Research - Rehabilitation - Re-Employment

Sgt. Shaft 08/21/2000

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
I hope this note is just one of many you receive protesting your strange response to W. Tom. O. III's thoughtful letter about military recruiting and retention problems. He pointed out some important truths and you replied that he should attend a certain parade because he "need[s] to be rebaptized in some Semper Fi tradition."

Then at the end you did make some vague mention of joining "in the fight" to ensure recognition of our active and retired service people. Gee, if all we need to do is thrill to "tradition," why is there anything to "fight" about? Do you care to address some of the points your correspondent so accurately made? Or would that mean you might not get invited to sit with the Commandant again at the Evening Parade?

These are the facts:

1. Military recruiting and retention are down

2. Civilian politicians are (rightly) in charge of our military

3. The politicians, therefore, decide how to deploy the military and what compensation and benefits to provide

4. Politicians make decisions for political reasons

5. Politicians can and do frequently change the previous rules governing deployment, compensation and benefits, without regard for any past promises

6. Politicians promote to the highest ranks those military brass who go along with what the politicians want, rather than standing up for what is right and fair to the troops, both active and retired

7. The current Administration has radically changed the role of the military, from a tough fighting force capable of defending our country into a feminized group of international social workers

8. In the process of making this radical change, this Administration has gutted military training and readiness -- to the detriment of fighting ability -- while manipulating the rules on length of deployments, to the greatest detriment of individuals and families

9. American service members are not stupid; they notice all this

10. Military retirees are not stupid, either; they point these facts out to their own sons and daughters

11. See #1-10

As a supportive military wife over my husband's long career, I know that one can faithfully love and serve one's country and still criticize certain situations. Like your correspondent, my husband and I actively "fight" by writing and calling our political representatives and generally working to publicize today's very real military problems -- as I am doing now by writing to you.

Mrs. C.C.
Fairfax, VA

P.S. As the mother of an active duty Army officer who is at a decision point whether or not to complete a career, I should warn you not to stand between NCO's or young officers and the exit doors if Al Gore is elected this fall. I wouldn't want your trampled body on my conscience! My son says there are quite a number of guys hanging on for just a little while longer to see if the military is going to be re-militarized and once again become the service to their country for which they originally signed up, or if current trends are going to continue.

Dear Mrs. C.C.:
Why don't you express what you really mean?

The reason I didn't reply point by point to Tom, and why I am not going to reply point by point to you, is simply, I did not and do not want to be redundant. I have addressed your concerns in past columns and in my shy Shaft way in responding to Tom, attempted to say, "Let's not paint the military with one pessimistic and bleak brush." It is so essential for us to support those in the military like your son, and those Marines who display their skills to the public during the Evening Parades. And, Mrs. C.C., I will always be proud to be in the presence of such Marine heroes as Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Jones and former assistant commandant and Medal of Honor recipient Gen. Raymond G. Davis.

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Please announce to your readers that the 796th Military Police Battalion WWII, in particular the 61st, 64th and 65th Military Police Companies who served in Vienna, Austria, from 1945 through 1955, will hold its sixth reunion September 7-11 in St. Louis, Missouri. Persons seeking additional information should contact Bill Meck, 5709 Chris Mar Avenue, Clinton, MD 20735; phone 301-868-5604 or e-mail billandgertmeck796mp@starpower.net. Thanks for your help.

Bill Meck

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
The U.S.S. John Land AP 167 (WWII) is having a reunion October 25-29 in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Persons interested should contact Ted Larson at 6110 Spanish Lake Boulevard, Fort Pierce, Florida 34951; phone 561-464-0320. Thank you.

Ted Larson
Reunion Coordinator

Dear Sgt. Shaft:
Recently I had the distinct pleasure of making the acquaintance of a Vietnam veteran who is a sociology teacher at Potomac View High School in Loudoun County, Virginia. He is quite proud of his service and tries to help the students understand the role of the military, and especially the Navy, both today and during his time in Vietnam. He has been trying to acquire a Navy flag for his classroom to adorn the wall with a visual of his devotion to the service. On a number of occasions, he has sought help from various Navy recruiters who have visited the school, with no results. How can he obtain a Navy flag?

Richard Conover
Purcelleville, VA

Dear Richard:
I personally shared your request with Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jim Jones. In true Marine tradition, Master Sergeant RoseMarie Weber of the Sergeant Major's acquired this flag for this patriotic Navy vet teacher and sent it to Shaft for forwarding to sociology teacher Art Carpenter. By now it should be on display in this proud Navy vet's classroom.

Send letters to Sgt. Shaft, c/o John Fales, P.O. Box 65900, Washington, D.C. 20035-5900; fax to 301-622-3330; call 202-462-4430 or email sgtshaft@bavf.org.

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