The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Legion Hall Hey Army .... a question ...

So far, I haven't found any West Pointers among our 'Bolters. So maybe there might be someone among my Army Brothers (or sisters) who can explain to this Annapolis grad/Marine Corps veteran how the motto of the United States Military Academy at West Point is exemplified by:

1. Desertion of one's post (during a time of war or heightened tensions that could rapidly lead to war)
2. Dereliction of one's duties
3. Lying about one's whereabouts (during the acts 1 and 2 above)
4. Failure to inform the chain of command about one's abilities to maintain command
5. Failure to keep one's XO apprised of one's status

Does *any* of this illustrate the highest ideals of "Duty, Honor, Country?"

If any of *you* had done any of the above, what would have happened to you? I know what would have happened to me -- I would have immediately been relieved of duty, been subject to an Article 32 hearing, followed by a general court martial, and then probably been stripped of rank, subject to forfeiture of pay, confined and dishonorably discharged.

This is just unbelievable. No wonder the world is in flames -- The US Military is weakly led.

Agreed...

Agreed too...

A very sad day indeed when the SecDef, a USMA graduate, gets a pass when any of the rest of us would be held accountable.

Lets not get "too" political👐

Hardly political, Alvin. A simple matter of ethics.

I wonder how many soldiers received punishment for being derelict or UA under his authority?

Any veteran with an honorable discharge should be outraged by this hypocrisy and double standard. *I* am. Service Academy graduates, from I-day on, are inculcated with the mantra that we are to hold ourselves to the highest standards of Honor, Discipline, Ethics and Professionalism. General Austin is a stain on the honor of ALL of us. The only honorable thing for him to do is resign immediately.

Semper Fi,
John

My 1 cent worth as almost an OCS graduate. I believe that during the Vietnam conflict, a lot of rules were relaxed to have bodies to through into the conflict. One classmate of mine was 18 years old and his parents had to sign a waiver so he could go to OCS. Can you imagine a grizzled old master Sgt, taking orders from him, especially in the heat of battle? BTW, 50 percent of that class did not make it home from Viet Nam. And 65% of first and second Lieutenants did not make it back. It is hard to maintain esprit decor when there is no continuity of service. I think the Marines maintain it the best because of being a smaller unit. The USAF would be second. My brother served for 23 years on active duty and another 25 or so at Wright Patterson and he served off and on with the same people.

But we're talking today, Ron. I was part of the post-Vietnam restoration of the U.S. Military after Vietnam and the debacle of the Carter Administration (hmmm, another service academy grad .... ) We've been correcting the mistakes for nearly 50 years and during the Reagan Administration, we nailed it. Guys like Tuts, GDad, Rusty Rod, NDKid, NAPCOMan and all the others who served in the Reagan Military helped rebuild DoD into the force (an All Volunteer force, btw) that blew Saddam Hussein back into the stone age, kept North Korea in check and won so many victories in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But today ... We have the Middle East about to ignite, on-going wars in Ukraine and Syria, emboldened Houthi rebels threatening to close the Red Sea, war imminent in Taiwan, the North Koreans getting bold, and the Iranians funding terrorists while rapidly approaching nuclear capability ...

And our top military leader decides to check out on *elective* sick leave for a week without telling anyone (like his boss ...) or even waiting for his own XO to return from OCONUS leave??

And we wonder why recruiting is suffering, retention is down, readiness is down and we can't seem to go a month without another Class-A mishap ...

All I'm saying is that this level of incompetence and malfeasance can't be accidental -- it must be orchestrated. And it must be addressed -- our Country and our cherished way of life is at stake.

Hmmmm- - - - -makes ya wonder if that "elective" surgery might have been a "gender confirming" procedure like a certain "admiral" is considering? Looking at some of the other members of the current administration who wear military-looking uniforms, the idea might not be all that far-fetched! At least he hasn't started stealing designer clothing from an airport baggage carousel- - - -yet!

www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/rachel-levine.html

www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Brinton

LOL!
Jerry

This put it in perspective for me.


