Amazing Man

Your inspiration and motivation for the upcoming week...

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A Testament to the Power of Engagement

Over at The Flight Deck, Canadian Michelle has a beautiful essay about how her engagement with a milblog to the political right of her own values (Neptunus Lex, in this case) changed how she viewed both American warfighters and their Canadian counterparts:

But here’s where something different happened. Although I always would have been/was sympathetic and supportive to the individual soldiers involved, that was because I viewed tham as just people “doing their jobs”. Now, I see it differently. We (you and I and everyone else) are just people doing our jobs. They (all the soldiers from wherever in both Iraq and Afghanistan) are amazing people doing an an amazing, extraordinary job.

There's much more there that's thought-provoking, inspiring (to milbloggers) and challenging to all of us. It's a must-read, a testimony to the power of the milblogs and to a woman who stepped up to look "the other" in the face. She recommends we do so, too...

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Friday Communte from Hell

My 12.5-mile, 20-minute commute (40 minutes on a bad day) took over two hours today. There was constant forward motion, so that rough average of under 6 mph--nursing a manual transmission--is an accurate representation of the experience (that average includes the last 1.5 miles that instantly stepped up to 40+ mph).

Heh. At least I can rest assured that 1st and 2nd gear work very well on my trusty Honda Civic...

The best part? Getting out of the car at home and realizing that sitting almost immobile for two hours immediately after spending the day on screaming joints means you can't stand up straight anymore.

*sniff*

I miss my 2.3-mile commute in Arizona.

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Why They Serve

The VA Mortgage blog competition asked the winner to contribute a post to the VA Mortgage blog. CJ's original post spawned a series from other guest posters, and there's a common thread running through all of them...

On the topic of "Why We Serve," Cpl M writes of the idealism that drives him (he was in high school on 9-11, making post-graduation plans that didn't include military service):

I serve so that something like September 11th doesn’t have to happen to any nation ever again. I pray that sacrificing any plans I made as a high school senior will keep even one innocent American from falling to terrorism. I pray that I can help make a difference in this world now to bring about a hope of defeating radicals. Most importantly, I hope that I can one-day give a better world to my daughter so that she and her family can live the American Dream.

Sgt Hook writes of his rather basic reasons for enlisting and how his reasons for serving have evolved as his life has changed. As a very senior NCO he's much older than Corporal M, but the idealism remains:

I eventually settled down, a little, married and started a family and my reasons for serving became firmly entrenched within who I am. When my son was born and I held him for the first time I was instantly overcome with just how heavy of a responsibility I faced in raising him. It was not lost on me that my chosen profession, the profession of arms, protected his future, defended a way of life that would provide him, and all the other babies in the hospital nursery, with freedoms and opportunities not found anywhere else in the world.

Recent Milbloggie winner Captain Doug Traversa of Afghanistan Without a Clue originally signed up for financial reasons, but has found a renewed sense of purpose in deployment to Afghanistan:

I’ve rambled a bit, but now to the crux of the matter. I now serve with a new sense of pride that I am contributing in a small way to the protection of our country and the rebuilding of another. I have no desire to die here, and I hope to return in one piece and enjoy my retirement. But for these last two years in the Air Force I am part of something important and essential. I will have amazing stories to tell, and I have been changed for the better. As I say to my men as we drive around Kabul, It’s hard to believe we get paid to do this.

I don't think the thread of idealism running through these three excerpts is a fluke. It's not universal, but it's something that even I--who while having moments of cynicism am terribly idealistic--am always slightly surprised to encounter so frequently in our military men and women; despite combat, the leadership issues that can develop, and an inside view of the insanity of military bureaucracy that altogether open their eyes to some of the worst of human tendencies, they remain idealistic at the core.

