Pundits, commentators, opinion writers, et al

Almost certainly 2016 will be known as a year, if not the year, in which pundits, commentators, opinion writers, et al were proven wrong as a group.  In a way, that is totally unsurprising, because they are never held accountable for their words.

Stating one's opinions, including forecasts, is essential in exercising free speech.  Equally essential is being able to do so without being accountable.  Other than possibly losing viewership or readership, leading to loss of reputation, expressing one's opinion carries with it little real world accountability.  And this totally differs from the words and actions of those about whom the pundits, commentators, opinion writers, et al ply their trade.  

Stated differently, it is very easy to criticize when your actions have no actual consequences.  And so it should be.  Free speech, whether accurate or offensive, is absolutely crucial to our country.  If pundits, commentators, opinion writers, et al were actually held accountable, it would be stifling.  

Just consider the ramifications.  Were the social activist/commentator held accountable for his/her mistakes or offensive commentary, it is most likely end their time on radio or television.  Just think of all the shows that would be cancelled on MSNBC, Fox, ABC, CBS, and the like.  Likewise for Twitter, Facebook, etc. 

All the so-called news offerings would see a drastic reduction, which would not reflect positively on free speech. 

So while the pundits, commentators, opinion writers, et al offer their views without fear of true accountability, much to the aggravation of those upon whom the pundits, commentators, opinion writers, et al write and speak, it is absolutely essential they be able to do so in a free society that values free speech.

As 2016 draws to a close

As 2016 draws to a close, family was always number one, including getting together and visits for  Christmas, birthdays, and vacations.  Kids, kids of kids, mother, brother, in-laws, and all. 

But life on two wheels was another major element in the year, providing excitement, riding with fellow veterans, and the annual road trip with my best friend Nick.  This year we road to the Hollister Independence Day Rally.

Some of the time in the saddle was spent supporting our active duty military and veterans with the Patriot Guard Riders.  Riding with fellow veterans, we are determined that our men and women in uniform and veterans will not be forgotten.

Some missions provided honors for either the fallen or a veteran.

 

Other missions joined the joyous celebrations in welcoming home Marines and sailors from deployments. 

On some days it was just the joy of being out on the bike, enjoying the quintessential American biker lifestyle, made easier by living in southern California with its great weather.  But whatever the reason for throwing a leg over the saddle, uppermost is the pride of being an American...an American veteran...a Marine.
 

Looking forward to more miles and smiles in 2017.

 

Far from the maddening crowd

It is great to be away from the maddening crowd.

Away from southern California on travel, it so refreshing to be among folks -- regular folks -- just working to make a living and enjoy their lives.  Folks who smile and share a bit of humor with strangers during breakfast.  Folks who talk about enjoying the great outdoors.  Folks enjoying a more pedestrian pace of life.

Yeah, the weather in southern California is certainly enjoyable.  But the cost of living, frenetic pace of life, expanses of pavement, and incessant crowds are not missed even a little bit.

It may be purely illusory, but the folks encountered during this period of travel seem more genuine.  They seem more concerned with one another.  They seem calmer.  They seem happier.  All in all, it seems a much friendlier environment.

All too soon it will be time to fly back to southern California.

Before then, it is uplifting to be away from the maddening crowd.

The Christmas season

The Christmas season is rapidly approaching.  For small children, it is a wondrous time of expectation.  For Christians, it is an important religious period.  For (all too) many it is a time of excessive consumerism.  For families, it is a time of looking forward to gatherings.  For some families, however, it is an unfulfilled time.

Military families across our great nation experience the Christmas season from a vastly different perspective than the majority of citizens.  With less than one-half of one percent of our nation serving in uniform, it is not surprising that most do not think of the servicemen and women who spend Christmas away from loved ones.

It may be the family of the soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine deployed overseas or forward deployed on one of our Navy's ships.  It may be the family of the soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine who is just unable to travel home, be it due to finances, duty assignments, or other causes beyond his or her control.

America should offer their prayers for these soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and their families during this Christmas season.

Most importantly, we need to offer our prayers for the surviving military families of warriors lost this year: Captain Frederick, Captain Kuss, Staff Sergeant Cardin, Chief Petty Officer Finan, and Major Norton. 

