Won't you help me make it through?
The events today at Fort Hood bother me greatly. I'm not entirely certain I can fully express just how deep this trouble sits, but I'm going to attempt to bring it to the surface here, if for no other reason than to try to cope.
No, I do not currently know anybody stationed in Fort Hood. I have in the past, but as the various reports have been quick to point out, Fort Hood is the largest U.S. military installation in the world, and is also the largest staging location for units deploying overseas and returning home from deployment. I have known people who have gone through. Growing up Air Force, I was never there personally, but it doesn't matter. I lived on 4 bases growing up; Reese, Yakota, Maxwell, and Patrick. I know what Life on Base is like. There is a camaraderie among neighbors not found ANYWHERE ELSE on the planet. Even if you never talk to the person in the unit next to you, there is that quiet understanding that if anything goes wrong you protect your own, you support your own, and you fight for your own.
This person -- this maniac, this psychopath, this murderous traitor -- acted counter to absolutely everything that the United Stated of America Armed Forces stands for. When one wears that uniform, be it Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marines, one dedicates one's life to a code of conduct and honor the likes of which no other person on the planet is held. First, foremost, and always, is service to country. Defend the common good to ensure the continuing healthy operation of the United States. The second directive to service to country is service to fellow members of the armed forces. And that, dear friends, is the sticking point.
No matter which branch, no matter the rank, no matter the length of time served, EVERY member of the Armed Forces is a member of a the same family. It's not always tight-knit, but that Armed Forces family comes first. It's how the Armed Forces work. No unit, no squad, no platoon, no battalion can operate without every man and woman knowing without any hint, speck, or whisper of a doubt that every individual serving with you will act in your aid and defense at all times. Whether you're fighting fatigue in a secure bunker in Ohio controlling Predators or fighting insurgents in Iraq, the members of the unit protect each other. "No man left behind" is not just some cliche phrase used by scriptwriters and directors to make scenes more dramatic; it is an intrinsic component of military service, no matter the station of duty, and one by which all service members operate at all times.
This is why the incident in Fort Hood shakes me to my core. I grew up knowing that no matter what happens -- enemy attack, change of command, change of station of duty -- that nobody would EVER have to watch inside the walls as diligently as the watch looking out. Today that was shaken when this person, reportedly a Major (which, fastest I ever saw, means at least 15 years in the service) broke EVERY ASPECT of Armed Forces life and fired upon his own. His fellow service members, his FAMILY, were gunned down because he stopped adhering to the code on which his service has been based.
I've heard some say that if he was mentally troubled he should be treated as such and hopefully rehabilitated. BULLSHIT! This is not some 30-something worker on the manufacturing line who got tired of the special treatment given to others by the floor supervisor. This was a college educated, dedicated, career-service OFFICER who has lived roughly half his life in service to his country and to his service members. He was also a licensed Psychiatrist who once worked at Walter Reed Medical Center. He not only knew his shit, but also knew what to look for in regards to signs of mental degradation.
This act he committed -- assuming it was him and not somebody else yet unrevealed -- is unconscionable. As a soldier, as a scientist and medical professional, and as a PERSON, he committed treason. As a person, he may possibly be forgiven. As a scientist and medical professional, he can have his license revoked. But as a soldier, as a career officer who's LIFE was dedicated to the service of the Army of the United States of America, he is a traitor. Under that same code by which he lived and served during his career, there is only one outcome for him. May it be just as painful as the outcome he brought upon his victims.
Personally, I think an appropriate punishment would be to drive him by armored transport under guard to the middle of the wilderness without any human habitat within 50 miles, and kick him out equipped only with his shorts, shirt, socks, and boots. 15 minutes later, a squad of Army Rangers is released from one nearby location and a squad of Green Berets is releases from another nearby location. The two squads are competing under a Tactical Operations scenario to eliminate the imminent threat, and are provided with full operations support. All ammo is live. First team with a confirmed kill wins.
