Veterans

Over the past couple of weeks, much has been written and spoken about the treatment of veterans.  Politicians and pundits, always eager to get air time in the media, have jumped on their cause de jour for varying reasons.  Allegations, horrific and dismaying, have filled news reports.  A cabinet secretary resigns, a president bemoans the situation, calls go out for investigations, and assurances are offered to veterans.  All fine and good.

During the past four days locally, groups of veterans gathered as volunteers for three events, or missions as we call them.  The funeral for an active duty Navy Petty Officer; the welcome home for a Marine Corps unit returning from a combat deployment in Afghanistan; and welcoming home the remains of a 19 year old Army Specialist who died overseas.  Three events, one joyous and two somber and sad.

At the joyous event, the vets (young and old) and family members escorted the buses of Marines from the airfield where they landed to their home base on a southern California night.  Once there, two flag lines of vets holding American flags provided a cordon through which the Marines walked to reunite with their loved ones and families.  There were tears of joy and shouts of happiness as these warriors rushed into the arms of their families and friends.

At one of the sad and somber events, the vets gathered at a small airfield to honor the return of a 19 year old who had died in service to his country.  At the airfield, two lines of vets, holding American flags aloft at the Present Arms, stood solemnly as the Army Honor Guard off loaded the casket from the aircraft.  With the casket centered on the two lines of vets, an Army Chaplain brought out the soldier's mother, father, and grandfather.  The vets stood at the Present Arms with flags fluttering in the warm breeze, some with tears rolling unashamedly down their cheeks as the soldier's mother cried out her son's name and hugged the casket.  A short while later, the vets mounted up on their motorcycles and escorted the family and hearse to the funeral home.

The funny thing is, you didn't see any of the politicians or pundits at any of these events.  You didn't see any reporters or TV cameras.  You didn't see anything about either event on any news outlet.  You did see veterans, the majority from the Vietnam era, many limping or showing other signs of physical injuries or infirmities.  Volunteers one and all, they took time to honor fellow members of the Armed Forces.  They stood tall in rendering honors.  They recognized their duty to one another and performed it superbly.  Gray of beard, for the most part, these veterans represent what is special about this segment, the real 1%, of our nation.  They will be there to answer the call for the next mission and the one after that and the one after that.

Sadly, it's my guess the politicians and pundits will all too soon forget about this cause de jour in favor of the next opportunity to get their faces and voices on TV and radio.  Most likely, veterans will once more be left out of their thoughts.  Unfortunately, we veterans are used to it.      

  

Something is seriously wrong

Something is seriously wrong when POTUS hosts the Healthy Kids and Safe Sports Concussion Summit, but there's no "summit" to address the VA scandal.  

Earning an education

I was absolutely amazed at a recent Wall Street Journal piece about a school from which students graduate debt free.  (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303380004579520261283934326)  The piece describes how students at the College of the Ozarks are required to work during the school year to cover the cost of tuition.  Some also work during the summers to cover room and board. Consequently, no debt.

More than requiring students to work to earn their tuition, this approach to higher education teaches more life lessons than do the "conventional" universities and colleges that are currently making headlines for depressing free speech, yielding to protests, awarding meaningless degrees, shutting out conservatives, denying Christian values, demanding self proclaimed diversity, teaching "white privilege," promoting intolerance, and contributing to student debt as students take 5, 6, or 7 years to be awarded an undergraduate degree.  Personally, I believe working to earn one's education is invaluable.

You see, I worked throughout college.  And by work I don't mean the 10 hours per week as a student assistant in some campus office.  I worked 40-to-48 hours per week in a combination gas station/auto garage as a sales clerk, service writer, and gas pump jockey.  I paid all my own bills, including all costs associated with my private college education.  After the first two years, I lived off campus.  And in the middle of my junior year I married my bride (who has hung in there for more than 43 years).  We had a car, an apartment, our own furniture, a TV, and food on the table.  Money was tight, so going out was a luxury.  But we had fun and were happy.  I'd go to school in the mornings and work from 1:00 PM - 10:00 PM three days a week and then full shifts every Saturday and Sunday.  When the workplace changed its hours, my shifts changed to 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM five days per week.  Through creative scheduling, I was able to complete my degree in the required four years.  (By the way, in the summer between my junior and senior years, I spent a wonder 13 weeks at the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantio, Virginia.  I actually took a pay cut during this time.  Fortunately, my employer held my position and I went back to work and began classes the day after flying back from OCS.)  While my grades were nothing to celebrate, at the end of my studies I was debt free, had money in the bank, and was awarded the bachelor's degree that enabled me to be commissioned in the United States Marine Corps.  (As my career started, unlike our fellow Second Lieutenants and their wives, my wife and I were not saddled with large amounts of college debt, so we could do things others could not.)