Let loose the dogs of therapy

Let loose the dogs of therapy

Reading and listening to the reactions across the country since the election is, if nothing else, an interesting and somewhat entertaining exercise. There is certainly rich fodder for articles and posts in the overreactions in some quarters, most notably the left. Strident calls for this and that permeate the reactions, like demands for electors to change their votes to Clinton. Perhaps nowhere else is reaction more absurd and downright silly than on college and university campuses. Let loose the dogs of therapy I say. Fill the crying rooms to the maximum. Provide huggers at every building entrance and exit. Open the gates for protests. Cancel classes and exams. Build entire safe space buildings instead of football stadiums.  

For the most part, conservatives tolerantly stand aside and watch, stifling the urge to rant and rail at the ridiculous. Why? Because conservatives are, by nature, tolerant.

Central to the conservative approach to life is tolerance. As long as others obey the laws, all laws, and respect others, conservatives are tolerant of their personal decisions, actions, and views. Conservatives may not agree with those decisions, actions, and views, but normally remain tolerant of them. It is when others demand conservatives accept, agree with, and even actively support decisions, actions, and views with which they disagree that the fat is in the fire, as the saying goes.

Ironically, in the aftermath of the election liberals and progressives continue demonstrating their lack of tolerance, a hallmark to their approach to life.  Dogmatic statements abound, underscoring the liberal/progressive stance. Intolerance abounds, as they make claim after claim, demand change after change, and attempt to repudiate the election results. So be it. 

But there are times when conservatives must react as liberals cross a bright and shining line.  One such crossing occurred at Amherst College when first the American flag was lowered inappropriately by the campus administration to half-staff after the election.  Then a student took down the flag and burned it.  Then the administration put a flag up, again at half-staff.  Then, in a final insult, decided not to fly the American flag at all.  Such action requires a reaction.

The reaction occurred over the weekend when hundreds of veterans and others protested at the college by bringing and waving hundreds of American flags.

Amherst College President Lash should be ashamed of the message he sends.  He should be fired for insinuating all forms of hate to the American flag, under which millions of men and women have served.  The federal government should immediately place a hold on all federal funding awarded the school (except individual student federal financial aid) until the flag is once again flown at full staff.

If he wants to provide therapy dogs, hugs, crying rooms, safe spaces, and the like, so be it.  I disagree, but will tolerate his actions.

But do not expect me to tolerate the disrespect he shows our American flag.

Giving to their community

As the nation digests the election results, life goes on.  The sun came up on the morning of 9 November and each day since.

One of those days was Saturday 12 November, characteristically sunny and warm in San Diego.  A large group of bikers, many of them veterans, didn't take advantage of the day to go to the beach, play golf, watch college football on TV, or simply laze around the house.  They set out to give back to their community and more.

After breakfast at the El Cajon Harley Davidson dealership, they rode in four groups to the Miramar National Cemetery, where they stopped to honor those laid to rest there.

Their next stop was the Marine Corps Reserve Center & Headquarters of the 4th Tank Battalion, where the bikers dropped off the hundreds of toys they had collected for the Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots Program.  A small dent in the overall goal of 58,000 toys for children in the San Diego region, but a dent nonetheless.

Before returning to the Harley dealership for lunch, at the request of Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sergeant Castillo, the bikers did a surprise slow ride by the home of the father of a fallen Marine.  By their action, the bikers were saying to this Gold Star family that the loss of their son and their sacrifice are not forgotten.

Unlike some who were protesting the election results in parts of the country, these bikers, veterans, and patriots came together for a purpose bigger than themselves, giving back to the community and a Gold Star parent.

Come Wednesday morning, one thing is certain

Come Wednesday morning, one thing is certain.

Half the country will be angry, disappointed, and genuinely concerned.

And what will that anger, disappointment, and genuine concern portend?

The divisiveness building over the past two presidential administrations will rise to extraordinary levels.  Arguably much, much worse than those fed by the machinations over the past nearly eight years.  

