My Blood Was Boiling Over at Amy’s!
I just finished a HUGE diatribe over at Amy Proctor’s Blog. Man, some of her subjects and the folks that post there get me all fired up! Sheesh … I saw that the Chief from The Truth was over there, so, howdy Chief!
Anyway, here’s my comment on the post called Academia VS. US Military:
For those that clearly have nothing good to say about the military, or have said that the entire US Military would be uneducated (stupid) if it weren’t for universities, or that our institutions today would be just fine without the US Military, many questions come to mind for me. And if I wrote those questions, I think some might take them as an afront, or something said that has no merit or rooted in fact. Instead, maybe I’ll just take a moment to reflect on what is going on around us all, yet from our side.
You may not want us. You may not like us. You think we are being elitist because we speak often of patriotism, duty, corps, self-sacrifice, honor, code, chain of command, leadership, past wars, conflicts, and covert ops. Some even think we are dumb and blind followers without a reasoning or rational bone in our bodies. You call us facists, baby killers, drones, jack-booted thugs, parasites, war mongers, pleebs (that’s a good one, I got that one in the Newark Airport while PCSing back from USAFE), and extremists. You think we are out of touch and spend too much of the budget and more should be going to our schools (hmmm, that’s a funny one too), or welfare, or just a cause to which you have become attached. You do not believe that any foreign force would actually attack us, in our sleep, without provocation, and try to destroy everything that makes this country great. You praise those that take to foreign soil and speak out against this country, yet look down your nose at the man or woman taking off their hat, placing hand over heart, during the National Anthem. You think it a cause to protest out in front of hospitals where young soldiers are in pain, families are visiting, and their pain is even greater. You do not know the copious amount of time spent studying world history, war, foreign and domestic battles or small skirmishes, political systems and culture, as well as language studies coupled with deportment (military bearing is the term we use). You may not believe in preemptive actions to stave off an even greater threat. You may think that HUMINT (human intel) and SIGINT (signals or communications intel) are abhorrent and should be stopped, even though you’d love to have the answers to a test you are about to take.
Let’s all be honest. There are a significant number of personnel in the US Military that are career military and have more experience, training, and love for this subject which affords them a sort of self-assuredness - often seen as arrogance. There is more to this than meets the eye, and with enough intel and experience, you might sing a different tune.
Dirty little secret: you need us.
Happy little fact: we know it.
Huge Guarantee: we’ll always be there to protect.
Obvious Result: we get no thanks, ’cause less and less of you learn because we have gotten better at what we do.
Biggest Reaction: we are degraded for being who we are.
And that last one, biggest reaction, my friends, is bigotry. Bigotry goes many ways, is in many forms, and takes all comers.
This has nothing at all to do with funds for universities. Research isn’t the only game in town. The private sector, especially entrepreneurship, is more beneficial to the US Military than universities. The situation where toys for the military come from universities is becoming less and less prevalent. Not everyone in development is swimming in degrees. Not every degree is applied to the actual job at hand.
It isn’t the book or the professor, it is the student. And, books don’t come from universities but private publishers. Odd how that works, too, you can pay to have your words printed and people will buy them. Amazing! Do I need a professor to make this all happen?
Boy Scouts, Recruiters on campus, Religion, Conservatism, Capitalism, US Military, Big Business, Pro-Life … c’mon, we all know the drill.
Rius has a great book, “Marx for Beginners” where I learned a great deal, sorta self-taught on some stuff (got your six, Chief). Walking through East Berlin during the height of the Cold War - more learning goin’ on. Standing face to face with a foreign power hell-bent on removing me from the face of the earth - try it, it’ll show you new paths to enlightenment.