My own experience and reading about the College of the Ozarks provide the following.

Point one: working through college leaves a student financially stable.

Point two: working through college teaches time management.

Point three: working through college provides invaluable job experience to take into the broader employment market.

Point four: working through college teaches self reliance.

Point five: working through college teaches that we can overcome obstacles in pursuit of our objectives.

Point six: a degree earned not only by academic pursuit, but by personally paying the associated costs, is infinitely more valuable than one paid for by the government or parents.

It would be far better for our country and our students if most colleges and universities adopted the College of teh Ozarks model.

Why

As written about previously in this blog, I like hanging out with bikers, quickly noting the bikers with whom I associate are regular, average folks (at least by my definition).  Apart from the obvious shared enjoyment of riding motorcycles, why do I enjoy their company?

It is simple, bikers:

• are patriotic
• revere our men and women in uniform
• believe in the imperative of individual freedom
• believe in God
• work hard and play harder
• take care of one another
• are often veterans
• believe in free speech
• are outspoken in their love of country
• proudly display the American flag
• are generous in their donations and support of good causes
• like rock and roll music
• respect one another
• view loyalty and honor as virtues
• believe in individual responsibility and accountability
• seek nothing other than what their own hard work provides
• don't accept handouts
• like pretty ladies
• stand at the playing of the National Anthem
• are against large government
• believe marriage is defined as one man and one woman
• speak their minds honestly and candidly
• eschew political phoniness
• believe in the importance of the nuclear family
• enjoy a good joke
• give credit when credit is due
• offer criticism when it is earned
• like a cold beer on a hot day
• like a cup of hot coffee on a cold day
• stand up to be counted when necessary

There are undoubtedly other equally valid reasons to enjoy the company of bikers.

In sum, it's my view bikers are more genuine and true to the American spirit than most civilians I encounter.  If for no other reason, that serves as justification for enjoying their company.

Doesn't pass the "Ummmmm" test

The best Sergeant Major with whom I ever served had a phrase for those things we encounter that are just dumber than dirt.  When we'd face such a situation, he'd say, "Sir, that doesn't pass the Ummmmm test."  The "Ummmmm" test means when we see something really, really dumb, we have a tendency to say, "Ummmmm" while shaking our heads in disbelief.

Well, the following doesn't pass the "Ummmmm" test.

According to a recent piece in the Washington Post, in our illustrious Congress, the House of Representatives works an average of 139 days per year, with the Senate somewhat better at working an average of 156 days per year.  After reading those numbers, I sat down and did a little back of the envelope calculations.

Normally, in the business world, a full-time job is defined as 2,080 hours per year, which works out to 260 eight hour days per year.  Continuing, I looked at the 2014 calendar and counted 104 weekend days, which when added to 260 working days equals our roughly 364 days in an annual calendar.

Of course, there are the 10 federal holidays, which are normally paid holidays, so the 260 actual work days are reduced to 250 days.  Being generous employers, let's say we give the members of Congress the entire Thanksgiving week off with pay, which adds 4 days to the Thanksgiving federal holiday, thereby reducing the number of working days to 246.  Since we are "one nation under God," we are particularly generous employers in providing for two weeks of paid time off over Christmas and New Years, which adds 8 days to the Christmas and New Year's Day federal holidays.  This, then, brings the number of work days down to 238 days.  And, recognizing how challenging it is for the members of Congress, we provide for 10 days of paid annual vacation, thus bringing the number of days we expect them to actually work down to 228.  228 work days per year.

Let's see, then, how it actually works out.  The House of Representatives average number of work days is roughly 61% of the above, with the Senate coming in at roughly 68%.  So it's possible to observe the members of Congress work about two-thirds of the expected number of days we, their employers, require.  (And don't even begin to think they actually work a full 8 hour day each of the average work days.)

Working two-thirds of the expected number of work days doesn't pass the "Ummmmm" test in my mind.