To study an ineffective Congress, one merely needs to look at how Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker of the House Pelosi colluded to deliberately withheld votes and changed long, honored procedures to ram through some bills, while intentionally letting contentious, though important bills lay dormant.  At a time the Democrats held both chambers, major problems (national debt, immigration, and tax reform to name a few) requiring Congressional action remained unaddressed.  Likewise, when Republicans held majorities in both chambers, Senate Majority Leader McConnell and Speakers of the House Boehner and Ryan did not force matters with the President by crafting and sending legislation to floors votes and eventually the President.  The floor votes and potential presidential vetoes would have irrefutably demonstrated to the electorate which party really supported the interests of the nation and which was obstructionist.  As a result, the Republican majorities in both chambers failed to take up the fight to rein in a lawless president and the nation suffered.

And what will the post election anger, disappointment, and genuine concern portend? 

Regardless of which candidate claims victory, it is unlikely there will a mandate voted into either or both chambers of Congress.  Majorities (if any) will remain relatively slim, with the Senate majority currently up for grabs.  So the ineffectiveness defining recent Congresses will continue.  If anything, due to the unprecedented nature of the 2016 election, even further retrenchment is highly likely.  Ideologues from both parties will fire off combative and conflicting statements of blame.  Unsubstantiated assertions and allegations will flood the media.  All the while, important matters (national debt, immigration, tax reform, national security, education) will get no better and may even become worse.

And half of the nation will continue to be angry, disappointed, and genuinely concerned. 

Once in office, the newly elected president may continue to unlawfully expand employment of executive orders as a form of governance.  Whether Congress or the courts will rein in  such lawlessness is doubtful based on recent history.  And with an eight member Supreme Court, contentious judicial nominations will become major illustrations of government dysfunction.

Legal challenges of all sorts will be levied, again, regardless of who claims victory.  Hearings, lawsuits, FOIA requests, etc. will proliferate.

All the while, half of the electorate will be angry, disappointed, and genuinely concerned.

Perhaps, just perhaps, a shift will occur because of this anger, disappointment, and concern.  Maybe some elected officials will look to the 2016 election and see that it as a wake up signal, regardless of political leanings.  It is possible the enough elected officials may wake up and recognize that they must tackle, by some form of of compromise, the serious matters facing our country.  One good start: instead of omnibus appropriation and spending bills, separate bills (as intended) will be legislated and sent to the president for signature.  Maybe enough elected officials will see the need to remove riders and amendments, so that basic matters can be addressed.  Maybe enough elected officials will recognize the time is right to once and for all tackle wasteful pork in the national budget.   Maybe, just maybe, the word compromise will enter the daily vocabulary.

If not, by then the entire electorate will be justifiably angry, disappointed, and genuinely concerned.  And that would portend a legitimate national crisis.     

        

National health care

For those advocating a "single payer" or national health care system to replace Obamacare, they should read this piece from the Washington Post about the Veterans Health Administration, the largest health care system in the nation.

Do we really want something so inefficient?

The Veterans Health Administration is a mature system, with hundreds of treatment locations around the nation, employing thousands of heath care personnel.  If, with all these resources, the government can not provide timely and quality care to a small percentage of the population, there is no reason whatsoever to believe the government will be able to provide timely and quality care to more than 300,000,000 citizens.

Big government is not the answer.  
 

Veterans Day 2016 approaches

Veterans Day 2016 approaches.  

On 1 November, veterans came together to honor the latest serviceman killed in Iraq, Chief Petty Officer Jason Finan, United States Navy.  

Noting the flying American flags, cannot help but think of the controversial act of kneeling during the National Anthem.

Those choosing this form of public protest most likely have no military experience, personal or family, and do not understand the impact on veterans.  Though this veteran and those with whom I associate are incensed by the disrespectful act, we also (to a man) recognize and defend the right of the protestors to do so.  It is one of the rights we, not they, served to support and defend.

November is also the month of the Military Family.  Military families serve, often times without public recognition for their sacrifices, in ways most Americans do not understand.  As less that one-half of one percent serve on active duty, the relative numbers of military families are very small.  Yet their sacrifices are far out of proportion to their numbers.  Ask the wife who gives birth to her first child, while her husband is overseas, as did my wife over four decades ago.  Ask the wife who receives the news of her husband's death in some far flung place, as did the wife of CPO Finan.  Ask the children who do not see their fathers for months or years during their upbringing, as the servicemen are deployed around the world and at sea.  Ask the family of the E-2 struggling to make ends meet on a level of pay that meets HUD definition of low income.  So as Veterans Day approaches, let us also keep our military families in mind. 

