Good article, I think he's got it sorted pretty well.
Agree. Balance. Been watching the environment closely since 1949.
During that entire period, all of the Services have pretty well represented the society of the day from which they come. Among the better educated in the US, the Navy has always been more socially acceptable, the AF and Marines wander back and forth in second and third place and the Army is always the least accepted socially. All the services have varied over time in what that acceptance means and it has had various impacts on recruiting and officer accessions. There has always been a rural/urban, an East/West and a North/South disconnect -- mild but present. We're a very large nation with over 300M people. Lot of variations. By and large though, the services have generally been supported by most in the nation and most people in the service have adapted to others without major trauma. Far better today than it was about the time of Korea -- major riots occurred over States of birth and such, to include killed (very few) and wounded (most lightly). Those days are gone and good thing -- lets the MPs and Shore Patrol have an easier life.
It's also been my observation that the amount of religious fervor or noise, general social attitudes among service people and more pretty much reflect the nation and that changes over time. I've seen totally irreligious periods and others where it blossomed a bit. There was a religious upswing in the late 40s and early 50s that dissipated, virtually nil in the 60s and 70s, started up again in the 80s, peaked in the 90s, dropping again today. It goes in cycles...
My personal belief is that there are more officers and EM of a politically 'liberal' persuasion than there are those inclined to be 'conservatives.' As many or more vote Democratic as Republican. NCOs generally reverse that, the result is pretty much political equilibrium. That with the caveat that for several reasons, it can vary a bit by type unit and where the unit's located. As pjmunson said, most just don't go on about it -- and should not; no one should even come close to trying to sway the troops one way or another. Some will err and do that and they should be called on it if it occurs.
The issue of those wanting or not wanting to serve is colored by several things. I do not want to see a draft and think one is highly unlikely but back when we did have one, it brought in a lot of people to include to the Navy, Marines and AF -- those who were going to get drafted and did not want to go in the Army so they enlisted -- even Doctors, who would never have volunteered but once they were in, found something to like and stayed in. with the elimination of the draft, we went to pure volunteers. We're better off for it. I'd even go for fewer of them; we waste a bit of man and woman power here and there...
I never had a problem with those that did not want to serve -- too many people in uniform now that do not really want to be there. It's not a job for everyone and I'd rather go to war with four or five motivated people than a dozen or more run of the mill sorta wantas. Nor do I have any problem with those who don't want to be combat types; that sure isn't a job for everyone. I stopped trying to get people to stay in over 50 years ago when one kid I had tried to encourage to reenlist said "Sergeant, you're okay but there are a lot of people here who aren't and the only thing I've learned in the Army is to say MF and eat with a big spoon." I have never even considered asking or encouraging anyone to join or stay after that...
Actually I hadn't even read the book at the time
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Courtney Massengale
I can only speak for myself and not the other guy who has just "massengale"...
The Officers I have known who view the Corps as populated by either Sam Damons or Courtney Massengales tend to have difficulties determining the difference between reality and fiction. If you choose to emulate a fictional protagonist dreamed up by a Marine E-5 as your Army leadership role model, something has gone horribly wrong.
And let’s not forget that Sad Sam cheated on his wife and resorts to tossing people down stairs or threatening to fight them in a warehouse if they don’t agree with him.
In the name of full disclosure, my second boss in the Army was a Major who viewed himself as Sam Damon and had a gigantic black and white photo of The Duke in The Green Berets in his office. He was woefully incompetent (light guy in a heavy unit syndrome) and used obtuse and uneven methods to “prove” he was Sam Damon. Which, by default, made the rest of us (ie everyone) who didn’t fit his self-fulfilling criteria….
*thunder*lightning*
Courtney Massengales
But for someone with such an aversion to taking what a Marine E-5 dreams up seriously, you did name yourself after a character he dreamed up to represent everything bad in self-serving, career oriented officers.
Just seems odd to me, but that's just me.
And as you noted, your self-deluded former boss was no Sam Damon, but then no one is or was.
I've always said I've learned from everyone I ever worked for or with. Either how to do something, or how not to. Trick in life is to pick your role models wisely. As to once an eagle, I enjoyed the book and could empathize more with Damon, no more, no less.