Politics, Military Service, and a Presidential Election

[thedrifter]

Politics, Military Service, and a Presidential Election


Like it or not, I believe that military issues are playing a prominent role in the politics of this 2008 (presidential) election season. Unlike other recent presidential election seasons, I am finding that as a retired career Marine officer I have felt compelled to focus more attention on the two main candidates’ (and their respective parties) actions and positions on a variety of military-related political issues. As I have focused on these issues, I have organized them under three distinct questions. Let me share with you my thoughts and perspectives on one of those questions, and some of the issues on which I have been contemplating this election season….



What does it mean when political pundits talk about "politicizing the military and military service?" I do not know how to define that phrase, but to borrow the June 22, 1964 quote from Associate U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Potter Stewart, “…I know it when I see it.” I will leave it for you to decide whether you see it, read it, or hear it, and how it will influence your vote on election day.



I recently read a great WWII book by the late, legendary Medal-of-Honor recipient and four-time recipient of the Navy Cross retired Admiral Eugene B. Fluckey, Thunder Below!:The USS Barb Revolutionizes Submarine Warfare in World War II.

[ http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...2957179&sr=1-1 ]



In the first of his five war patrols as skipper of the Barb, he very clearly described his interrogation of a captured Japanese sailor just sixteen pages into the book:



The prisoner entered…"Your name, please?" The prisoner smiled understandingly. Then, looking me straight in the eye, he placed his index finger vertically in front of his lips and waved it slowly back and forth. This was an obvious indication that he was not permitted to divulge any information and must remain silent. Anticipating this (since our own code required we give only name, rate, and service number), I reached under my left thigh and pulled out a .45, caressed it, and slowly laid it out of his reach on the table. "YOUR NAME, please?" A bit shaken, he blurted out, "KITOJIMA SANJI!"…"That's better. Now that we fully understand each other, we will get along happily. We call you Kito, you understand?"...Now we could get going on the information we desperately needed. "What name your ship?" He hesitated. I patted the .45..."Name ships?" Grimaces - slight hesitation - slight pat on the .45..."Kito, you charts show mines. WHERE?" My hand barely flicked the .45 while I handed him a pencil. He gasped "Here!" and drew a diagonal line across the area in front of the strait...I indicated that if there were more, we would be sunk - and he, too, would go down with us to a horrible death. Pondering this he gritted his teeth. “Aww, aww, more!" Then he took the pencil, erased the first line, moved it farther away from the strait, and drew two additional lines. Now we were really getting somewhere. “Good, Kito. When we are safe, you are safe. Just one more question and you can turn in. What depth, mines? This perked him up. “Fifteen meters,” he replied, indicating with his fingers and wobbling hand that he meant ‘more or less.’



Armed with this critical, first-hand information, Fluckey went on to receive his first Navy Cross for this war patrol, with the citation reading, “…Through his experience and sound judgment Lieutenant Commander Fluckey brought his ship safely back to port. His conduct throughout was an inspiration to his officers and men and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”



Now, in 2008, another retired commander, twenty-two year Army veteran LTC Allen West, is running for office in Florida’s 22nd Congressional District. Back in 2003, he was the commander of 2nd Battalion, 20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division in Iraq. With his unit based in a very dangerous area outside of Baghdad, he received information from an Iraqi informant that a plot had been undertaken to ambush him and his men, and that an Iraqi police officer was involved in the plot. West’s men arrested and interrogated the police officer, then West took over the interrogation when the police officer did not cooperate. West eventually took his uncooperative prisoner outside next to a weapons ‘clearing barrel,’ withdrew his 9mm service pistol, threatened the prisoner’s life, and fired two shots from his pistol that did not endanger the life of the prisoner nor any of his nearby soldiers. The prisoner then provided information that thwarted the ambush and saved the lives of West’s men.



Despite the unmistakable similarities between what Fluckey described and what West did, West was charged with violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice (Article 128, Assault). He was relieved of command (a career-ending event), received an administrative hearing, and was fined $5,000 for misconduct and assault. Below is an internet sampling of what West and others who personally know him say about his ordeal and about his character:



“My soldiers were my family over there. That’s how important they were to me,” he said in [an] interview…“if there’s an opportunity to be proactive and prevent [harm to fellow soldiers], I think a commander has to take that responsibility”…He said he walked away from the military "with a sense of pride and honor"…"I sacrificed my career for my soldiers and that's the bottom line"…(from one of West’s former soldiers)“I have wanted to tell you for the longest time that I was proud to serve with you sir. You made a statement during your trials when asked if you would do it again, to which you said “If it’s about the lives of my men and their safety, I’d go through hell with a gasoline can.” Well sir if you would have to go through hell with a gas can I would drive for you. It has been an honor to serve with you sir”… (from an editorial by a voter who has met West) “All I can say is that we are fortunate to have a man of his exemplary caliber running for Congress….’”



