I signed up for the USMC in 1978 after growing up in the Cold War era. I went to boot camp right after high school. The commandant of the Marine Corps was a WWII veteran who wore the Medal of Honor.
Vietnam veterans ran the Marine Corps at the time. I had good years working for them.
I disavow what has gone on with the US Armed Forces in this century.
The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
From 2004
“Today, however, the Congress has relinquished its delegated powers, giving the President license to do whatever he and his office determine that they can get away with. Consequentially, the presidential and legislative oaths to the Constitution have just turned into a great photo op on inauguration day.”
“It is a sad and hard realization for a grunt who loves the Marine Corps to admit that the organization is not used in the preservation of liberty, and has not been used toward that end for a very long time.”
Various big companies will remind us that they support veterans and The Troops. Always wonder if any of those companies advocate for less in the way of undeclared/unwon wars. Maybe these big companies are more about expanding their marketing footprint.
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
One lesson: Newspeople need to ask questions no matter who is elected to office. The press should provide some measure of checks and balances. The press should work to keep people properly informed.
JFK speaks about the role of the press and voices of dissent in a free society:
Several years back, I started the Old Man Blog category. It involves thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
I was never in a war. My time in uniform wrapped up during the last century. The post 911 era slowly killed my spirit for patriotism and my enthusiasm for politics.
Don’t lie to people and maybe they would be more patriotic.
Johnny Westside
More than 4000 comments have been posted with the video above.
From comments:
I once thanked a veteran for his service and he said “It’s all bullshit.”
Armed Forces Recruiting – 1980s
Part of what made it work:
In past decades, people could do time in uniform, then return to the US with a feeling that they were living in the best country on the planet.
They believed it and their parents and grandparents believed it.
Those who did may have wished to hand down a better version of the modern American society to their kids and grandkids.
Both major parties have taken turns in power over the past 40 years or so. For sure, there is a chunk of public policy that has become worse, not better.
“Today, however, the Congress has relinquished its delegated powers, giving the President license to do whatever he and his office determine that they can get away with. Consequentially, the presidential and legislative oaths to the Constitution have just turned into a great photo op on inauguration day.”
“It is a sad and hard realization for a grunt who loves the Marine Corps to admit that the organization is not used in the preservation of liberty, and has not been used toward that end for a very long time.”
As the decades of undeclared/unwon wars stack up (The Department of Defense track record goes back to 1949.) the greater the cultural urge to glorify people who do, or did time in uniform.
If there is an honest reason to send people away into decades of undeclared/unwon wars overseas let’s hear all about it.
Why do we pretend that the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization?
Do any giant corporations advocate for less in the way of undeclared/unwon wars?
Newspeople remain silent.
Interesting that the Traveling Vietnam Wall refers to itself as the “Cost of Freedom Tribute” and not something related to lessons learned.
Possibly of interest:
Veterans Day
One of the very most meaningful federal holidays for some. Stolen from Armistice Day in the 1950s. At that time, the US Dept. of Defense had started a decades long tradition of not being able to stay out of or win undeclared wars in distant lands.
That was before decades of military operations for your freedoms.
US Troops were sent into life and death situations in the aftermath of 911.
For this reason it is important to ask questions and develop a feel for what is real and what is honest.
It feels like a society where honest and meaningful ideas stand up to questioning and discussion, but the questioning and discussion rarely takes place.
Love to see newspeople interview elected officials and let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
TV newspeople avoid asking:
If the CIA (est 1947) serves as an advantage to the US, why does the Department of Defense have such a poor record of winning undeclared wars going back to 1949, the year DOD was established?
These questions do not need to be asked on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, Blue Angels day or Armed Forces Day. Sometime during the year, please ask these questions.
The US should maintain strong and ready military forces.
In some cases, the US Armed Forces provide for our security. That’s as good as it gets.
In terms of American rights and freedoms, the Dept. of Defense has no more say than the Dept. of Agriculture.
Each November, school teachers across America host Veterans Day assemblies– and promote the idea to children that The Troops are in distant lands-fighting for American rights and freedoms-as if the US Armed Forces function as some sort of giant civil rights organization.
In Washington State, these assemblies are mandatory.
In the 60s & 70s I never attended a Veterans Day assembly at school.
There were none.
Probably enough veterans around to remove most of the mystique, or maybe those veterans thought it was all just an average thing and did not want to be seen as a separate part of American society, or get head of the line parking spots over at the grocery store. Maybe the concept of Armistice Day had not gone completely extinct.
