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.