TAGS: Fix4RSO, Milblog, Military, Commitment, Kudzu
March 9th, 2006 at 7:27
I was thinking along these lines a few weeks ago while watching the Olympics. There was a time when I watched sporting events and my, how the Russians were hated. We always rooted for anybody but the Russians. Russians were BAD, and it was always so disappointing when they won. And you would see the stories about how they had these military-like camps for athletes, as young children, to work them extremely hard and develop these super athletes who would bring honor to the mother land. Most of them didn’t have a choice, if they wanted a better life for their families (and this better life over there equated to very low class living compared to here). But since the fall of communism things are different. There isn’t this huge ideological rivalry between our countries outside of the usual sports rivalry.
There is a whole generation who don’t remember what things were like. I’d say probably anyone under age 35 doesn’t have a clear memory of this, didn’t really experience it as an adult. So they are completely out of touch with our recent past. I don’t know what they are being taught but I suspect it’s all just sunshine and lollipops and they are not absorbing the lessons learned in those times.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:07
Hi mate, glad you reprinted this here. Saw your comment at Amy’s, and wanted to ask: what the hell are you talking about?
eg:
“For those that clearly have nothing good to say about the military, or have said that the entire US Military would be uneducated (stupid) if it weren’t for universities, or that our institutions today would be just fine without the US Military, many questions come to mind for me.”
Who doesn’t have anything good to say about the military?
The whole population would be ignorant within two generations if universities were abolished tomorrow. Do you not see that?
Who said that the military was unnecessary?
I can’t quite work out to whom it is you are talking.
And I can’t make head nor tail of this:
“Boy Scouts, Recruiters on campus, Religion, Conservatism, Capitalism, US Military, Big Business, Pro-Life … c’mon, we all know the drill.”
I appreciate the strong theoretical component of an officer’s training, the military history, strategy etc. but I don’t think it’s strictly an academic exercise: many sides of the issue are irrelevent to the business of securing a winning military result, yet these issues are important nevertheless. The most important lessons from WW1 have nothing to do with tactics or strategy; yet I hope that a military survey would focus on those things, since that’s the point of it. I should point out that I don’t have any experience of studying history either in a university or in an army, so let me know if I’ve missed the point.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:18
I agree and well said.
Too many people take for granted that they have that right to “FREEDOM.” If it wasn’t for men like you and all of our Military, where would they be…..
You already know this, but I am a Very Proud American who stands beside y’all and am very thankful everyday for what I have. I get it.
Semper Fi!
March 9th, 2006 at 11:28
Fix4RSO– Thanks for the several acknowledgements. There was a story soon after 9/11/01. It went something like: The college professor said to the GIs, “I was on the ramparts of our university, defending it from facism”! The GIs went over to him and gave the table a piece of his mind which, as you know, can lead to an Article 15. He didn’t touch them. They left. The entire bar stood up and raised their glasses. The GIs didn’t have to pay for another drink that night. In my case, in DCUs, coming back from Iraq, on several occasions, citizens thanked me, let me in front of the line, and that showed what real people think about what we are doing. There are a few good college professors. There are some real cowards.
March 9th, 2006 at 13:02
Hey Jez, welcome!
Jez, I cannot believe that you asked me the following question: “Who doesn’t have anything good to say about the military?” By asserting that the US Military would be lost without universities is very myopic, and is not very nice at all. The assumption is that the only place soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines can learn is at a formal institution. The US Military teaches its own what they need to know to get the job done. One may also request new assignments whereby more knowledge can be attained through more training. It is a very self-sufficient system because the chief constraint is that every base or post can close their gates and survive on their own. I’ll post more about this “out front” so no one has to come here, to the comments section.
And, you dropped this other gift on my desk: “The whole population would be ignorant within two generations if universities were abolished tomorrow. Do you not see that?” What I do know, and see, and feel, and intimate, is that people who want to be ignorant will always be ignorant. Those that thirst can learn, without attending a formal institution of _supposed_ learning.
Now, for this lovely point: “Who said that the military was unnecessary?” Well, the entire Liberal Democrat agenda is to do away with the US Military. All we need is a “group hug”, and talk, and negotiate … blah, blah, blah. The UN tries to do that, and fails all the time. There is more than enough evidence there to support my assertion.
