Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Gunslinger on November 07, 2003, 10:30:22 PM
-
http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Hacks%20Target%20Homepage.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=38&rnd=185.67189120731248 (http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Hacks%20Target%20Homepage.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=38&rnd=185.67189120731248)
We’re Not Getting a Bang for Our Buck
Let’s say you own a small trucking company with 20 drivers, but six of your operators are dysfunctional in one way or another. In the real world – to stay in business – you'd have to sack ‘em to survive.
But, apparently, the U.S. Army’s Ready Reserve Force doesn’t need to be concerned about the bottom line as long as we taxpayers have deep pockets. An estimated 60,000 of the 205,000 soldiers on their books can’t deploy to combat zones because of medical problems – and an alarming number of these non-deployables are either wacko, overweight or otherwise physically not up for the fighting game. The Army Reserve also has the largest numbers of females of any of the services – 25 percent – so there are more pregnancies, as well as other family problems. For instance, many serving moms aren’t able to muster sitters when they’re ordered to head toward the world’s hot spots.
Does the Army brass fire these non-producers, as would any prudent civilian boss, or just continue billing us for the approximately one-third of the Army Reserve that’s unfit to fight?
Listen up, and you'll hear the sound of checks being cut.
That’s partly because the Army Reserve is built around numbers. Generals get stars and colonels eagles depending on the head count. “My command has 12,000 troops and is well above its quota,” brags a two-star who doesn't give a rat’s behind whether or not 4,000 of his soldiers can pick up an M-16 rifle and close with the enemy.
“In the Reserve, manpower numbers are everything,” says a sergeant major who recently retired because of the rampant corruption. “It’s also why we have loads of deadbeats, people who may or may not show up for drill – resulting in lots of time spent on phone calls, counseling statements, etc., all of which produce nothing – and people you wish would stay home since they just get in the way. All too often the Reserve becomes ‘welfare in uniform’ for slugs. Although filling our ranks with them drives up a unit’s numbers, the truth is they drive down a unit’s effectiveness, and they drive away the better troops who get fed up with continually having to deal with the dregs.”
The war in Iraq has showcased both the Army’s strengths and its weaknesses – and it’s clear that the Reserve falls into the latter category. Now Congress needs to investigate why this important force flunked the course, using at least the same level of enthusiasm that motivated its examination of Bill Clinton’s maneuvers with Monica.
But more likely, Congress will mimic the three brass monkeys and see, hear and smell no evil. Why? Pork. With an annual budget of almost $6 billion, the Reserves bring heavy dough to every state. Which means that carrying the 60,000 non-deployables costs you and me almost $2 billion a year for dead wood.
In 1989, Simon & Schuster published About Face, a book in which I took the Army to task. Before you could say George Patton, I was sitting in Secretary of the Army Mike Stone’s Pentagon office outlining my *****es. When I told him that the Army Reserve force and National Guard couldn’t hold off a Boy Scout troop on a summer day and needed major surgery, he replied with great prescience, “Hack, it would be easier to clean up the Catholic Church.”
That said, following the tried-and-true example of the Marine Corps – which gives us a great return for our tax dollar with the Marine Reserve – the Army Reserve and National Guard should be merged into one structure. The political generals and colonels should then be replaced by regular soldiers right down to the regimental level. The reservists’ primary tasks should be light infantry, military police, intelligence, medical, civil affairs and transport; they shouldn’t be saddled with complicated missions such as armor, since their limited training period – 38 days a year – makes their ability to be combat-ready impossible.
Only highly motivated, concerned citizens who understand that their national security is at risk and who are sick and tired of being ripped off can make this happen.
And if you don’t believe our Army Reserve system is broken, just ask any reservist below the grade of major for the facts.
The address of David Hackworth's home page is Hackworth.com. Sign in for the free weekly Defending America column at his Web site. Send mail to P.O. Box 11179, Greenwich, CT 06831. His newest book is “Steel My Soldiers’ Hearts.”
© 2003 David H. Hackworth.
-
I don't particularly care for Mr. Hackworth, but I do share his views on our military OOB concerning Reserves and NG units. Not that they can't do the job, just that it is an inefficent way to maintain force levels, at best.
-
An old saying;
SLEEP TIGHT TONIGHT !!!
YOUR NATIONAL GUARD IS .....................
-
lol silat,
personally I think the reserves are great oppertunity for people but I think the views expressed in this article bring up good concern for the training some of these people are getting.