As November 11 approaches, it follows two key dates.  Election Day on 8 November and the Marine Corps Birthday on 10 November.  One date marks a particularly ugly chapter in our nation's history.  The other marks the birth of the world's greatest fighting force.  One date conjures up disturbing images, memories, and scenes of disrespectful, deceitful, corrupt, illegal, selfish, unethical, and insulting pursuit of the presidency.  The other conjures up admirable images, memories, and scenes of sacrifice, heroism, service, and patriotism.

On this Veterans Day, in particular, the nation should pause for a moment to recognize the contributions our veterans made while in uniform and then out of uniform once they returned to broader society.  They continue to serve, young and old, in all sectors of our country.  They came home from World War II and Iraq and Afghanistan to become role models for their fellow citizens.

God bless our veterans and military families.         

Honoring the fallen

  
Chief Petty Officer Finan arrived in San Diego this morning and it was an honor to serve as an escort with my brothers from the Patriot Guard Riders.

KIA in Iraq, the explosive ordnance disposal specialist was transported from the airport to the Bankers Hill area of San Diego.  As the procession made its way along Harbor Drive, we could see members of the Coast Guard saluting.  On each street corner on 5th Avenue in Bankers Hill and Hillcrest, there were uniformed members of the Navy saluting as the procession passed.  Throughout, law enforcement provided traffic control and escorts, with the fire department prominent in the procession.

In addition to the military salutes, civilians lined the street, some waving American flags and some with their hands over their hearts.

Here is a short video from Channel 10 San Diego.

Picture of CPO Finan, overhead picture of procession (by Faris Tanyos), and video obtained from Channel 10 San Diego website.

Copyright Scripps Media

33 years ago

It has been 33 years since the terrorist attack known as the Beirut Bombing took the lives of 241 American servicemen, 220 Marines, 18 sailors, and three soldiers on 23 October 1983.  (58 French peacekeepers were also killed in a separate bombing.) 

On that Sunday morning in North Carolina, I was assigned to the personal staff of the Commanding General 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing in Havelock, North Carolina.  Walking into the house after my morning run, I saw my wife's anguished face.  She explained that there had been an attack in Beirut and that lots of Marines were dead.

While watching the TV for reports, I called the Chief of Staff, Colonel Bateman, to check in.  Two reasons motivated the call.  Our Commanding General, Major General Keith Smith, and his wife Shirley had a son in Beirut, Captain Vinnie Smith.  And I did not know if we would be called out for some action, since Battalion Landing Team One Eight (BLT 1/8) and its parent command the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit (24th MAU) had been sourced from the II Marine Amphibious Force (II MEF) in North Carolina.  Colonel Bateman had no immediate orders, so I joined countless others in waiting and praying.

In the hours, days, and weeks to come, the extent of the tragedy became known.  It seemed most of us had some direct connection to the casualties, such as Major Bill Winter, with whom I had served on barracks duty in the late 70s.  That spring, while down at Camp Lejeune for training, I had briefly met with Bill, prior to the 24th MAU shipping out.  Captain Vinnie Smith, our Commanding General's son, was one of the last KIA identified some time after the attack.

A pall hung over the headquarters and the entire region.  Not long after, the medevac fights began arriving at the air station, from where some of the wounded were subsequently transported by surface means to Camp Lejeune.  President Reagan flew down for the memorial service at Camp Lejeune, which took place on a miserable, rainy day.  Funerals were scheduled and held.  Military families came together to support those impacted by the attack.

In one extraordinary display of respect and leadership, Bill Winter's widow received exceptional support from the Casualty Assistance Calls Officer (CACO), the Marine tasked with supporting the family in the event of a Marine's death on active duty.  Usually it is an assignment given to an officer from the Marine's unit, normally a relatively junior officer.  Years later I learned that Bill's and my Commanding Officer from our tour at Marine Barracks United Kingdom, in 1983 a Colonel at MCRD Parris Island, had himself assigned as the CACO.  Absolutely extraordinary and an example of exceptional leadership by a hardened combat veteran who had been presented the Medal of Honor for valor in Vietnam, James E. Livingston, who went on to retire as a Major General.