CJ says it best:

It is true that many people join the military for college, large bonuses, and the free medical care. I don’t think that you can find a Soldier who joined for that one specific purpose. Granted, it is a motivator, but it’s not the be-all-end-all of reasons. Soldiers have an inherent sense of selflessness that is engrained in them. No one in their right mind would risk their lives on a battlefield just to pay off a college loan. They’re safer trying to rob a bank for the money. We do it because they love this country. We do it because they love freedom. We do it because we want others to have the success and freedoms we enjoy here at home. We do it for you.

Fundamentally, they believe in America--in its opportunities, its ideals and its potential. They believe in us.

And people have to ask why I love our military men and women? What other response can there be?

[H/T JP at Milblogging.com]

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Well, I'm Prepared

[UPDATE: Photo below]

I wrote a bit on the USO event last night, but neglected to mention why I was there. It was the yearly volunteer recognition ceremony. I put in 200 hours last year in just five months (60 in one month alone), but have had to cut back significantly since December. It was great to see everyone, and I was reminded how much I have enjoyed volunteering at the airport USO.

I mention it again because we received more than just "recognition" last night... We got ourselves some loot!

The point being: Milbloggers better come prepared, 'cause I am armed and dangerous, heehee! I already had a Solders' Angels coin from Patti, and now I have a USO one, too. ;)

Seriously, it's a beautifully-detailed, enameled coin that is unique to my local USO organization and I am honored to possess it. My photographic efforts have failed thus far, but I'll try again when I have some daylight. Or maybe you'll just have to wait a couple months...

UPDATE: This is the best I could do, photo-wise. The other side of the coin has the USO logo and our city on it. "Until Every One Comes Home" is the USO motto. I'll have to check, but I believe the two red and blue filled stars along the bottom stand for two hundred hours of service [click to enlarge].

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Creative Newswriting

Too much positive news coming out of Iraq for certain people's tastes? That's okay, just make up your own headlines. Do it right, and no one will read the article because the headline says it all:

"U.S.: Iraqi insurgent attacks intensifying"
There is absolutely no discussion of the intensity of insurgent attacks --positive or negative--in the article. And with a headline like that, you don't have to read any further to know what's going on in Iraq, right?

Considering the habit the AP has of editing on the fly, I've done screen shots of the entire article, and reproduced the text below (I'm in a huge rush this morning and can't remember how to convert the screen shots to something uploadable to Blogger. Email me if you want them):

U.S.: Iraqi insurgent attacks intensifying
By LAUREN FRAYER, Associated Press Writer

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Military force alone is "not sufficient" to end the violence in
Iraq and political talks must eventually include some militant groups now opposing the U.S.-backed government, the new commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said Thursday.
ADVERTISEMENT

"This is critical," U.S. Gen. David Petraeus said in his first news conference since taking over command last month. He noted that such political negotiations "will determine in the long run the success of this effort."

American troops have stepped up efforts to clear and secure major highways around the capital as part of the Baghdad security crackdown, which began last month. The
Pentagon has pledged 17,500 combat troops for the capital.

Petraeus said Thursday "it was very likely" that additional U.S. forces will be sent to areas outside the capital where militant groups are regrouping, including the Diyala province northeast of Baghdad.

The region has become an increasingly important staging ground for groups including al-Qaida in Iraq. Meanwhile, many Sunni extremists apparently have shifted to Diyala to escape the Baghdad clampdown.

Petraeus declined to predict the size of the expected Diyala reinforcements.

One of Iraq's most expansive militias — the Mahdi Army of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr — appears to have set aside its weapons under intense government pressure to lend support to the Baghdad security plan.

Mahdi militiamen also have allowed Iraqi authorities to try to protect at least 1 million pilgrims heading to Karbala, about 50 miles south of Baghdad.

Many are making the traditional trek on foot for rituals beginning Friday to mark the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein's death in a 7th-century battle near Karbala cemented the schism between Sunnis and Shiites.

The processions have proved to be vulnerable targets, with attacks killing more than 170 people this week.

