thedrifter
06-02-07, 07:13 AM
A Marine "Mustang" writes to General Mattis' Judge Advocate
[Blog note: The following is re-printed with the permission of Captain Greenlaw, a combat veteran and a Marine "Mustang" officer who spent a full career in the Corps. He writes to LtCol Riggs, the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) to LtGen Mattis who is the convening authority at Camp Pandleton. The address to the SJA is provided herein just in case someone also wants to email him.]
-----Original Message-----
From: Don [mailto:dgreenlaw@cox.net]
Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 12:55 PM
To: RiggsB@marcent.usmc.mil
Subject: Fw: Fw: "THE CORPS"
LtCol Riggs: This is a msg I received from another Retired Marine Officer who is unhappy about the way the Corps is now looking after their young Marines.
I, for one, have a strapping young grandson, who lives here in Oceanside and, at this point in time, I would not recommend that he join the Corps.
If this everlasting circus going on with K/3/1 & K/3/5 continues much longer, the Commandant is going to experience rough days ahead on recruiting and I don't think these huge bonus' he's offering will entice these young, very intelligent, Marines to extend or reenlist, as we did years ago, when we were sure our leaders were watching our 6'oclock & not locking us up for doing the job we enlisted to do and that is to fight this wars.
When I read some of these articles where the Prosecutor gets some witness on the stand and they discuss bullet holes in the heads of civilians, etc., that tells me that the prosecutor or the witness has never been in a fire fight with lead flying all around you.
You put a weapon on full automatic and start firing at enemy positions that you are receiving fire from and some innocents are bound to get killed.
War is hell.
Some body ought to educate this Mr. Parks, the DOD expert, who supposedly wrote the "rules of war". Give this Mr. Parks an M-16 & Flak Jacket, send him in-country, put him on the line with the Sgt's, Cpl's, Pfc's & 2ndLt's and let's see what he can do. I think he will come back and re-write the book.
I've attended 3 or 4 of these hearings and the Bacos trial.
Very rarely, if ever, do you see a Defense Counsel get up and object or do anything. It has all appearances of a well scripted Broadway Play.
It would now appear we have lost two good 2ndLt's.
First, it was Patano and if Phan is smart, he will resign his commission. His career has now been wrecked by thoughtless actions of those who should have stood by his side.
V/R & S/F,
Don Greenlaw
Captain, USMC(Ret'd)
Marine Mustang
----- Original Message -----
From: Clarence Nelson [email address omitted]
To: Don
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 8:30 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: "THE CORPS"
Thanks Don, I needed that. I am so disappointed in the Marine Corps leadership these days that it nearly breaks my heart. The Commandant recently sent a letter asking all retired Marines to help with recruiting.
I'm sorry General Conway, I can't in all good conscience suggest to a Mother that the Marine Corps will take good care of her son.
New subject: Tomorrow morning I leave on an extended automobile trip to the East Coast and back. I will be gone for over a month. Back around the 4th of July. So, to avoid having my Inbox full when I get back, take me off your list for a month.
Semper Fi
Clarence Nelson
Permalink: patriotblog.unitedpatriots.org/2007/06/01/a-marine-mustang-writes-to-general-mattis-judge-advocate.aspx
Ellie
[Blog note: The following is re-printed with the permission of Captain Greenlaw, a combat veteran and a Marine "Mustang" officer who spent a full career in the Corps. He writes to LtCol Riggs, the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA) to LtGen Mattis who is the convening authority at Camp Pandleton. The address to the SJA is provided herein just in case someone also wants to email him.]
-----Original Message-----
From: Don [mailto:dgreenlaw@cox.net]
Sent: Friday, June 01, 2007 12:55 PM
To: RiggsB@marcent.usmc.mil
Subject: Fw: Fw: "THE CORPS"
LtCol Riggs: This is a msg I received from another Retired Marine Officer who is unhappy about the way the Corps is now looking after their young Marines.
I, for one, have a strapping young grandson, who lives here in Oceanside and, at this point in time, I would not recommend that he join the Corps.
If this everlasting circus going on with K/3/1 & K/3/5 continues much longer, the Commandant is going to experience rough days ahead on recruiting and I don't think these huge bonus' he's offering will entice these young, very intelligent, Marines to extend or reenlist, as we did years ago, when we were sure our leaders were watching our 6'oclock & not locking us up for doing the job we enlisted to do and that is to fight this wars.
When I read some of these articles where the Prosecutor gets some witness on the stand and they discuss bullet holes in the heads of civilians, etc., that tells me that the prosecutor or the witness has never been in a fire fight with lead flying all around you.
You put a weapon on full automatic and start firing at enemy positions that you are receiving fire from and some innocents are bound to get killed.
War is hell.
Some body ought to educate this Mr. Parks, the DOD expert, who supposedly wrote the "rules of war". Give this Mr. Parks an M-16 & Flak Jacket, send him in-country, put him on the line with the Sgt's, Cpl's, Pfc's & 2ndLt's and let's see what he can do. I think he will come back and re-write the book.
I've attended 3 or 4 of these hearings and the Bacos trial.
Very rarely, if ever, do you see a Defense Counsel get up and object or do anything. It has all appearances of a well scripted Broadway Play.
It would now appear we have lost two good 2ndLt's.
First, it was Patano and if Phan is smart, he will resign his commission. His career has now been wrecked by thoughtless actions of those who should have stood by his side.
V/R & S/F,
Don Greenlaw
Captain, USMC(Ret'd)
Marine Mustang
----- Original Message -----
From: Clarence Nelson [email address omitted]
To: Don
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 8:30 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: "THE CORPS"
Thanks Don, I needed that. I am so disappointed in the Marine Corps leadership these days that it nearly breaks my heart. The Commandant recently sent a letter asking all retired Marines to help with recruiting.
I'm sorry General Conway, I can't in all good conscience suggest to a Mother that the Marine Corps will take good care of her son.
New subject: Tomorrow morning I leave on an extended automobile trip to the East Coast and back. I will be gone for over a month. Back around the 4th of July. So, to avoid having my Inbox full when I get back, take me off your list for a month.
Semper Fi
Clarence Nelson
Permalink: patriotblog.unitedpatriots.org/2007/06/01/a-marine-mustang-writes-to-general-mattis-judge-advocate.aspx
Ellie