What should we, the employers do?  Dock their pay by one-third?  Fire them?  Take away the paid vacation time?  Take away our generosity of paid time off at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years?  Limit their travels to their home districts and states?

Frankly, I prefer just firing the lot of them and hiring new employees, who would have to execute binding contracts for the number of days they work, in Washington DC, on our behalf.  Seems to me that adding one-third more labor might enable our Congress to actually get more work done.

Honor and shame

Honor: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions: A man of honor.


Shame: the painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another: She was overcome with shame.


At a social event over the past weekend, the state of our great nation eventually, if not inevitably, became the topic of conversation. One of the guests observed that we wouldn't have so much with which to be concerned if honor and shame were the norm. His observation left me shaking my head in a north-south manner, agreeing as I immediately thought of those matters and issues that create in me the greatest amount of anger and disgust.


Whether it was a boss at a major public university who was absent days on end over a period of years; a politician deliberating lying about a candidate from the other political party; a candidate seeking the party nomination to run for the office of President of the United States lying about "landing under gunfire;" the pundit declaring an individual with whom he disagrees is "evil;" an activist declaring every criticism of POTUS is based on racism; the union chiefs who use political clout to forcibly take "dues" from unwilling members and then use the money to finance political activity; the church slandering the fallen American serviceman; the POTUS false declaring "if you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan;" the politician sending pictures of his private parts to women; FLOTUS traveling expansively and expensively on the taxpayer dime; the military officers accepting bribes comprised of hookers and cash; the entertainer simulating sex while on stage; the POTUS who declared he "did not have sexual relations with that woman;" the senate majority leader failing to bring legislation to the floor for an up or down vote; the members of Congress who bundle together omnibus bills to deflect their votes; students at universities demanding changes of commencement speakers; the extremists who sue to remove the cross from any display; the senior GAO manager partying lavishly on taxpayer funds; the IRS senior manager deliberately targeting groups applying for tax exempt status; university administrators and faculty who declare limitations for "free speech zones" and activities on our campuses; activists asserting every ill is based on "homophobia;" members of Congress who perform the country's business for only three days per week, then fly home to continually campaign and fund raise; any of the other intolerant miscreants who demand this and that from their fellow citizens, under the guise of tolerance and diversity; and public officials who act boorishly.


I offer that if these individuals and others acted with honor and were concerned about personal shame, then a lot of what ills this country would disappear overnight. As the above definitions from dictionary.com indicate, all too many folks demand honor from others, yet fail themselves to meet the standards of honesty, fairness, and integrity. And it is patently obvious all too many folks act without shame, as they act dishonorably, improperly, ridiculously, etc. The lack of self-control these individuals display is astounding.


Acting with honor and being fearful of person shame are terrific guides for our daily lives. And doing so does nothing to limit our ability to forthrightly debate matters on which we disagree, whether it be public policy, art, science, or taste in music. Hyperbole and demagoguery would disappear. Outlandish, repugnant behavior would diminish. Perhaps the rate of children born out of wedlock would be reduced. Respect for one another, even when disagreeing with opposing views, would increase. Work productivity would increase. Maybe public education would improve. Self-value and esteem would skyrocket.


Just two guiding principles can make an enormous and positive difference in our society.


Honor and shame.

Your lips are moving

Do you ever have the urge to yell at a speaking head on TV, pundit on radio, or writer on a website?  (Let alone politicians.)  I do.

I want to yell, "Your lips are moving, but nothing intelligent is coming out."

Normally my reaction is prompted by one of these folks uttering one of the following:

• What we know is...
• You know that...
• There's no doubt that...
• The numbers show...
• The opposition [fill in the blank] is wrong, because...
• It's an indisputable fact...
• The American people want...
• Average Americans want...
• I know that...
• The opposition wants to ruin America...
• I demand that...

On and on they rant, throwing out comments purported to be facts, but which have absolutely no basis in truth.  It has become so pervasive that the Washington Post has a fact checker who routinely rates the lies and absurdities.  How does one rate a lie?  A statement is either true or false and doesn't require a rating.

Intelligent debate has fallen to the wayside, replaced by the twits who tweet and text unsubstantiated comments.

Outrageous commentary fits within protected freedom of speech.

But just because one is free to say (almost) anything doesn't mean that most will say something intelligent.

Their lips are moving, but nothing intelligent is coming out.   