Growing up in the 60s & 70s- veterans were all around- church, school, Boy Scout leaders, family, the neighborhood, etc. It was all just an average thing. These folks weren’t seen as a separate part of American society.
People weren’t stepping over to say “Thanks for your service” to my Dad- who did time in the Navy in the 50s- but looked just like anyone else out in public.
These guys weren’t lining up for free dinner promotions marketed by major restaurant chains.
Any elected official or retired elected official who tells us The Troops were sent to protect American rights and freedoms needs to explain how those rights and freedoms are any different today because US troops were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.
Macho Swagger
Watch Secretary of War Pete Hegseth takes thrilling fighter jet ride with ‘Top-Gun’ pilots:
The US Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911.
We haven’t won a war since.
Made For TV
Various big companies will remind us that they support veterans and The Troops. Always wonder if any of those companies advocate for less in the way of undeclared/unwon wars. Maybe these big companies are more about expanding their marketing footprint.
Several years back, I started the Old Man Blog category. It involves thoughts on changes in American culture relating to those born roughly in the late 50s & early 60s.
1976 US Bicentennial – The “Thanks for Your Service” phrase was not yet in style. The decades of undeclared/unwon wars that came after the lessons of Vietnam would bring the phrase into commonplace use.
To me, this would come off as more respectful, thoughtful and meaningful. It could lead to discussions people might learn from.
Veteran With A Sign
Why I Left the Marines
Nation-Building – Troops In Camo On The Street
“I don’t want to think about the National Guard. I don’t want to necessarily discuss my affiliation with the National Guard. I don’t want to fulfill my normal National Guard duties just because of the abuses of the National Guard in this D.C. mission,” the guard member said, noting that isn’t how he’s felt after previous domestic deployments.”
Played no role in preventing the catastrophic military failure of 911.
Played no role in the undeclared/unwon wars that followed.
Wonders why elected officials and high level DOD civilians speak of the US Armed Forces as if they function as some sort of giant civil rights organization.
Several news sources published this quote. View them here.
The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.
Mayor Day,
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
If I was with the press, I would ask Lt. Col. Bushatz if the Kosovo deployment was also somehow related to American rights and freedoms. I’d ask if it was related to defending the US Constitution.
I would ask Lt. Col. Bushatz if the freedom talk is just for federal holidays and overseas military operations.
Bosses over at the media outlet probably would not want these sorts of questions to be presented to military authorities.
Newspeople Avoid Asking Questions
Will there ever come a time when newspeople ask if there is any military emergency, national emergency, draft, or declaration of war, linked to the movement of National Guard troops to an overseas location?
Both major political parties are now OK with treating 18-20 year old adults as second-class citizens. Can you explain the militarized version of freedom here?
Alcohol, marijuana, tobacco and firearms restrictions are in place for 18-20 year old adults. Is there any state where recreational marijuana laws remove prohibition for adults at age 18?
Doesn’t seem to fit with a society that can’t stop bragging about freedom, thanking the troops for freedoms, fighting wars for freedoms, staging military jet flyovers at sporting events for freedom, etc.
Certainly, Americans do not live in a free and honest society.
Hey school teachers, are the Joint Chiefs of Staff sending The Troops to fix any of this? Will National Guard deployments from Hometown, USA to distant lands (already been done for decades now) enhance American rights and freedoms?
Lt. Col. Bushatz,
Honest and meaningful ideas stand up to questioning and discussion.
The US Armed forces have been operating in the Middle East for decades now. These military operations are somehow linked to American rights and freedoms? Please explain.
Tough Assignment
Trying to recruit a younger generation for US military service after the US Dept of Defense already spent the last 30 years squandering prestige and credibility overseas and at home.
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, it feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars. The DOD brand has been wrecked.
Understandable why young people and their parents and grandparents would take a dim view on all this.
School children are taught about a free enterprise system. They grow up to find out that the federal government will tell them what kind of shower head they must install in the bathroom, and what type of gas can they must buy for their lawn mower.
Did hostile forces in distant lands attempt to replace US consumer demand with government demand and end the free enterprise system?
Several news sources published this quote. View them here.
The idea that sending hometown troops to Africa would be linked in any way with keeping the people of Salisbury Maryland safe and free calls for more discussion.
Mayor Day,
While the troops were deployed, federal law was signed prohibiting the sale of tobacco products to adults age 18-20.
Can you help us to understand the militarized version of freedom here?
Above: Approved Flag Images