Would Fluckey have fired his .45 if given a clearing barrel, and if he was not on a submarine? Is West’s judgment sound for taking great pride in the fact that he did not lose one soldier under his command in Iraq – essentially “bringing his unit safely back to the States?”



Also from the internet, I found no shortage of others who expressed themselves quite differently. We've seen in blogs, where they have accused him of war crimes and of that ridiculous stuff…opponents suggest West is an insensitive hothead, emblematic of the ongoing debate over harsh interrogations and continued U.S. presence in Iraq...his opponents see him as a symbol of a war gone wrong.



It appears that Mr. West was fined $5000 and negotiated an early retirement from the Army for using improper methods to force information out of an Iraqi detainee. This agreement allowed him to keep his military pension and be discharged ‘honorably’… It will be a good day when we can enter an election cycle in this nation and not have souls that have been torn and tattered by war strutting their heroics before the electorate.





The bottom line for me is that both of these men are war heroes in my book, plain and simple, and I would welcome a selfless-service man like West in Congress.



Besides the ongoing Allen West saga, there have been many other situations that have, in my opinion, demonstrated the politicization of the military in this election season….



Treating, or being perceived as treating, visiting wounded warriors in hospitals, especially those located overseas, more as a 'photo-op' public relations move than as a patriotic privilege.



Attaching 'pork barrel' programs to defense bills to either get those programs passed by ‘piggy-backing’ off the defense bills, or to use someone's objection to the programs or the overall 'bloated' bill because of the attached programs to ‘score political points’ by saying that he/she does not support the troops.



Saying you support the troops but doing everything you can to undermine the operations to which they are deployed and committed before those troops are successful or victorious.



Supporting or not supporting complete military absentee voting integrity because of some reason other than ensuring our absent warriors get to exercise their right to vote.



Downplaying or denigrating military leaders’ perspectives on morale, order, discipline, and effectiveness by those who wish to impose ‘politically-correct’ agendas on the military to advance their political careers.



I have the highest respect for the brave and honorable men and women of our great military. Sadly, I cannot say the same for too many who have chosen to pursue political careers. My gut instinct tells me to beware when the distinctions between politics and military service get blurred, distorted, manipulated, and trampled upon. When that happens, I fall-in on the military service side, and exercise my right to vote. I encourage you to do the same.



Matthew Dodd is a Senior Editor of DefenseWatch. He can be reached at mattdodd1775@hotmail.com. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.

Ellie

[thedrifter]

10-18-2008 -- Matthew Dodd

Patriotic Leadership Expectations of a Commander-in-Chief


(Part Two of Three)



What is patriotic and what is unpatriotic?



This question has been on my mind since before this election season officially started almost two years ago with candidates announcing they were running for their party’s presidential (commander-in-chief) nomination. As I read and listened to the public news media, I quickly discovered that most politicians, being politicians, ‘play fast and loose’ with those terms to score political points.



To give us all a common baseline of understanding, I want to start with some dictionary definitions:



“Patriot – a fellow countryman, compatriot; a person who loves his country and defends and promotes its interests, especially a soldier who fights for love of country; a seditious disturber of government; one who advocates or promotes the independence of his native soil or people from the country or union of countries of which it is a part; one who remains loyal to his country when it is occupied by an enemy, a member of a resistance group.”



“Patriotic – inspired by patriotism; befitting or characteristic of a patriot; actuated by love of one’s country; devoted to one’s country.”



“Patriotism – love for or devotion to country; the virtues and actions of a patriot.”



Pieced together from a few sources, a commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces, or the military competencies that reside in a nation-state's executive, head-of-state, or government. Our Constitution states that the President "shall be Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States." Also, the 1947 National Security Act made the President, with the creation of the United States Air Force, also the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force.



For me, whenever I hear the term, “patriot,” I immediately think about Benjamin Martin (played by Mel Gibson) in the movie, “The Patriot.” In simplest terms, Martin represents what I consider a true patriot – a morally and physically courageous man of values and principles who is ready, willing, and able to defend what he holds dear, namely his family and country.



I consider myself a patriotic citizen, and am proud of my service to my country, both in and out of uniform. One of my most vivid patriotic memories of my Marine career was when I was a young lieutenant on my first overseas deployment. Living in a typical ‘tent-city’ in the Republic of Korea, every morning we were treated at morning colors (when we raised the American flag) to hear over the camp’s loudspeakers Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” (aka “I’m Proud to be an American”). I remember feeling such an overwhelming sense of pride in my country when I saw that flag take its post each morning. That flag symbolizes for me what so many patriots have fought for, gotten comfort from, and been laid to rest with. Nothin’ like a shot of motivation to start your day off right. I got goose-bumps then, and I am getting goose-bumps now as I think about it.



