-Caveat Lector- ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date sent: Wed, 9 Jun 1999 16:04:28 EDT Subject: VOICE OF THE GRUNT Newsletter, 1999-06-09-B To: undisclosed-recipients:; VOICE OF THE GRUNT Newsletter, 1999-06-09-B ================================================= ARTICLE 6 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A QUESTION OF RESPECT ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUMMARY: Dr. Nebergall touches upon one of the intangibles of military service -- citizenship. Citizenship confers responsibilities and obligations. To those who choose to raise their right arm and swear an oath of service, perhaps you need to expect more from your civilian leadership. In Robert Heinlein's books, only those who serve their country are allowed to vote. ********************************************************* By Peter J. Nebergall, PhD Not long ago, Madeline Albright, when confronted with the weakened, over-committed, under-equipped condition of our ground forces, facing yet another "peacekeeping" commitment, responded: "They'll do what they're told; they're professionals." I was horrified, by the inhumanity of her statement, by its callous indifference to the citizens who serve, and by its total disregard of history. Perhaps other countries have had such "professionals" as Ms. Albright conjures, a "military class" -- but we are not Prussians, no matter how much she and her master may wish we were. You don't need me to talk to you of inhumanity, or of indifference -- you know what they are. I know too -- so let's look at the "disregard of history." The "Founding Fathers," George Washington and his fellows, had an almost universal distrust of "standing armies," of military professionals dedicated to furthering the sovereign's whimsy. They saw the "citizen soldier" as the backbone of their freedom - - the citizen who is a soldier -- the soldier who is a (fully integrated) citizen -- not the servant of the state but a full member. Admittedly, we are beyond the days of the old militias -- fighting is too complex to just grab the musket -- but we are NOT beyond the days where the Founding Fathers' view has merit. I think we should reflect. Why do you serve? Is it the joy of obedience? Is it delight in furthering the ambitions of your leaders? I think not. I think you serve out of a sense of citizenship, of sharing the responsibility for living where you live and being what you are. You certainly did not take the oath for the power it confers or the riches it brings -- and your choice, like your profession, is worthy of more respect than our current crop of leaders see fit to offer. A leader who respects his (or her!) armed services is less likely to commit them like chessmen to a meaningless, but lethal, gesture where only political brownie points will be gained, and is more willing to weigh the balance, and then commit troops wholeheartedly where it is right and proper. A respectful leader feels the loss of life (ours and theirs both) that is inherent -- for war is not a computer game. A respectful leader has a sense of time and place, and thus does a better job when that time and place arrive. It is indeed a question of respect. ================================================ ARTICLE 7 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WHY I'M LEAVING ACTIVE DUTY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SUMMARY: An Air Force officer let us know why he's getting out - The Leadership and politics. It just isn't fun anymore; there's no enjoyment. ************************************************ By USAF Officer After a career as a Navigator, I'm leaving active duty. I can make a list of 20 reasons to stay and 200 reasons to go. Pilots, finance officers, Army aviators, sailors and infantrymen can all make similar lists. For me, though--and I suspect for many others--the driving force behind my decision is this: I hate working for idiots. I don't mean the civilian leadership because they come and go at the whim of an undereducated American public. I refer instead to the senior military "leaders" (I use that word in it's loosest sense). Thirty years from now when historians write about the great leaders of today, they will not profile anyone in the military or politics. They will focus on computer companies, large multinational corporations, and athletes. Yet, if you review a list of great leaders from the 40s, 50s, early 60s, 80s, and early 90s you will see that it full of military men and politicians--and most of the great politicians were former military men. Note that I left out the mid-late 60s and the 70s. The same climate existed then as now, and you've got the same results...abysmal military retention, poor morale, disgust with the political establishment, decaying morals, and a host of other problems that are ripping the heart and soul out of the US military. Then, as now, "ticket-punching" outweighed mission accomplishment; capitulation was preferred to courage; and the spouting the "party line," not caring for your troops as individuals, got you promoted. Doubting the leadership at IBM or Boeing won't get anybody killed. Doubting the effectiveness of the men appointed over you in the military might. Therefore, I have no option but to look elsewhere for