Al-Sadr issued a statement urging pilgrims to join in chants denouncing the attackers. "I ask almighty God to protect you from the sectarian sedition," said the message.

Petraeus denounced the "thugs with no soul" who have targeted Shiite pilgrims. "We share the horror" of witnessing the suicide bombings and shootings, he said.

He said U.S. forces are ready to help provide additional security for the pilgrims if asked by Iraqi authorities.

"It is an enormous task to protect all of them and there is a point at which if someone is willing to blow up himself ... the problem becomes very, very difficult indeed," he said.

Security forces in Karbala have taken unprecedented measures, including checkpoints for top-to-bottom searches and a six-ring cordon around the two main Shiite shrines. At least 10,000 policemen have been placed on round-the-clock patrols.

"All the city's entrances have been secured, and I call upon the pilgrims to follow the instructions of the security forces and let them do the necessary searches," Iraq's minister of state for national security, Sherwan al-Waili, said in Karbala.

In Baghdad, a mortar attack shattered some windows at the Iraqi Airways office on the airport compound, but the shells landed hundreds of yards from the passenger terminal and caused no serious flight disruptions.

Such attacks, however, send chills through Iraqi officials preparing to host an international conference Saturday on ways to help rebuild and stabilize the country.

The meeting will bring
Iran and the United States to the same table for the first time in more than two years. Washington cut diplomatic ties with Tehran after the takeover of the U.S. Embassy by radicals in the wake the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The United States has accused Iran of backing anti-American Shiite militants in Iraq, has detained Iranian officials there and has angered Tehran by beefing up its military presence in the Persian Gulf. Washington is also pushing for new sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Wednesday that his country hoped "the conference will bring forward the end of the presence of foreign forces" in Iraq — reiterating Tehran's stance that U.S. troops should withdraw.

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USO Vignette: Who Raises a Marine?

The common phrase these days is, "Where do we get such men?"

A story I heard tonight at the USO awards banquet just may supply the answer...

About two weeks ago the director of my local airport USO (where I volunteer) looked up from his desk to see an older lady sitting quietly outside his office. As he described it, "She was obviously not a woman of means." She had told the receptionist that she was in town to see her grandson graduate from Boot Camp tomorrow, but had brushed aside the suggestions and guidance offered visitors regarding housing and transportation. He stepped out of his office, and in his inimitable former Command Master Chief way, soon had her entire story.

"I raised him and I'm the only family he's got. He should have someone who cares about him there when he graduates. So I came."

She had taken the bus from Oklahoma to the West Coast by herself, in order to attend the graduation because that was what she could afford. She had no hotel reservations and nothing of value with her but a return bus ticket and three dollars in cash.

He attempted to hide his amazement and asked, "What made you come to the USO? How did you know to come here?"

At this point in the telling of the story, the old chief's voice broke as he recounted her answer, "My grandson told me that if I had any problems I should go to the USO because when he got into town for boot camp, he'd come here and it was very nice and they'd fed him and taken care of him until the Drill Instructors picked him up that night."

Needless to say, the USO took care of her, too.

But back to my opening question... Where do we get men like these? From women like that, women of such devotion, loyalty and fearlessness that they'd do what she did just to be at her grandson's graduation from Boot Camp.

Somehow, I suspect he's going to make an excellent Marine...

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Read It

Just read the comments to this post.

Whatcha waitin' for? Go!

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Leadership and Accountability: Studies in Contrasts

Something that has puzzled me about the Walter Reed scandal--particularly the issue of Building 18--is that I refuse believe that the entire chain of command was indifferent to the conditions.

I think the upper leadership likely didn't know how bad things really were. Mind you, that doesn't excuse them because they are supposed to know, and not knowing is fundamentally their fault. That's what accountability is all about.

But why didn't they know? Because leadership is so much more than the ability to inspire people or point the way for them. The ability to judge character and evaluate competence is absolutely vital to effective leadership (then you know whether or not you can trust the work/reports of your subordinates, among other things). And how do you do that? By knowing your people, top to bottom.