And the other word John said, Emboldened, also shows what lax leadership can cause. I stole most of this from John. Thanks.

Speaking of incompetent top brass- - - - - -where has "general" Milley been lately? We haven't seen much of him in front of cameras and microphones in a few weeks!
Jerry

No excuse for what Austin did! Any of us who served and did what Austin did would have been charged and subjected to punishment. Of course Austin was doing the same thing that his fearless leader is doing also. The rules do not apply to them. Even the private sector. when I was out of office I had to keep my superior informed as to when out of office and when I would return.

Jerry -- Milley retired over the Summer. You guys have the chairmanship now.

Dek -- thanks for speaking up.

Rules and Laws have eroded to the selective enforcement of when it suits our political agenda. In all of our society/citizens, those that have served know this best, from a 100 % Wounded Warrior

It looks like Kirby is the current liar in chief- - - - -trying to spin a yarn about the two SEALs who gave their all in defense of the rest of us. RIP, heroes!

Jerry ... Don't get me started on Kirby. I'm pretty sure he came through the Public Affairs School House (The Defense Information School, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana) when I was there on faculty. I am fairly confident, though, he was not one of *my* Journalism students.

As a 34-year DoD Public Affairs Officer (Uniformed and civil service), I took the Secretary of Defense Principles of Information seriously and to heart. I still do. It is a worthy document even if so few believe in it anymore.

John Kirby violates it on a daily basis. He is a stain on the honor of my profession and I am deeply ashamed that he came through *my* school house. He does NOT represent the many thousands of great, honorable and professional Communicators who have passed through the portals of our great school house.

Semper Fi,
John
"DINFOS-Trained Killer"

And if any of my fellow DINFOS instructors ever read this -- Give Rod Carlisle my regards

The only students who stand out in our memory as instructors more vividly than our successes are the ones we failed to reach for some reason. I've got enough of both kinds of those memories from 30+ years in the teaching business to last me the rest of the time I might be priveleged to spend on the green side of the grass!
Jerry

Agreed. What he did was deplorable (to use a word someone else made famous).

I feel the same way about Kirby, makes my skin crawl. The rebuild of the Military after VN culminated with the 100 hour Gulf War in 1991. Looks like we did OK with that rebuild. Today, however, we need to start again with a rebuild. We have a good base, but the Command Climate going all the to the top appears to me to be a disaster.

Food for thought here, so what if Austin did his sick call in silence, would anyone have listened to him? And if they did, how long would it take for the woke crowd to do anything. I don't see a lot of M-1 tanks arriving in Ukraine yet.

If you teach people about the Air-Land Battle, they need to have tanks, Bradley's and air support.

Not that this a hot button for me or anything.

The only remotely complimentary thing I can think of to say about Kirby is that at least he wears civilian clothes now- - - - -he doesn't disgrace the uniform he once wore by wearing it while he spouts his lies!
Jerry

Mike -- Very true. Tanks and arty -- both are kinda important to maneuver warfare. Yet my Corps, under our latest Commandant, is giving them both up. Along with scout snipers. Bad enough when we gave up our big SP guns. Now we giving up the 155's?? I guess as long as we all use proper pronouns, everything will turn out.

The next one will probably be a 100 hour victory, too. But not for us.

I share your thoughts that this neglect is intentional. The power behind the throne hates the country and especially the military. Nobody could be stupid enough to do the things they have done.

They must think we are all fools that will believe the fairytales being spewed on the news.

It's a real shame that Carlos Hathcock and Chris Kyle were not Buddhists- - - - -we could use their skills sometime in the near future if they happened to be reincarnated.
Jerry

Jerry -- There are those among us, even here on Stovebolt, with those same skills.

Some of us can build the necessary hardware- - - - -without a paper trail! I just happen to have such a tool under construction at the moment!
LOL!
Jerry