employment. ================================================= ARTICLE 8 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LETTER TO MADAME JUSTICE LOUISE ARBOUR ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 29, 1999 International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia P.O. Box 13888 Churchillplain1 2501 EW, The Hague Netherlands Dear Madame Prosecutor: I have been a lawyer in Pittsburgh, PA USA for 25 years and I am a Vietnam era veteran of the US Army, having served from 1963 to 1966. I am writing to request that you consider investigating the conduct of NATO leaders in the bombings of Yugoslavia and, if the investigation shows a prima facia case, to indict. I believe the law is quite clear and that the conduct of NATO leaders speaks for itself. Professor Michael Mandel and his colleagues from Canada's Osgood Hall Law School outline well the facts and the law in the charge sent to you and I incorporate their presentation in this letter by this reference. I joined the army after high school because I was very patriotic and wanted to do the right thing. While serving in the infantry in Alaska in 1965 my outfit was placed on orders to go to Vietnam. I was 21 years old and a Sergeant in a machine gun squad. We were told that there were two countries, North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The South was a good country and the North was a bad one. The South was democratic and peace loving. The North was Communist and totalitarian. It was explained to us that the North was attempting to force the South to accept Communism and that the US was helping the small, weak democratic South retain its freedom. Shortly before shipping out I was informed that I would not be going because I had less than 90 days left in my enlistment. Reenlistment efforts of my commanding officer were unsuccessful. After I returned home I started to receive letters from my buddies who were then in Vietnam. I received letter after letter depicting the personal horrors of my friends. I was told that Bob Steele, 19 years old, clenched a hand grenade to his stomach and bent over a bunker. None of his nearby buddies were harmed but he was blown in half. Mac, another 19 year old, was on point (lead man in a column) when a Viet Cong ambush was sprung early. Only the few men (boys, actually) in the lead were hit by the ambush. Mac was captured alive. In an attempt to lure others into the ambush the "enemy" tortured Mac. Mac was repeatedly stabbed with his own bayonet to make him scream and holler in pain and fear. When Mac's mutilated body was recover, nobody could recognize him. Many more horrors were related to me in letters. I called my dead buddies' parents and their grief was mine and still is. After awhile I got a letter saying, "Everybody over here hates us." I was astonished. Why would a people whom we were unselfishly sacrificing our own youth and treasure to save hate us? I went to the library and started to read. I learned that after the French-Indochinese War there were to be internationally supervised Geneva Accord elections in Vietnam. The CIA informed the US president, Eisenhower, that if the elections were held that 80 some percent of the South Vietnamese would vote for the Communist North leader, Ho Chi Minh. The US was not in Vietnam to prevent the forced imposition of a form of government but instead to impose one. My buddies and I were duped by our own elected leaders in whom we had so much trust. If the sacrifices of my buddies and all the millions of others who have served in the militaries of the world's different nations in this century (including my grandfather, parents, uncles and cousins) are not to be in vain it is up to us to work for the type of world they were led to believe they were fighting for. If we fail, they will have indeed died in vain. I am now 54 years old. I see little progress towards the type of world so many died to try to bring about. You are in a unique position, a prestigious position of trust, where you can move us to the type of world so many crave. Please investigate the actions of the NATO leaders and issue comprehensive and credible findings. If the evidence warrants, please indict. It is time for an international system of criminal justice where not only the vanquished are held accountable for their illegal actions but the powerful and victorious, too. Peace loving peoples the world over are hopeful (yes, even during this tragic war) that the International Criminal Tribunal will act credibly and do the right thing. Help make the sacrifices of so many dead meaningful. Very truly yours, S.K. Pittsburgh, PA =========================================== ARTICLE 9 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *******Medal Of Honor******* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DONLON, ROGER HUGH C. Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army. Place and date: Near Nam Dong, Republic of Vietnam, 6 July 1964. Entered service at: Fort Chaffee, Ark. Born: 30 January 1934, Saugerties, N.Y. G.O. No.: 41, 17 December 1964. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while defending a U.S. military installation against a fierce attack by hostile forces. Capt. Donlon was serving as the commanding officer of the U.S. Army Special Forces Detachment A-726 at Camp Nam Dong when a reinforced Viet Cong battalion suddenly launched a full-scale, predawn attack on the camp. During the violent battle that ensued, lasting 5 hours and resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, Capt. Donlon directed the defense operations in the midst of an enemy barrage of mortar shells, falling grenades, and extremely heavy gunfire. Upon the initial onslaught, he swiftly marshaled his forces and ordered the removal of the needed ammunition from a blazing building. He then dashed through a hail of small arms and exploding hand grenades to abort a breach of the main gate. En route to this position he detected an enemy demolition team of 3 in the proximity of the main gate and quickly annihilated them. Although exposed to the intense grenade attack, he then succeeded in reaching a 60mm mortar position despite sustaining a severe stomach wound as he was within 5 yards of the gun pit. When he discovered that most of the men in this gunpit were also wounded, he completely disregarded his own injury, directed their withdrawal to a location 30 meters away, and again risked his life by remaining behind and covering the movement with the utmost effectiveness. Noticing that his team sergeant was unable to evacuate the gun pit he crawled toward him and, while dragging the fallen soldier out of the gunpit, an enemy mortar exploded and inflicted a wound in Capt. Donlon's left shoulder. Although suffering from multiple wounds, he carried the abandoned 60mm mortar weapon to a new location 30 meters away where he found 3 wounded defenders. After administering first aid and encouragement to these men, he left the weapon with them, headed toward another position, and retrieved a 57mm recoilless rifle. Then with great courage and coolness under fire, he returned to the abandoned gun pit, evacuated ammunition for the 2 weapons, and while crawling and dragging the urgently needed ammunition, received a third wound on his leg by an enemy hand grenade. Despite his critical physical condition, he again crawled 175 meters to an 81mm mortar position and directed firing operations which protected the seriously threatened east sector of the camp. He then moved to an eastern 60mm mortar position and upon determining that the vicious enemy assault had weakened, crawled back to the gun pit with the 60mm mortar, set it up for defensive operations, and turned it over to 2 defenders with minor wounds. Without hesitation, he left this sheltered position, and moved from position to position around the beleaguered perimeter while hurling hand grenades at the enemy and inspiring his men to superhuman effort. As he bravely continued to move around the perimeter, a mortar shell exploded, wounding him in the face and body. As the long awaited daylight brought defeat to the enemy forces and their retreat back to the jungle leaving behind 54 of their dead, many weapons, and grenades, Capt. Donlon immediately reorganized his defenses and administered first aid to the wounded. His dynamic leadership, fortitude, and valiant efforts inspired not only the American personnel but the friendly Vietnamese defenders as well and resulted in the successful defense of the camp. Capt. Donlon's extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country. ===================================================== ARTICLE 10 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ NATO'S LENGTHENING LIST OF BLUNDERS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BRUSSELS, June 1 (AFP) - NATO confirmed Tuesday that one of its bombs had landed in a residential neighborhood in the Serbian town of Novi Pazar, adding to the growing list of alliance air strikes which have led to civilian casualties since the air campaign began 10 weeks ago. Serb officials put the death toll from the following incidents, most of which but not all NATO acknowledges as errors, at more than 460. Overall, they say, some 2,000 civilians have been killed since the start of the air campaign on March 24. NATO has repeatedly denied that it deliberately attacks nonmilitary buildings and insists that all possible precautions are taken to avoid civilian casualties. - April 5: A 250-kilo (550-pound) NATO bomb aimed at Yugoslav army barracks in Aleksinac in southern Serbia misses its target and lands in a residential area. Serbs put death toll at 17. - April 9: NATO hits homes near a telephone exchange in the Kosovo capital, Pristina. NATO said civilian casualties were possible but neither side provided a death toll. - April 12: A NATO pilot fires two missiles into a train crossing a bridge at Grdelicka Klisura in southern Serbia, killing 55 people, according to Belgrade. NATO insists the bridge, a key supply line for Yugoslav forces in Kosovo, was the target and that the pilot saw the train too late. - April 14: NATO bombs refugee convoys in the Djakovica region of southeast Kosovo, leaving 75 dead, according to Belgrade. NATO, without confirming the civilian toll, said it was targeting military vehicles but admitted hitting two convoys. - April 28: NATO, aiming for an army barracks in the Serb village of Surdulica (250 kms/150 miles south of Belgrade), bombs a residential area, leaving at least 20 civilians dead. - May 1: NATO bombs a bridge at Luzane near Pristina, killing 