This entry was originally posted to my DreamWidth account. Please consider joining or commenting via OpenID.
No, I do not currently know anybody stationed in Fort Hood. I have in the past, but as the various reports have been quick to point out, Fort Hood is the largest U.S. military installation in the world, and is also the largest staging location for units deploying overseas and returning home from deployment. I have known people who have gone through. Growing up Air Force, I was never there personally, but it doesn't matter. I lived on 4 bases growing up; Reese, Yakota, Maxwell, and Patrick. I know what Life on Base is like. There is a camaraderie among neighbors not found ANYWHERE ELSE on the planet. Even if you never talk to the person in the unit next to you, there is that quiet understanding that if anything goes wrong you protect your own, you support your own, and you fight for your own.
This person -- this maniac, this psychopath, this murderous traitor -- acted counter to absolutely everything that the United Stated of America Armed Forces stands for. When one wears that uniform, be it Army, Air Force, Navy, or Marines, one dedicates one's life to a code of conduct and honor the likes of which no other person on the planet is held. First, foremost, and always, is service to country. Defend the common good to ensure the continuing healthy operation of the United States. The second directive to service to country is service to fellow members of the armed forces. And that, dear friends, is the sticking point.
No matter which branch, no matter the rank, no matter the length of time served, EVERY member of the Armed Forces is a member of a the same family. It's not always tight-knit, but that Armed Forces family comes first. It's how the Armed Forces work. No unit, no squad, no platoon, no battalion can operate without every man and woman knowing without any hint, speck, or whisper of a doubt that every individual serving with you will act in your aid and defense at all times. Whether you're fighting fatigue in a secure bunker in Ohio controlling Predators or fighting insurgents in Iraq, the members of the unit protect each other. "No man left behind" is not just some cliche phrase used by scriptwriters and directors to make scenes more dramatic; it is an intrinsic component of military service, no matter the station of duty, and one by which all service members operate at all times.
This is why the incident in Fort Hood shakes me to my core. I grew up knowing that no matter what happens -- enemy attack, change of command, change of station of duty -- that nobody would EVER have to watch inside the walls as diligently as the watch looking out. Today that was shaken when this person, reportedly a Major (which, fastest I ever saw, means at least 15 years in the service) broke EVERY ASPECT of Armed Forces life and fired upon his own. His fellow service members, his FAMILY, were gunned down because he stopped adhering to the code on which his service has been based.
I've heard some say that if he was mentally troubled he should be treated as such and hopefully rehabilitated. BULLSHIT! This is not some 30-something worker on the manufacturing line who got tired of the special treatment given to others by the floor supervisor. This was a college educated, dedicated, career-service OFFICER who has lived roughly half his life in service to his country and to his service members. He was also a licensed Psychiatrist who once worked at Walter Reed Medical Center. He not only knew his shit, but also knew what to look for in regards to signs of mental degradation.
This act he committed -- assuming it was him and not somebody else yet unrevealed -- is unconscionable. As a soldier, as a scientist and medical professional, and as a PERSON, he committed treason. As a person, he may possibly be forgiven. As a scientist and medical professional, he can have his license revoked. But as a soldier, as a career officer who's LIFE was dedicated to the service of the Army of the United States of America, he is a traitor. Under that same code by which he lived and served during his career, there is only one outcome for him. May it be just as painful as the outcome he brought upon his victims.
Personally, I think an appropriate punishment would be to drive him by armored transport under guard to the middle of the wilderness without any human habitat within 50 miles, and kick him out equipped only with his shorts, shirt, socks, and boots. 15 minutes later, a squad of Army Rangers is released from one nearby location and a squad of Green Berets is releases from another nearby location. The two squads are competing under a Tactical Operations scenario to eliminate the imminent threat, and are provided with full operations support. All ammo is live. First team with a confirmed kill wins.
This entry was originally posted to my DreamWidth account. Please consider joining or commenting via OpenID.