These definitions, and my memories and experiences, do not make me an expert on patriotism, but I believe I have a better grasp of what is and what is not patriotic than too many of our politicians today. When I hear some say that paying taxes is a patriotic duty, and others say that voting or not voting for the recent ‘financial bailout/rescue’ bill is patriotic/unpatriotic (take your pick), I cannot help but feel that politicians have distorted what to me is a pretty clear concept.



From my perspective, the most basic duty, function, or responsibility for our Nation’s commander-in-chief is to set an example of patriotic leadership. This patriotic leadership not only honors and pays respect to our citizens and warriors, it is also our first, albeit largely symbolic, line of defense or friendship to the rest of the world.



I will be the first to admit that my patriotic leadership expectations of my commander-in-chief are not always easy, often demanding, and, at times, in direct opposition to the political environments in which our President must operate. Too bad, so sad. I use these expectations to help evaluate presidential candidates, and then I use them to help judge my president’s performance. Let me share with you my thoughts and perspectives on the patriotic leadership expectations of a Commander-in-Chief….



I expect my commander-in-chief to lead by example when it comes to praising and supporting our troops. While I do not expect a ‘cheerleader’ in the White House, I cannot tell you how comforting it was to know and feel that despite all the political posturing going on in Washington, DC, especially while I was deployed, I had someone in the White House who ‘had my back.’ Was it crippling to my morale when I did not see, hear, or feel that praise and support from my commander-in-chief? No, but its absence was always noticed, and it had an overall negative effect on my individual morale. Multiply that effect, no matter how small, by the number of Service members, and by the number of family and friends of our men and women in uniform, and you have an idea of how important patriotic leadership is in our commander-in-chief.



I expect my commander-in-chief to respect our flag and our customs and traditions, especially our military ones, at all times. Both as an active duty and now as a retired Marine, I always felt it was my privilege to be expected by civilians to be an example of patriotic practices in thoughts, words, and deeds. Whether intentional or not, I always felt that having a military haircut made me stand out in a crowd and sometimes gave me a ‘bias for action’ in situations that demanded a patriotic response. I never wanted, and still do not ever want to let my country or my Marine Corps down.



It may sound corny or trivial, but I expect my commander-in-chief to take every opportunity to display his or her patriotism, from flags flapping in the breeze to wearing flag lapel pins or ‘troop remembrance bracelets.’



I expect my commander-in-chief to openly support and protect the rights, privileges, and integrity of our veterans. In the Marine Corps, we have a saying, “Once a Marine, always a Marine.” I expect my commander-in-chief to champion veterans’ causes and to always respect the sacrifices our veterans and their families made in defense of our great Nation. In many ways, I believe George Washington, our first Commander-in-Chief, spoke volumes when he said:



"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation."



I expect my commander-in-chief to make it a habit of visiting our warriors, whether they are in home bases and stations, recovering in military hospitals, or deployed in support of combat operations. Such visits, when not done as staged public-relations events, are true patriotic ‘force-multipliers’ of morale.



I expect my commander-in-chief to be surrounded by others who demonstrate sincere patriotism, and to distance himself or herself from those who make unpatriotic statements or take unpatriotic actions. I knew the standards and expectations when I volunteered to serve in our Armed Forces, and I knew it was up to me to abide by the written and unwritten rules of background and behavior as a member of the military. If a commander-in-chief cannot uphold the same standards and expectations of those he or she is entrusted and privileged to lead, we will have a leadership crisis.



Lastly, I expect my Commander-in-Chief to rise above politics when it comes to military matters. He or she must avoid the appearances of pandering to or taking the military for granted. I know that the President gets to appoint members to his or her cabinet. As the Commander-in-Chief, I believe it is absolutely critical that the Secretary of Defense be appointed more for how he or she will lead and manage the military than for how closely he or she shares or adheres to the political ideologies of the President.



As someone who loves and has served our great country with great pride for almost twenty-five years in and out of uniform, the public discourse on patriotism in this election season is not something I take lightly. For me, patriotism has become a major ‘litmus test’ as I consider what I will do come election day. I, like all my fellow countrymen, get a chance to help shape the future of our great country. How well our two major commander-in-chief candidates measure up to my patriotic leadership expectations will help me when I exercise my patriotic privilege to vote.



Matthew Dodd is a Senior Editor of DefenseWatch. He can be reached at mattdodd1775@hotmail.com. Please send Feedback responses to dwfeedback@yahoo.com.

Ellie