And, lastly, you should not assume I am, or was, an officer. As you say here, “I appreciate the strong theoretical component of an officer’s training, the military history, strategy etc…”, methinks you jumped a little too far into my background. I was an enlisted NCO. Via PME and other resources I taught myself about the US Military, previous military organizations, and political systems. I like to learn, and not at the university teat.
Here’s a good one, “The most important lessons from WW1 have nothing to do with tactics or strategy; yet I hope that a military survey would focus on those things, since that’s the point of it.” The lessons learned are very important, and something not to be taken lightly. I’ll write about this “out front” too.
So, not to be mean, but, you have missed the point.
March 9th, 2006 at 13:45
thanks for the friendly response.
Well I for one didn’t say anything about the *military* relying on universities; I *did* say that *freedom* depended on universities. I suppose that the military could sustain itself in an environment without Higher learning, but there would be much to defend in that case! An ignorant mass of people swayed by the propaganda from some kind of dictating political elite — that’s what the military would be defending, and I don’t like the sound of it.
You mischaracterise universities as a place where students go to learn, like a school. That’s only part of what they do. In fact the research is even more vital. But also universities provide us with a set of recognised critical intellects, whose reputation is not based only on commercial success. It’s like the best athletes aren’t always the ones with the wherewithal to get the best sponsership deals (although that’s an important part of it) — their rated on direct ability. The independence of professors is of massive value.
You’re right about general apathy towards learning. But those who want to learn benefit from universities without necessarily attending one. (by the way, why the “supposed” learning? you think universities are not what they purport to be? your opinion would interest me — not least because I might agree with you. I’m dissapointed with the way uni’s are headed for my own reasons.)
Who recommended doing away with the US military?
I didn’t assume you were an officer. I wanted to make a distinction between what I hope is part of military training, and what I hope is part of an academic course in history. I repeat: I’ve undertaken neither of these things, so I don’t know. I was responding to your explanation for the “self-assuredness” or seeming “arrogance” of the soldier’s attitude.
March 9th, 2006 at 14:14
Oh, I forgot to explain my audience in the use of “you” in my post. You asked to whom was I directing the “you” - it was more in the form of “vous”, en francais. Not “tu” … I was trying not to offend anyone, and was trying to be sorta general in directing those points. But, I will say this, I sense it more and more from people that have this position against the military. Eh, that’s a fault of mine - I am proud of my service to my country, and no one can shake that from me.
Oooh, background of which might be of interest to you, Jez - my Dad was born and raised in England. He was in WWII, RAF, so, I do have some learning many cannot gain. Just a side note … on to your last comments …
I disagree: freedom depends on anyone being able to learn anything without it being forced on them. One pays for “higher” education. One enters the military under contract, and makes sacrifices. There is a HUGE difference.
The learning by no means is any less …
What you need to come to grips with is that the US Military makes it so that we can HAVE a freely run university. It is NOT the other way around. Really. And I am saying US Military, not a Soviet Block style military. I’ll give you one example: women in Afghanistan PRIOR to liberation.
Society can influence the learning process. I believe that “higher” education is already influenced in a bad way.
I also take offense at the term “higher education”. Just because there is a Dean and a professor does not make it better. It only makes it regimented.
I have not mischaracterized universities - I believe that research is dead. It is only there to serve a grant or monies that over influence the result. I can cite several examples, as I believe you may have some too. This kinda covers the “supposed” bit that you’ve asked me about …
OK, for terms, soldier is anyone who will take up arms and defend, with his life, his country. Pretty generic, I hope …
You get both in the military (US Military). There is military training, there is professional management training (to be an NCO or Officer), and there is military and world history. You must pass those prior to moving up in the ranks. You also have an opportunity to study MORE than what is required. Good military managers (NCOs and Officers) study more and more - it pays off because you represent the CINC.
