My critique here is directed at the made for TV newspeole who occaisionaly stage tearful reunions featuring military personnel returning from far away lands.
I have solid respect for the people who serve in the National Guard.
Unlike active duty folks, these guys need to have a regular job and a place to live back home when not helping DOD squander credibility in distant lands.
Some people are working hard to keep the National Guard out of undeclared wars in distant lands:
Idaho
Feb 26, 2020 Post Register
“As lieutenant governor, I support efforts by Rep. Tammy Nichols — backed by former Idaho National Guard Sgt. Dan McKnight and BringOurTroopsHome.US — to enact “Defend the Guard”legislation requiring that Idaho’s Guard personnel shall not be activated for combat duty overseas unless Congress has first declared war.”
West Virginia
Jobs program:
Bill would disrupt West Virginia’s National Guard
February 10, 2020 West Virginia MetroNews Network
“Second, and perhaps more important, the state and the National Guard benefit significantly from the Guard’s federal roles in federal allocations and civilian jobs here. If West Virginia were able to withdraw from its federal role (except in the case of a declared war), it would lose millions of federal dollars, civilian jobs and critical military training and support.”
Feb 29, 2020 WOWK News video:
West Virginia National Guard Sgt. holds baby girl for first time after deployment
Nowhere in the text of this report is there any hint of where this West Virginia National Guard unit went for nine months, or why they were there.
The news video intro is all smiles and refers to the entire unit as heroes. Nowhere in the video do newspeople reveal the location to which the unit was deployed.
At 2:35, the little girl in the video lets us know that the unit was in Afghanistan.
If calling the West Virginia National Guard away to distant lands is vital to the people of West Virginia, it seems like newspeople would want to make some effort to inform the public on the importance of this mission.
Hero
Military culture is very careful about who is called a hero. The Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, and Silver Star are awarded to heroes.
In mainstream culture, you don’t have to look too far to find comments that refer to the troops as “heroes.”
Some are.
No one who has done time in an average military unit would be comfortable with everyone present being called a hero. Some units would be the exception, but for most people who have done time over the years, calling everyone a hero would have no connection to reality.
Reality, and an honest understanding of why we send The Troops to far away places isn’t what we’re about though.
Reaching for an honest understanding of US foreign policy makes more sense than “Thanks for your service.”
Love to see newspeople show up and ask why the people of West Virginia needed services in Afghanistan, absent any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war.
JFK speaks about the role of the press in a free society:
Related:
Various states have recently sent National Guard troops to distant lands. Each one claims that military operations overseas are somehow linked to American rights and freedoms:
How did Rhode Island freedoms get over to the Middle East?
Maryland Freedoms Found In The Middle East?
West Virginia Freedom Found In The Middle East?
How did our freedom and liberties get over to Kosovo?
How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
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Photo:
A symbol of TV newspeople playing a show business role, instead of asking questions.