I am reminded of my mother's experience. She works for a world-class management and customer service training company (the name would be instantly known to anyone in business management/leadership). She was first placed in the company through a temporary agency. The Boss/owner was a sought-after trainer/lecturer and had been out of town for awhile when she started to work.

Upon his return, Boss was walking through the offices and spotted her. "Who is this," he asked? The company was growing rapidly and was comprised of 60+ workers at that time, but he knew every one of them. He greeted her warmly, thanked her for helping out so-and-so, and asked with great sincerity how the work was going (and whether she needed anything).

Her reaction? "I want to work at a company like this!" She's been there over 20 years, now. They've hard their rough spots, but when Boss is been engaged with the company (as he usually is), good things happen and problems are solved. Because he is engaged, they know his values, they know his vision, and when something goes against those values and that vision, they know they can speak up. This is true leadership.

No matter how good or bad the leadership at WR was, they obviously didn't have that level of engagement with their subordinates. In the case of WR's two most recent leaders, MG Weightman and GEN Kiley, I'm beginning to suspect Weightman (in that position only six months) is the only one who could've possibly had it in him to be a true leader:

While Kiley deflected blame, Weightman freely admitted failure -- even though the victims of Walter Reed's neglect testified, and the House committee members agreed, that he was not to blame.

Throughout the hearing, Kiley spouted platitudes and evasions, not even turning to speak to a wounded family when prompted by a committee member.

Weightman, by contrast, turned around to the McLeods and spoke warmly, addressing Annette directly. "I'd just like to apologize for not meeting their expectations, not only in the care provided, but also in having so many bureaucratic processes that just took your fortitude to be an advocate for your husband that you shouldn't have to do," Weightman said, as Kiley finally turned to face the McLeods. "I promise we will do better."

Samples from Kiley's testimony:

"I don't do barracks inspections at Walter Reed."
"My staff informed me that the Walter Reed staff was working it."
"I don't get involved at my level . . . at an individual issue."

Pathetic, especially in an institution that prides itself in cultivating leadership skills. There's much, much more in a report of the hearings. A lesson in leadership... by contrast.

[H/T to Bull Nav at Op-For, who has some excellent commentary on the subject of military leadership.]

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One of My Favourite Things...

About Neptunus Lex is that when he's writing about pilots and flying, he's often covering universal human themes:

In real life it doesn’t work that way. In real life, the person who’s falling apart on the inside holds on to the only kind of order that still exists in the chaos that they’ve made for themselves.

I knew a guy once - good friend of mine - who was one of the best pilots I’d ever known, a real natural. He was, unfortunately, somewhat incautious in his personal attachments, with a marked tendency towards loving rather more well than he did wisely. The specifics are tedious, but suffice it to say that his personal life was… complicated. Eventually a particularly dramatic crisis presented itself and he spiraled into a dark place into which those who knew him well and cared for him had a hard time reaching. Kept flying though...

Find a quiet moment and read it all. As one commenter said, "That’s a lot to take in for someone who is as introspective as myself."

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Housekeeping and The Milblog Conference

[UPDATE: Please forgive the lack of original content, lately. The job is sucking me dry--I haven't even had the originality to answer most of my emails, haha!]

Housekeeping:

I've added some new links to my sidebar under "Valour-IT Posts" and "Other Notable Posts." If you're new or just an occasional reader, please consider checking out the links in those two categories.

Milblog Conference:

I'm definitely going (yay!). Still have to make my plane reservations, but expect to arrive in DC (Reagan) on Friday afternoon and spend Friday and Saturday nights at the conference hotel (then staying with a friend until Tuesday). I have a hotel room to myself (thank you, p!), so please drop me a line if you know of someone who'd like to attend, but is concerned about the cost of a room... perhaps I can share.