Just great people - the real 1%

It's probably impossible to accurately define average individuals in our nation, what with all the deliberate distortion created by groups seeking to separate themselves from the nation's culture into countless "diverse" groupings.  Instead of America-first language, we hear of "this"-American or "that"-American, rather than just American.  Labeling, by self and others, appears to have become a new national past-time:  self-labeling for political advantage and labeling of others for demagoguery and hostility.  But I offer that there are great people, the real 1% of our country, who are just regular, average citizens.

Who are they, you may ask?

They are the young men and women who voluntarily serve in the Armed Forces.  Superlative characterizations for them have, most fortunately, been in vogue during the recent wars.  Such was not the case when I joined the Marine Corps during the Vietnam war.  Gratifying and worthy as it has been to observe the nation rightfully recognize the sacrifice and service of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, I fear this respect will slide into platitudes and the like.  One sad indicator of this trend is the overused and insincere language employed by some of those elected to federal office (and others) who appear to be using the men and women in uniform insincerely as platforms upon which to build cases for their own aggrandizement or selfish benefit.  (FLOTUS using White House military aides as living "plotted plants" in the background of her appearance on the Oscar awards show immediately comes to mind.)

Every week, I volunteer at a local Marine Corps base and have the very great good fortune to interact on a one-on-one basis with young Marines and sailors.  They are members of the real 1% of our nation's population, the great people who serve in uniform.  And it is an all volunteer force.  They guys and gals are simply magnificent, representing our country in superb fashion.  Just regular folks, just great people, just average citizens.


These Marines and sailors are working hard, including going in harm's way, for relatively poor pay and benefits, not looking for handouts.  (By the way, our elected officials are attempting to reduce the meager pay and benefits of these men and women.)  They work long hours, seeking to earn promotions, not freebies.  They work as members of teams in pursuit of objectives, not as individuals seeking advantage over others in pursuit of selfish agendas.  They sacrifice in service to their nation, in service to a greater good, not to some divisive secular demand for some self-proclaimed "equality."  They understand advancement is based on merit and achievement, not affirmative action.  They rise to, rather than shirking from challenges.  They believe in and pray to their God.  They stand with pride and respect at the playing of our National Anthem, rather than scratching various parts of their anatomies as so "professional" athletes.  They will stop to smile at and assist a young child in a combat zone.  They seek self-improvement, not self-aggrandizement .  They cry at the sounds of taps for a fallen fellow warrior.  They run to the sounds of the guns, not away from the sounds of conflict.  They acquire skills and abilities they will eventually and inevitably employ in the civilian sector.  They understand accountability for their own actions, rather than blaming others for their shortfalls.  They have learned to be instantly and willingly obedient to lawful orders, not perpetually challenging of authority.  They stand to help one another, not step on one another.  They work as members of teams, not as collections of individuals.  They work hard, as a natural matter of course.  There is no part-time, only full-time, in their world.  They seek and accept responsibility and accountability for the performance of their assigned subordinates, rather than avoiding it.  When their units excel, they pass along the credit and kudos to their subordinates, rather than accepting praise and reward for themselves.  They display initiative, rather than hesitation.  They are generous to a fault.  They sanctify marriage and the family unit.  They value personal and institutional loyalty.  They celebrate the achievement of others, rather than criticize it.  They seek unity of effort, not diversity of approach.  They respect the differences of their fellow warriors and have learned to live and work together in pursuit of common objectives.    

While average citizens, these members of the real 1% achieve well above average achievements. 

But, then again, I could be very wrong about this characterization that they are average citizens.  At least  wrong based on what pundits and activists are spewing.  Too many, including the oft referred to mainstream media, political activists, hate mongers, victimologists, community organizers, union leaders, academics, political elites, elected officials, and government bureaucrats profanely distort characterizations of average citizenry, purporting to represent the average.  Actually, nothing could be further from the truth, because those so enamored of these distorted characterizations create and employ them to advance their personal agendas.  Interestingly, very, very seldom (almost never) do you encounter any of these individuals who has served in uniform.  (So much for their false proclamations that they represent average Americans.)  They run from personal responsibility, blaming others and all sorts of extraneous factors for their failures.

Nope, after careful consideration the hyperbole and other nonsense being spewed by some, I do believe it is incontrovertible that the average men and women in the Armed Forces, the real 1%, are very simply just great folks.