Quote Originally Posted by MikeGreene View Post
This is a big deal being made about something completely irrelevant. We've got a Pizza Hut booth and a Dairy Queen booth here and I've never seen more than 2-3 people in line at either. I do agree that this stuff is irrelevent to the war effort, but are we really flying in Burger King resupply on C-17s? Instead of ammo or Soldiers? The worst was the artilce in Stars & Stripes recently that had the gall to say it should all be pulled because it wasn't fair that some Soldiers didn't have access to it. Since when has the military been about being fair?
The concern is not intermittent patronage or lack of patronage at Burger King. It is rather how its image, amenities and use affects the readiness and performance of personnel. Temporary stand-down in a fairly secure environment is beneficial. However, provision of benefits and amenities will influence the performance of staff work and other duties on base. Also it is certain that a proportion of current and deferred nervous disorders can be caused or made worse by rapid transition from a somewhat cushioned stand-down on base to a more hazardous state outside the wire.

Mindset is particularly affected by state of being and is indicated by wording. ‘Outside the wire” shows a healthy acceptance that one area can be more dangerous, whereas ‘Indian country’ is weak and suggests an area dominated by an opponent. As an extension it is generally preferable to avoid value-loaded terms and especially jingoism. Hence, ‘opponent’ or ‘enemy’ rather than ‘insurgent’ or ‘terrorist’, ‘somewhat cushioned’ rather than ‘well-appointed’.

What sort of mindset results from availability of a spring bed with mattress, fitted sheet and doona as opposed to a stretcher with sleeping bag and poncho cover ? How about AC power for air-cond and neons not just in medical facilities but in offices, sleeping quarters and mess huts ? Huts as opposed to bunkers and tents ? Beer on tap or an issue of cans from a slab ? Maintenance of an ice-hockey rink as opposed to a sand-box volley or basketball court ? Private instead of shared internet, phone and computer resources ? Ready access to a PX and mail order for almost anything for local or home delivery ? Civil contractors providing slushies, cooks, launderers, drycleaners, maintainers and drivers sometimes using local hires rather than own nationals ?

So where is the line between ‘Indian country’ and ‘outside the wire’ ? Of course austerity can be taken too far but equally there must be a median state and it is unlikely to include Burger King, or an officers or EM club with a padded bar and brass kickrail. Also it is appropriate for military psychologists to be employed in more than psych warfare and treatment of already acquired ailments such as PTSD.

It seems that discard of some on-base amenities in the Afghan theatre has been commenced. Has that process been continued and where is it at now ?

The discard may have been entirely arranged by staff officers but it should be informed by the views of military psychologists. A useful ‘pre-emptive’ task for them would be to poll and assess the opinion of personnel deployed in or about to deploy to a theatre of operations and to then recommend the nature of amenities for each type of base in that theatre.