In Flanders Field, In Fort Hood

In Flanders Field the poppies grow
between the crosses row on row

It's depressing to be a veteran in the United States today, a day when we still mourn the men and women gunned down by an Islamic terrorist. A day when the President of the United States has the gall to show up at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington.

The reality is that we have a President who does not deserve to so much as wash the jockstrap of the lowest E-1 at Parris Island. We have a Chief of Staff of the United States Army who thinks that diversity is more important than the lives of his soldiers.

Why do I think we'd be better off having General Casey demoted to E-2 and retired and a random infantry or armor sergeant promoted to Chief of Staff. Do a lottery, random E-5s promoted, hold the job for two years and then returned to the ranks. Oh, and Artillery and Signal, too. Any E-5 of a combat arm.

The old system worked for a long time but it isn't working now. We need a system in the military where folks putting their ideas into the services have to live with the results. When was the last time a General really had to live with the politically correct idiocy that is pervading our entire society, including the military.

I am having a minor fight with my electronic friend, Cynthia Yockey over gays in the military. I favor an experimental unit, she is just so durned sure. The difference between her and I is that I have seen the results of a unit where cohesion fell apart. I got to help carry the bodies back. This was a unit where racial strife opened young men to be killed and wounded. And this was close to 20 years after Truman integrated the Services.

The military is the most successful example of integration in the United States of America. Yet somehow we got a Tim McVeigh and a Nidal Hasan out of of the Army. And that nutjob they just executed, the "DC Sniper", too. Perhaps the Army should take a long look at itself. Is it just the Army's size that allows these clowns when we don't see them come out of the Corps or navy or even out of the wing wipers?

Unfortunately we won't see that long look, instead we're seeing a worry about their precious diversity. Perhaps if they knocked off that diversity crap and just beat into them that there is no white, black or brown but only Army Blue, kind of like the Marine Corps and the only color there is is green. By the time a recruit leaves San Diego or Parris Island he bleeds green when he's cut.

Speaking of San Diego and Parris Island, yesterday was the Corps' Birthday. Founded in Tun's Tavern, Philadelphia in 1775 you can still find a Marine in a tavern when off duty although the old fashioned hard drinking Marine is now going somewhat out of style.

Yesterday was also another anniversary. Another year has gone by in our life together, Linda Lou and I had a normal (for us) day although it was one of those wedding anniversaries, this one ending in 0. It would feel like yesterday if it weren't for all those grandkids running about. If I had it to do over again I would. I might try to take a little better care of my back but, otherwise, I wouldn't change a thing.