Now, decades and several wars later, monuments have been built, remembrance ceremonies have been held, and tears are shed at the memory and thoughts of all those young lives lost in that terrorist attack.

Now retired from the Marine Corps, I reflect on 23 October each year about what could have been.  The rules of engagement for the sentries that fateful day were that no magazines were inserted into their weapons.  In the context of today's world, it would not happen.  I think of the tactics employed in Iraq and Afghanistan to thwart vehicle borne bombs.  What if these tactics and rules of engagement were in place that Sunday? 

Though muscular talk flowed from Washington DC and Vice President Bush when he visited Beirut on 26 October, no retaliatory attack was undertaken.  Ironically, in view of what has transpired in the intervening years and the current threats we face, the suicide bomber has been possibly identified as an Iranian member of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, likely with Hezbollah involvement.

Despite loud declarations that America "would not be cowed by terrorists" and would remain, in February 1984 President Reagan ordered the withdrawal of American forces.

For this gray beard, it appears our adversaries learned all too well that the American will to respond to the attack was weak.  Kill enough Americans and they will depart.  In 1983 it was 241 dead Americans that led to our departure from Lebanon.  In 1993, it was 19 dead Americans that led to our departure from Somalia.  Two different presidents from two different political parties, with the same results.

This changed somewhat in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but underlying problems remain.

If unwilling to use all of our military capabilities swiftly, violently, and without hesitation to destroy our enemies, then do not send our men and women in harm's way.  Do not construct rules of engagement that restrict our ability and capacity to win.  Do not deploy our forces into combat without a declaration of war, which can only be made by Congress.  (The oft employed Authorization for the Use of Military Force [AUMF] is woefully inadequate.  The AUMF also lead to "I voted for it, before I voted against" stances by politicians.)

And, if someone dares to attack our military in peacetime, respond immediately with overwhelming force to destroy those who would do us harm, plus their supporters.  No speeches.  No Rose Garden posturing.  No Congressional press events.  No focus group discussions.  No junior NSC staffer calling field commanders.  No days or weeks of floating ideas anonymously to the media.  Have plans and authorities in place for each of our combatant commanders, enabling them to immediately respond to any and all attacks.

Otherwise, the lessons of the past 33 years will have been lost and the deaths of all our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in the past three plus decades will have been for naught. 

        


     

Military tradition

 
Around this time of year, several military related events (US Navy birthday, US Marine Corps birthday, Veterans Day) evoke traditional actions and ceremonies.

Tradition is something civilians, in general, do not understand.  And the current group of progressives, in particular, can not comprehend the importance of tradition.  

For members of the military and veterans, our institutional beliefs make us great, as they set the tone for all who serve.  We were trained in the histories and traditions of our services, not to indoctrinate, but to ensure we understood the responsibility we undertook to safeguard the valor, memories, victories, and sacrifices of those who went before us.

Our traditions help reinforce the belief and imperative of sacrifice, of putting the welfare of our nation, service, unit, mission, and comrades above self.  Never let a fellow Marine down!

The current crop of progressives routinely attack the military and its traditions; like the absolute importance of the American Flag.  Where they can, they seek to force change in our traditions.  For example, doing away with Navy enlisted ratings. 

It is another all too sad reminder of Obama's, Clinton's, and their crowd's disdain for our military .  Tragically, it also provides insight into the world that would follow a Clinton election.  Infamous for her demands that military uniforms be kept out of sight when she was FLOTUS, one can only speculate what steps she might undertake as POTUS. 

Fortunately, we stand above HRC and her kind.  They can not appreciate that which they don't understand, as the reasons for their lack of understanding are simple.  They put self above all else.  They seek personal power, influence, and financial wealth.  They seek to destroy those institutions built upon long histories of tradition, sacrifice, and service to the nation, because these long serving institutions threaten their self-serving objectives.  They disparage those among us who willingly join to serve the nation, to embrace the traditions we learn, while understanding to do so may lead to the ultimate sacrifice.

