker in morale, while those with social and political agendas grow stronger. Proud DOD announcements that the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program is going international and that health care for our active duty soldiers and their dependents will cost less next October are laughable, if they were not such sad admissions of poor leadership. MTFs have been shut down or downgraded to clinics. Commissaries and PXs continue to disappear. We drive farther and get less. Housing sucks. Waiting lines get longer at remaining MTFs and pharmacies. "Appointments only" doesn't guarantee the sickest get treated first. TRICARE Standard beneficiaries still don't have Doctors who will see them. It's time to make a clean break from the last 8 years of pain. Plain and simple. They had their shot and we were wounded. Since "none of the above" is an option, we must each decide which of the remaining candidates and their VP designees can bring us back. I think the choice is a no-brainer, but you may see it differently. I need to believe in something ... again. I've been in the Army since birth. I'd sure like to believe it will come back to the sharp standards, practices and readiness it used to epitomize. That means Leadership has to be restored - from the White House all the way down to the squad leader. I want my pride back. I want my military restored to its former capabilities. I want the grinners out of "my" Army (and all services), and I want real leaders to step forward. I want the hemorrhaging of our ranks to stop. I want to see "youngsters" who believe in doing it right and taking care of the troops to stay in and LEAD. Justice and fair treatment comes with right-minded and hard-but-fair leadership. We won't need a lot of this touchy-feely crap. Our ranks must be 100% soldier. We must be warriors. Those that want something different should find another program to get their "three hots and a cot." The military is not a day care center or "feel good" business. Self-esteem should come from one's combat and job skills. Raising a family is the business and choice of parents, not the government. We have to be ready for WARFARE, not WORKFARE. This election, we must all vote for new leadership, top to bottom. We can't survive another four more years of the SOS. Everybody out of the pool, we've got to change the water! If you don't vote come November 7th, you lose the right to bitch about anything. Congress / DOD: FIX TRICARE NOW! =========================================================== ARTICLE 12 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ GI HUMOR - The Balloonist ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed.: What ordinary balloonists and military/political noblemen have in common. ***************************************************** A man piloting a hot-air balloon discovers he has wandered far off course and is hopelessly lost. He descends to a lower altitude and locates a man down on the ground. He lowers the balloon to within hearing distance and shouts, "Excuse me, can you tell me where I am?" The man below says: "Yes, you're in a hot-air balloon, about thirty feet above this field." "You must work in information technology," says the balloonist. "Yes, I do," replies the man. "And how did you know that?" "Well," says the balloonist, "what you told me is technically correct, but of no use to anyone." The man below says, "You must work in management." "I do," replies the balloonist, "how did you know?" "Well," says the man, "you don't know where you are, or where you're going, but you expect my immediate help. You're in the same position you were before we met, but now it's my fault!" =============================================================== ARTICLE 13 - MEDAL OF HONOR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ed.: Vietnam 1968. A brave Skyraider pilot risks it all to save a downed comrade in danger. If you know of any MOH recipient who is hospitalized or has passed recently, please write James H. Also, if you would like more info on MOH recipients and their stories, please email James H at [EMAIL PROTECTED] *********************************************************** *JONES, WILLIAM A., III Rank and organization: Colonel, U.S. Air Force, 602d Special Operations Squadron, Nakon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand. Place and date: Near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam, 1 September 1968. Entered service at: Charlottesville, Va. Born: 31 May 1922, Norfolk, Va. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Col. Jones distinguished himself as the pilot of an A-1H Skyraider aircraft near Dong Hoi, North Vietnam. On that day, as the on-scene commander in the attempted rescue of a downed U.S. pilot, Col. Jones' aircraft was repeatedly hit by heavy and accurate antiaircraft fire. On one of his low passes, Col. Jones felt an explosion beneath his aircraft and his cockpit rapidly filled with smoke. With complete disregard of the possibility that his aircraft might still be burning, he unhesitatingly continued his search for the downed pilot. On this pass, he sighted the survivor and a multiple-barrel gun position firing at him from near the top of a karst formation. He could not attack the gun position on that pass for fear he would endanger the downed pilot. Leaving himself exposed to the gun position, Col. Jones attacked the position with cannon and rocket fire on 2 successive passes. On his second pass, the aircraft was hit with multiple rounds of automatic weapons fire. One round impacted the Yankee Extraction System rocket mounted directly behind the headrest, igniting the rocket. His aircraft was observed to burst into flames in the center fuselage section, with flames engulfing the cockpit area. He pulled the extraction handle, jettisoning the canopy. The influx of fresh air made the fire burn with greater intensity for a few moments, but since the rocket motor had already burned, the extraction system did not pull Col. Jones from the aircraft. Despite searing pains from severe burns sustained on his arms, hands, neck, shoulders, and face, Col. Jones pulled his aircraft into a climb and attempted to transmit the location of the downed pilot and the enemy gun position to the other aircraft in the area. His calls were blocked by other aircraft transmissions repeatedly directing him to bail out and within seconds his transmitters were disabled and he could receive only on 1 channel. Completely disregarding his injuries, he elected to fly his crippled aircraft back to his base and pass on essential information for the rescue rather than bail out. Col. Jones successfully landed his heavily damaged aircraft and passed the information to a debriefing officer while on the operating table. As a result of his heroic actions and complete disregard for his personal safety, the downed pilot was rescued later in the day. Col. Jones' profound concern for his fellow man at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country. =========================================================== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ EDITOR'S NOTE: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ For Article Submissions: 1. Try to keep articles to 700 words or less. SUBMIT IN WORD FORMAT, if possible! 2. Submit your piece to one of our subject matter experts who can assist you in pre-editing prior to final publication decision, unless you feel strongly that your issue is so hot that Zimm needs to see it personally and immediately. SFTT is not trying to duplicate a rigid chain of command with titles and perks. R.W. Zimmermann [EMAIL PROTECTED] ============================================= GLOSSARY OF MILITARY ACRONYMS: We've had numerous requests from troops in different branches of the military to establish this link so that we will all know how "all you others" talk that talk. Please see below: http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/acronym_index.html ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ***** BOOK SALES ***** ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hack's books About Face*, Hazardous Duty*, The Price of Honor* and The Vietnam Primer can be found at www.hackworth.com. They make a great addition to any library. Hack is offering them at a special SFTT price. ==================================================== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Defending America Newsletter Administrative Volunteers: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ R.W. Zimmermann, Chief Editor/President of SFTT and Tank Commander David H. 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