47 people aboard a bus that was traveling along it. NATO, without confirming the figure, admitted the following day having targeted the bridge without the intention of causing civilian casualties. - May 7: A NATO air raid hits central Nis in southeast Serbia, leaving at least 15 dead and 70 injured. NATO said its planes were aiming for a landing strip and a radio transmitter but that a cluster bomb had missed its mark. - May 8: NATO mistakenly attacks the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, killing three journalists. The United States and NATO said the intended target was a Yugoslav building with military use, but US maps used in the planning of the operation were old and marked the embassy at a previous address. - May 13: NATO bombs the village of Korisa, leaving 87 civilians dead according to the Serbs. The allies claim that the civilians were being used as "human shields" and that Korisa was a legitimate military target. - May 20: A Belgrade hospital is hit by a missile at around 1:00 a.m., killing three patients. NATO attributes the accident to a missile that went astray during an attack on a nearby military barracks. - May 21: NATO bombs Istok prison in northwest Kosovo. Alliance officials insist the prison was being used as an assembly point for Serb forces in the province. Serbs say that at least 100 inmates and a prison officer were killed. - May 22: NATO admits bombing by mistake positions of the Kosovo Liberation Army at Kosare, near the border with Albania. Sources close to the KLA say seven guerillas were killed and 15 injured. - May 30: NATO bombs a highway bridge at Varvarin in a daytime raid in central Serbia. The Serbs claim 11 people died while attempting to cross the bridge in their cars. NATO has not confirmed whether there were cars on the bridge and insists the bridge was a legitimate military target. - May 31: Missiles strike a sanatorium at Surdulica, southern Serbia, killing at least 20 people, according to the Serb authorities. NATO says it successfully attacked a military barracks in the town but refuses to confirm, or categorically deny, hitting the hospital. - May 31: A NATO bomb aimed at a military compound strikes a four-story apartment block in the town of Novi Pazar. NATO confirms one of its bombs went astray and landed in a residential area. Serb authorities report 23 dead. =================================================== ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ VOICE OF THE GRUNT Volunteers: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ David H. Hackworth, Taker of Names and Spiritual Leader Robert L. McMahon, Editor and Chief bottle-washer Barry "Woody" Groton, Assistant Editor and Medicine Man Ed "Edgar" Schneider, Copy Editor, Man of Letters and gentleman Larry Tahler, WebMaster Guru and Crack-shot Judy Bowyer Martin, Administration and Brains of the Outfit Kyle Elliott, Book List Editor and Most Over-worked =================================================== EDITOR'S NOTE: As a rule of thumb, please try to keep article for possible publication to 700 words or less. We do make exceptions and will not turn away an 800 to 900 word piece, but please make every editing effort not to exceed these guidelines. If you believe you have a story that is longer than 700 words we will consider running it in parts. Keep the piece focused on the story you want to express, not impress upon the reader. Thanks to everyone for keeping the communication lines open and the ideas flowing. Semper Fi, Bob McMahon [EMAIL PROTECTED] Editor ============================================= ARCHIVED DEFENDING AMERICA COLUMNS: You can now find copies of Hack's previous columns at: http://www.hackworth.com. These are found in the Defending America Section, under Archived Copies. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONGRESSIONAL E-MAIL ADDRESSES Congressional e-mail addresses can be found by going to (www.hackworth.com) and accessing Congressional e-mails at the bottom of the first page. ********************ORDERING BOOKS************************* We still have Trade copies of About Face. These are exactly the same as the hardback, except they have a soft cover. Cost for an autographed copy: $26.00 (including handling and postage). If you are interested in ordering Hack's books (About Face*, Hazardous Duty**, or The Vietnam Primer), check out the instructions at our web page: http://www.hackworth.com. It takes about 3 weeks to process the book orders. Your patience is appreciated. Please mark on outside if envelope "Book Order" and make check out to: Twin Eagles Ink PO Box 5210 Greenwich, CT 06831 *About Face available in trade copy. **Hazardous Duty available in hardback. ==================================================== A<>E<>R ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. -Marcel Proust + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + A merely fallen enemy may rise again, but the reconciled one is truly vanquished. -Johann Christoph Schiller, German Writer (1759-1805) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly. -Bertrand Russell + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + "Everyone has the right...to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." 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