As we celebrate, remember, and mourn, our traditions stand strong.  No politician without military experience will ever be able to understand this.   

Marine Corps General pleads guilty

As reported elsewhere, retired Marine Corps General James Cartwright pleaded guilty to a felony for action he undertook while on active duty.  This can result in imprisonment for five years, though the report indicates a plea bargain for six months confinement has been proposed.

As a consequence, Cartwright deserves to have his retirement rank and benefits reduced.  General officers are not above the law and when found guilty of breaking the law while on active duty, there must be military unique consequences.

In this case, reduction of retired rank from general (four stars) to colonel is warranted.  Together with the reduction in retired rank, retired pay would be reduced from that of a four star (O-10) to colonel (O-6).

These consequences are most appropriate.

SecDef and SecNav are called upon to swiftly undertake these actions, so when Cartwright walks out of prison, he does so as a retired colonel. 

Judge them by the same standards

As news cycles ebb and flow, pieces judging candidates seem to dominate.  Apart from deliberately stilted coverage, this is the way it should be.  Though the fine art of principled journalism has yielded to expressing individual views disguised as "news," the valued role of the media is to inform.  Just the facts, nothing but the facts.

Perhaps no where is this more important than when judging elected officials and those seeking elected office.  All that can be asked is that elected officials and those seeking elected office be judged by the same standards.    

Determining the standards by which they are judged is fairly easy.  For example, truthfulness, honesty, obeying the law, integrity, performance, ethics, consistency, knowledge, fidelity, accomplishment, respect, veracity, humility, decency, patriotism, honor, judgment, principle, and embodying American values.

Applying the standards is also fairly easy.  Review the records of accomplishment or lack thereof.  Review what has been said, publicly and privately.  Look at the family life.  Compare and contrast stated objectives with accomplishments.  Evaluate friendships and associations (birds of a feather flock together).  Critically review political speeches for the truth.  And many more.

And judge each by these same standards.  Do not hold one candidate or elected official to one set of standards and the opponents to another.        

At onetime I thought disagreeing with things was natural as one ages.

At onetime I thought disagreeing with things was natural as one ages.  For example, my parents weren't too crazy about the music, style of clothes, and other manifestations of our generation.  As I am confident their parents weren't thrilled about similar things in their youth.  So differences between generations seem normal.

Be as that may be, however, it is clear the issues we now face are far more than generational.  Our entire belief system is being attacked on multiple fronts by multiple means.  This cultural war is being waged by politicians and activists seemingly bent upon taking down the country.  Belatedly in my view, the heartland is rising up in anger against demands falsely labeled as tolerance for difference.  

It is not enough for some to plead for tolerance for the secular lifestyle, they demand that all must accept and support it.  It is not enough to ask for acceptance of Muslims, they demand that we yield to their views and cast out our Christian beliefs.  It is not enough to seek workplace equality for females, they demand preference and lowered standards, while demanding we demean masculinity.  It is not enough to seek an end to racial bias, they now demand racial preferences, racially segregated housing on college campuses, and even reparations.  It is not enough to seek solutions to the immigration problems, they demand rights reserved for citizens be accorded illegal immigrants. 

Flying under this false flag of tolerance, they are actively demanding social and cultural changes.  And since they can't make wholesale changes for the entire country, they have found one element within our nation in which they can make these social and cultural changes at will, a stroke of the pen.  Executive fiat without care or consideration of the impact.  

Most disturbing to me and fellow veterans is a particularly dangerous manifestation of these demands for social and cultural changes.  The current administration, like Bill Clinton's, uses the military as their own social science laboratory.  Hating the integrity, sacrifice, honesty, honor, courage, and commitment of the men and women in uniform, Obama and Clinton have forced changes by edict upon the military, changes that have nothing to do with combat preparedness or readiness.  They are intent upon social and cultural policies that do away with what is needed to succeed in combat.  

Concurrently they reduced budgets, selected for senior flag officers many sycophants who join in degrading  the military, failed to gain Congressional approval for war, enacted failed national security policies, appeased our adversaries, squandered crucial resources, and used men and women in uniform as potted plants for photo ops.  Flying under the false flag of tolerance, they brought in others of their ilk to shove this crap down the throats of the uniformed forces.