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Faith in Time of War

Some Soldier's Mom reviews a book that took her down memory lane:

I cannot imagine that there are more heartfelt professions of Faith -- or a time of greater need of Faith -- than in time of war. In my own experience, after I cried me a river, “I cried and begged God, His Mother and all the saints in Heaven to protect my son… and his new brothers.” And after my son would communicate with us, I would exuberantly "thank the Good Lord for the call and our son's continued safety.” Just hours after we heard from the Army that Noah had been wounded, I asked the blogsphere to "Please pray for my son." And the next day I told of how I busied myself the previous night and said, “Although this seems like a logical string of actions, in reality they are herky-jerky tasks strung together by time and episodes of gasping sobs and crying... and praying to God to please, please let our son be OK. I'm not really praying, I'm begging God to please spare my son. I'm bartering... I'm badgering...

Read it all, and the excerpts of the wonderful book that she is talking about.

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Too Fond of War

It is well that war is so terrible — otherwise we should grow too fond of it.

-General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Fredericksburg
That quote is frequently used to bash warfighters for being of questionable morality or "just this side of polite company," but that's a distortion of an insightful statement.

There are many reasons why a soldier can look back at time spent on the battlefield with both horror and nostalgia. If you combined this description with an awareness of the incredible bonds formed between combat brothers, I think you'd be a lot closer to the truth of that famous quote:

After the IED explodes, or the RPG whistles overhead, or the shot cracks past, there's a moment of panic as you process the fact that you are still alive- that this time, they missed you. After that seconds hesitation, the rush hits.

...For me, the rush is mostly exhilaration. It's a feeling of invulnerability. I've heard the unforgettable sound of an RPG somewhere very, very near my little sector of space, and stood a little taller yelling "Missed me, you bastards!" as I spin the turret and look for the shooter.

Read it all, and the comments, too.

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Accountability at Walter Reed, II

Over at Blackfive, commenter "Red River" perfectly illustrates the most common attitude of military personnel toward the mess at Walter Reed:

"Getting the Secretary of the Army to resign, or firing command staff at Walter Reed will not fix the problems at the hospital. Only increased hospital funding will fix the issues." [quoting another commenter]

I totally disagree. Many times my unit was deployed to JRB or remote hellholes. We made it a point of pride to repaint, rewire, replumb, or resheetrock our billets. We ALWAYS did something.

...The two months I was on medical casualty as a Sgt I kept a dozen specialists and PFCs busy with barracks and grounds improvements. We put in new floors and completely redid grounds. No one told me to do it - I just suggested it and the Medical Unit's CSM found the materials. Even a guy in a wheelchair can hold a paint can. It did wonders for these guys to do something instead of sitting around moping about their mashed up bodies.

No matter where you are posted, it's the duty of the senior enlisted and officers to lead with whatever means they have. A good S4 can motivate his supply sergeant to trade for what is needed.

It's the chain of command's duty to take care of their soldiers and it's as much the fault of Reed's commander as it is the CSM or the SFCs.

I noticed that the entire [outpatient] chain of command at Reed was replaced down to the PLT SGTS. Enough said.

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Accountability at Walter Reed

As many milbloggers have said from the beginning, the problems at Walter Reed were fundamentally failures of leadership. They cheered when Weightman was relieved of his position as head of Walter Reed, but were disturbed when Weightman's direct predecessor was given the job. It turns out Secretary of Defense Robert Gates agrees on all counts. In announcing the (reportedly forced) resignation of the Secretary of the Army, he said:

...later today the Army will name a new permanent commander for the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. This flagship institution must have its new leadership in place as quickly as possible.

I am disappointed that some in the Army have not adequately appreciated the seriousness of the situation pertaining to outpatient care at Walter Reed. Some have shown too much defensiveness and have not shown enough focus on digging into and addressing the problems.