-
David Hackworth is the most decorated living U.S. soldier. I have two of his books sitting on the shelf next to me right now.
He actually deserted his unit in 1950something because they were sub-standard in combat. Went from deserter to most decorated living soldier (and being a colonel after starting out as private). I believe he knows whats hes talking about.
-
Originally posted by davidpt40
David Hackworth is the most decorated living U.S. soldier. I have two of his books sitting on the shelf next to me right now.
He actually deserted his unit in 1950something because they were sub-standard in combat
WOW! My HERO! Desert your guys because you decide they are sub-standard!
WTG! I bet all the troops would love a guy like this in their ranks.
p.s. Maybe he studied the same chemistry book as yourself and is very much enlightened.
-
Easy for you to say. Why would anyone want to stick with a sub-standard unit? Just more of a chance to get wounded or killed, and less to kill the enemy.
p.s. Substandard units are where they put people who are too dumb to understand simple chemistry examples.
-
Davidpt,
Your comments are totally thoughtless and tactless. To even suggest the idea of desertion is a piss poor decision and even more catastrophic in terms of moral. If I was to march in to combat, I would prefer all my fellow troops are 100%, but, I know the truth, that there are those that will die,b ecause they are stupid, and unfortunately they may take me, or some others with them. BUT, I would never THINK of desertion, because I have too much honor, and realise that it is my duty. I will pick up the extra slack and carry on the fight as best I can. Because that is what it is all about, duty, honor, and commitment to your fellow trooper.
Maybe it is time you put down your book, and join up, so that you can formulate your own opinion and stop filling this board with mindless repetition to buiild up your post count.
THen again, I doubt you could handle the discipline.
:aok
-
please please dont think the military is what hes describing.
and yea im a combat vet.
-
Originally posted by lord dolf vader
please please dont think the military is what hes describing.
and yea im a combat vet.
He as in Hackworth?
I dont know much about him, I see he is long time combat vet, but does he have some axe to grind with the army in general after he left?
-
how did all those goobers get in in the first place. I was in the navy delayed enlistment program 1 month from basic, when the recruiter got my records mixed up and thought I was taking ritalin, which I hadnt for almost 10 years. I got booted out( the p*****) Met him the next year at a davis monthan airshow and he asked if I was still taking it. I said "no I havent for almost 10 years." he said "well we thought you were since you arent you want to sign up again. I swear if the MPs didnt have a booth next to the navys Ida strangled him:mad:
-
I can relate to some of this. In my time in the Air National Guard, part of my job was to work the "fat boy program" as we knew it. I was never on it, I just had to do the follow ups. I was always in awe at the high ranked folks would lecture their porky troops about loosing weight and being within regs...yet behind closed doors, I'd measure THEM up and they'd fail horribly...yet no barking come to them. The doublestandard was amazing.
This, and other political "buddy system" things are what made me opt to leave the service in 1994. When I was passed over for a promotion in a computer/netowrk field...and a girl who knew nothing about computers.."but needed 2 more years in to get her 20" got it, I opted not to re enlist.
I miss the service, not the politics.
When I first joined, one month after I was in, my commander blew the whistle on this sort of behavior and was fired. I didn't realize I'd endure this for the length of my enlistment.
I dont know how it is with the actives...but the buddy-system/political baloney seems rampant in the Guard.
-
When I was in Kuwait this last summer about 3/4 of our non combat patients were ARNG and AR soldiers.
Some of them were just plain fat and sloppy and unable to handle the heat in any form. We literally had a couple of patients that tipped the scales at over 265 pounds. That's ok if you are 6'9 or are a body builder but these guys were coming in complaining of chest pain and had 46 inch guts.
We also had SGT E-5s over 50 years old with multiple medical problems. We had one guy that had a bypass done on him just a year earlier. How the heck can someone with major heart surgery still get deployed to the Gulf?
The problem is that the physical fitness standards for the military aren't enforced in the National Guard like they are supposed to. We saw guys that obviously hadn't done PT (physical training) since basic training-for some of them that was 15 years ago. To dump them in a highly stressful, physically demanding job was too much for some. Not all, in fact probably 95% did fine but we did see a big uptick in admissions in our hospital simply from guys that were in no way shape or form fit for combat duty.
-
Originally posted by davidpt40
Easy for you to say. Why would anyone want to stick with a sub-standard unit? Just more of a chance to get wounded or killed, and less to kill the enemy.
p.s. Substandard units are where they put people who are too dumb to understand simple chemistry examples.
That explains why this guy was a deserter...he was too stupid to understand an eronious chemistry book example.