March 9th, 2006 at 18:07
I’ll just respond to this, because I think it’s most important:
“freedom depends on anyone being able to learn anything without it being forced on them.”
This is exactly my opinion. However, my position is that the existence of universities is crucial to that learning, even without attending one. For example, I have read on history, chemistry, philosophy etc. without attending a higher education course on any of those subjects, but without universities 1) generating the knowledge, 2) employing people to review and impart that knowledge and 3) presenting it in books, I wouldn’t have had a starting place. How does new knowledge reach the public without universities? Whose job is it? btw I tend to talk about idealised universities (as, I think, you tend to talk about an idealised military) because the problems which I am acutely aware of in actual uni’s are a destraction for this kind of discussion.
I don’t believe Afghanistan had many universities (as we would recognise them). I believe it lacks them still, and real freedom will coincide with a flourishing culture of learning.
Research is not dead… what makes you think that? Do you have a subject in mind? Certainly scientific research is thriving and valuable.
The term “higher education” shouldn’t be offensive, any more than the term “further education”. It is (or should be) different in character from grade school work, that’s all it means. Some kinds of vocational training (including military) lies under that umbrella.
About vous/tu: I understand the intention, but unfortunately I couldn’t find anybody to whom your remarks would have been appropriate. I think, as you have said, your pride in your service makes you percieve criticism which is not there. eg. I can’t think of anyone who seriously suggests dismantling the military.
March 9th, 2006 at 19:35
Fix4RSO,
Just wanted to say I loved your response on my site.
I was talking today with my hubby about another issue and he said, “I’m not going to waste my time teaching these people. They don’t WANT to know the truth.”
Although it was a totally different topic with us, I think the anti-military crowd is the same way. They don’t want to be educated; they want to be biased.
I’ve been doing a review. Since the Civil War, there have been haters of the military. the good news for them is that we save their butts ANYWAY, whether they like it or not.
I thought this was hilarious:
Dirty little secret: you need us.
Happy little fact: we know it.
Huge Guarantee: we’ll always be there to protect.
Obvious Result: we get no thanks, ’cause less and less of you learn because we have gotten better at what we do.
Biggest Reaction: we are degraded for being who we are.
Right on, brother.
March 9th, 2006 at 19:58
Amy, thanks! I LOVE your blog as it always seems to tweak just the right little chord inside my spaz-riddled mind!
Say Hey to your hubby! And, thanks to him for dropping the reality at the very beginning. Everyone naturally glossed right over it. Johnny nailed it, 5×5. (loud and clear for you non-COMM/HAMM/RADIO types)
It is often true that far too many people prefer to be biased. The reason so many are biased against the military is that for them to TRULY learn what it is all about, they have to experience it. That will never happen, ’cause they’d wash out in 20 minutes.
It takes a very strong will to get pounded on for 6-9 or greater weeks. And then after that, you are off to training or technical school. It is intense, fast paced, and waits for no one. You cannot take a class you fail more than once - you wash out.
You’ve just spurred me into another subject - HOW DO YOU DO THAT!!!
Thanks again! I’m tracking the comments over at your site, too. Take care and God Bless from me and mine to you and yours!
Oh yeah, God Bless America, The United States Military, and our Commander in Chief who had the STONES to step into the viper pit and fight the good fight.
And, if Days Gone By is reading these comments, Semper Fi to you and Sniper!
March 10th, 2006 at 20:24
Fix4RSO, Thanks for the comments about my hubby Johnny. He is one of the most brilliant men I’ve EVER known. Actually, I’ve only known a couple… but he’s right there at the top! We married before he joined the Army, but he truly impresses me as a soldier. If you are ever in South Carolina, drop us a line and I’ll make you (and your wife..whomever you bring along!) dinner and you can see what an impressive person Johnny is.
Your comments are RIGHT ON. It’s refreshing to find someone so commited to his country as you are. Lots of people sell out for the sake of appearing “relevant.”
Kudos!