Also, I am concerned that some do not properly understand the need to communicate to the wounded and their families that we have no higher priority than their care. And that addressing their concerns about the quality of their outpatient experience is critically important. Our wounded soldiers and their families have sacrificed much and they deserve the best we can offer.

Finally, I want to reaffirm my confidence in the staff at Walter Reed and their professionalism and dedication to providing caring treatment. From what I have learned, the problems at Walter Reed appear to be problems of leadership. The Walter Reed doctors, nurses and other staff are among the best and most caring in the world. They deserve our continued deepest thanks and strongest support.

I didn't know enough about Gates to make a judgment on him when he took over last November, but things like this are definitely tipping me his direction.

Now, as John says, let's make sure there aren't any other scalps out there that get away. Beyond the initial removal of the NCOs responsible for med hold, there has also been reportedly a captain and several other members of senior NCO leadership reassigned. In some quarters the rumor is that the entire administrative chain of command for outpatient care has been removed, though that is not confirmed.

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Drafted

I spent a lot of hours this week comforting, distracting or attempting to reason with an Unusually Bright Two-year-old...

Who used to do just fine in the childcare setting--calm, happy, interactive, and easily-pleased...

Until a week after Daddy deployed and Unusually Bright Two-year-old began to realize something was wrong.

One day he spent the morning sobbing and clinging to me, then later wiggling and flipping in my cross-legged lap as he attempted to sleep, wetting my knees with his tears... Sleep was impossible; the crying abated at times, but never the gasping whimpers.

Today another caretaker held him tenderly as he sobbed when Mom dropped him off. I commented, "Poor little guy. He was fine until last week. But now Dad has disappeared and he's afraid Mom will, too. He just doesn't understand." I felt a sudden burning in my eyes. I walked away, internally admonishing myself, "Don't you DARE lose it! Don't you dare cry when it's he and his mother and siblings who are bearing the burden!"

Fortunately, we're learning his new idiosyncrasies and today we were able to help him stop gasping/whimpering. Late in the day I held him in a nursing-like position as he clung to me in the throes of one of his minor waves of anxiety. But he soon relaxed and fell almost instantly asleep, his cheek resting on my chest. I could've kissed that angelic face, but resisted and sat there motionless, listening for the slow breaths of deep sleep indicating it was safe to lay him on a cot.

Stretched out there on the cot he was finally peaceful, and I was reminded again of the little warriors who don't enlist. Instead, they get drafted.

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Calling Allen

In comments on Uncle Jimbo's post at Blackfive about the resignation of the Secretary of the Army, Commenter Allen writes:

Oh, and if anyone wants to call me on my claim of that big name conservative and/or milbloggers avoided this story, point to coverage other than that of the past two days.

Gladly. Try here, here (coordinator of the Milblog Conferences), here, here, here, and here.

And that doesn't include the "second tier" bloggers who linked to those posts or wrote their own...

[I tried to respond to Allen in comments, but that number of links obviously kicks in Blackfive's spam filter.]

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Vent

It's so very hard to give it what it deserves. And yes, I know all about "faithfulness in small things," and I know that I should somehow be able to shine, but this is a catch-22.

There is nothing about this job that challenges or inspires me to grow.

If I have to listen to one more rendition of Twinkle, Twinkle sung off-key to "comfort" a child, I may... well, let's just say it's a good thing I'm not armed.

If I have to stand by one more time because I'm the "beginner" and bottom of the totem pole, watching people who have no clue how to single-handedly manage large groups of 5 to 7-year-old children in a classroom-type setting attempt to do so (and watch it all go to hell, ending with children being punished when it never should've gotten to the point of that being necessary)... again, glad to be unarmed.

If I have to spend one more week following confusing and conflicting instructions/procedures that seem to fly in the face of program goals...

If I have to continue guessing which "vitally important" procedures and rules are actually followed and which ones will offend someone if I follow them...