And because the progressives have not been able to squelch the rising voices from the conservative heartland, they continue to force the military to yield to their increasing demands, breaking faith with those who serve.  Sadly, tragically it is not too surprising, since less than one half of one percent of the nation serves in uniform and the progressives are not in this group of patriots.  

The disdain in which Obama and Clinton hold the military is well known and unquestioned.  They and their fellow  progressives, liberals, left, Democrats, media, or whatever label best fits are actually the most intolerant group in our country.  Hence the vitriol surrounding the election, as the starkly different choices are magnified in the heartland of America.      
 

We must depart the path set upon by Obama in particular.  We must turn back by repeal, cancellation, legislation, repudiation, and other action the injurious policies and actions of the past seven plus years.  I truly believe the majority of Americans understand this.  The big question is whether they will turn out in significant numbers to vote.  Sadly, Trump's words and actions work against getting the high conservative voter turnout necessary to deny Clinton the presidency.

Profoundly telling, in conversations with fellow retired senior leaders, to a man they have expressed that we could not serve in today's military.  We'd either be jailed for speaking our minds or simply depart rather than force upon the youth of our nation the perverted social and cultural policies demanded by POTUS and his cronies, who are simultaneously weakening our military to dangerously low levels.

Disagreeing with the actions of the current administration is not based upon generational differences.  It is based upon injurious actions being forced upon the military under the false rubric of pursuing tolerance.  

Only a high voter turnout can turn the tide.  

Law enforcement training

Generally I support law enforcement officers, the overwhelming majority of whom perform an often times thankless job under extraordinarily challenging and, at times, dangerous conditions.

But there is valid reason to call into question some shootings.  This is all the more the case when videos seem to indicate some victims were complying with directions or appear not to present a physical threat.

In such cases, I am left wondering about the quality, rigor, and frequency of training for the involved officers.  Perhaps unfairly, I want to compare law enforcement training to that which my fellow Marines received prior to deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan, most notably during the exceptionally realistic Mojave Viper exercises at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Marine Corps Base 29 Palms.

With role players, Hollywood inspired special effects, and demanding scenarios, the Marines were relentlessly trained on the combat realities they would face.  And this training was reinforced once "in country," military speak for being in the foreign country.

In some ways, the missions for which they trained are comparable to situations law enforcement might encounter when it comes to decisions regarding the employment of deadly force.  It is not 100% the same, but similar enough to warrant a comparison.

Do law enforcement agencies put their officers through similarly demanding training?  If they do, how often?

My guess is that some large police forces may have the resources to do some pretty good training and have individual officers repeat it on a reasonable schedule.  But it is also my guess that many, if not most, relatively small forces do not. 

Without such demanding, rigorous, relentless, and repeated training, law enforcement officers are likely not best prepared for potential deadly force encounters.  As adrenaline pumps through the body in response to some perceived or real threat, decisions must be made in a flash of second.  Training can equip the individual to deal with not only the body's reactions and the accompanying fear, but improve the judgment required in such situations.

I hope the inquiry into the Tulsa shooting includes focus on the training the shooting officer has received, its quality, its frequency, and its productivity.  Another guess is that such focus may be exceptionally instructive.    

Living the life

Living the life means riding the open road.  There is nothing comparable to rolling along, away from urban centers, on America's highways and backroads.  It is the quintessential definition of freedom.  Whether riding solo or with your honey.

Riding through the small towns that are the heart and soul of middle America.  Stopping at diners for a meal, eschewing the chain restaurants.  Encountering wonderful, patriotic, hard working folks.

That is how to get the measure of this nation.  In particular, the areas described as fly over country.  Far from the liberal bases on the east and west coasts.  Riding in the sun and wind across the Great Plains.

The ultimate expression of independence.  

Entering the small town in search of accommodations for the night provides the end of the day's ride.  Remembering it is not the destination, but the ride to it that is remarkable.  

This is living the life.  Portions of it can be had even near some of the urban areas, but only for brief spells, as the rider departs from and returns to the sprawling congestion.  In the summer the adventurous riders can escape along the sparsely populated portions of the west coast, well above San Francisco into northern California.  Living the life.

Freedom, independence, and the open road.