And I will have to again turn in "lesson" (activity) plans on a subject that is not my expertise (I have not been assigned the music unit) and that will--without exaggeration--never be used. And I will have to write them out by hand into the special form that is not on the computer.

It used to be that exceeding the standard allowed me to achieve surprising and valuable things. Now I have to be careful that I don't cause anyone to think I'm "lording a master's degree over them." And I have the joy of trying to learn to constantly monitor my conversation as I attempt to avoid use of polysyllabic words (no, that's not going very well. I used to get looks from fellow college students about the words that would occasionally drop from my lips in a casual conversation. Just imagine what it's like now).

/Vent

It's all so much harder to take when you're heart isn't truly invested...

Well, it has given me a chance to catch my financial breath and thus maybe find the energy and concentration to strongly pursue all the great ideas that have been shared with me. Kris, that resume may be on its way...

CLARIFICATION: The work I am doing is honorable, vital, and those who do it well are to be greatly respected; there are not enough people in this world who are good at it. it's just so not the work for me at this time in my life.

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Milblogs and Patterns of Community

In a post about networking and alliances in warfare, Global Guerrilla mentions the work of Valdis Krebs on social networking. It offers a fascinating analysis that applies to blogging, especially topic-centric blogging such as that of milblogs. It certainly tracks directly with my experience in the milblogs. The diagram he supplies--on the left--includes four types of nodes (definitions taken from the link above):

• Yellow nodes: leadership. These people are the core leadership of the organization. "They have denser connections to other leaders" and other main network nodes. They keep everything together as the group's connectors.
  
• Red nodes: active members. Active members are tightly connected to the leadership nodes (yellow). They, in combination with the yellows, are what people refer to as the "group."
  
• Blue nodes: people actively seeking membership. These people aren't formally connected to the core group. They are actively working on ways (relationships, credibility, etc.) to connect to the "group."
• Green nodes: lurkers and potential members. People in this category are not active members of the group. They may or may not undertake actions that are in line with group goals.

I think I'm in the Red node, but I'm not sure. However, it reminds me of my realization yesterday that I have met in "real space" (and have various levels of continuing interaction with) six out of my eight fellow Milbloggie winners--the only two I don't really know are relatively new bloggers. Fascinating.

It's well worth reading the whole post (and comments) about this model's application to modern warfare.

[H/T to Ry for the link and John (in comments) for its application to blogging]

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Media and the Medal of Honor

I haven't written about Bruce Crandall's Medal of Honor here. Probably largely because I haven't had time to more than scan the posts and stories I've read about him. Others have covered it far more ably than I would. But strange that few of those who would do it "far more ably" are in the major media...

Mr. Crandall, then a major, commanded a company with the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, carrying soldiers to a landing zone, called X-ray, in the la Drang Valley. An assault from the North Vietnamese army erupted, as described at the White House ceremony Monday. Three soldiers on Maj. Crandall's helicopter were killed. He kept it on the ground while four wounded were taken aboard. Back at base, he asked for a volunteer to return with him to X-ray. Capt. Ed Freeman came forward. Through smoke and bullets, they flew in and out 14 times, spent 14 hours in the air and used three helicopters. They evacuated 70 wounded. The battalion survived.

...In a less doubtful culture, Maj. Crandall's magnificent medal would have been on every front page, if only a photograph. It was on no one's front page Tuesday. The New York Times, the culture's lodestar, had a photograph on its front page of President Bush addressing governors about an insurance plan. Maj. Crandall's Medal of Honor was on page 15, in a round-up, three lines from the bottom. Other big-city dailies also ran it in their news summaries; some--the Washington Post, USA Today--ran full accounts inside.

There's been a lot of talk lately about being tired. I think I'm very, very tired of fighting something as hopeless as a major media culture that buries the story of a living MoH recipient on page 15...

More about LTC (ret) Crandall at Blackfive and Righty in a Lefty State incl. video), and superb coverage at the official Army site.

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