So any soldier can make up his own mind and decide on his own that a unit is "sub-standard" then desert in order to save his sorry ***? WOW! What a great idea for running a military.
Maybe this putz was ahead of his time.
p.s Im about as stupid as you are smart
-
Originally posted by davidpt40
David Hackworth is the most decorated living U.S. soldier. I have two of his books sitting on the shelf next to me right now.
He actually deserted his unit in 1950something because they were sub-standard in combat.
What a patriot and a true war hero!
-
Nuke, where heroism and patriotism are concerned you wouldn’t be a pimple on Hackworth’s ass. As usual, you have a very strong opinion backed up by hot air. His “desertion” was leaving one of the panic stricken, fleeing units in the early days of the Korean War (one of the lowest points in US Army history) to return to the fight. The Army didn’t seem to mind -- they let him form a Raider unit that went behind enemy lines to capture prisoners and take out key, point objectives. He was the youngest battlefield commissioned officer in the conflict.
As a LTC in Vietnam he was one of the few officers of his rank to actually come down out of the helicopter and lead from the front. He cleaned all the REMF “Ice Cream Party” crap out of his area, established fighting spirit in a formerly sloppy unit, and fought the VC with VC tactics. He wrote the US Army primer on Guerilla tactics (developed with help from the Austrailians, who he considered to be the best jungle fighters in the theater).
He gave up his career near the end of the Vietnam war by speaking out publicly against how the war was being conducted. He saw numerous deficiencies in the leadership structure. Officers with limited field command experience in combat branches (or none) taking over short term commands to get points for promotion and costing lives. Trying to fight a European Cold war style battle using European tactics in the jungles of Vietnam. The one year rotation policy that diluted combat experience. The “Head Count” crap that accomplished nothing strategically and encouraged dishonesty -- numerous areas that were costing lives with no gain. He decided to tell it like it was and hope it led to change.
Some dislike his current stand on the War in Iraq, but I doubt he’s losing any sleep over it. Hackworth was one of the early voices that saw the connection between the Project for the New American Century’s pie in the sky think tank concept for remaking the whole Middle East starting with Iraq (as promoted by senior advisors and PNAC alum Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Feife, etc.) and where these advisors were leading Bush's policy. He determined that the Democracy Domino effect came with a whole lot of questionable assumptions and long term problems, and had nothing to do with the public reasons (including WMD) used to sell the war to the American people. On a practical level, once operations began he questioned the amount of troops committed, which he correctly noted were only adequate for the assault itself and not for pacification and security.
Of course, those who disagree with him are free to follow that newly established form of patriotism called character assassination so that they can simply discount what he has to say out of hand instead of debate the points on their merit. And, there's always Ollie North if you don't like what a former warrior like Hackworth has to say.
This sums up his career [NOTE: each "Oak Leaf Cluster" represents an award of that medal. for example, he has 9 Silver Stars and 7 Bronze Stars with V device]
ENTITLEMENTS OF COL. DAVID H. HACKWORTH
(U.S. ARMY, RETIRED)
AWARDS & DECORATIONS
COLONEL DAVID H. HACKWORTH
(U.S. ARMY, RETIRED)
Individual Decorations & Service Medals:
- Distinguished Service Cross (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Silver Star (with nine Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Bronze Star Medal (with "V" Device & seven Oak Leaf Clusters)(Seven of the awards for heroism)
- Purple Heart (with seven Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Air Medal (with "V" Device & Numeral 34)(One for heroism and 33 for aerial achievement)
- Army Commendation Medal (w/ "V" Device & 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Good Conduct Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army of Occupation Medal (with Germany and Japan Clasps)
- National Defense Service Medal (with one Bronze Service Star)
- Korean Service Medal (with Service Stars for eight campaigns)
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal (2 Silver Service Stars = 10 campaigns)
- Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Unit Awards:
- Presidential Unit Citation (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Valorous Unit Award (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Meritorious Unit Commendation
Badges & Tabs:
- Combat Infantryman Badge (w/ one Star; representing 2 awards)
- Master Parachutist Badge
- Army General Staff Identification Badge
Foreign Awards:
- United Nations Service Medal (Korea)
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960)
- Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Gold Stars)
- Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Silver Stars)
- Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal (1st Class)
- Vietnam Staff Service Medal (1st Class)
- Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order, 2d Class
- Vietnam Parachutist Badge (Master Level)
- Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
- Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
- Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (with three Palm oak leaf clusters)
- Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class Unit Citation (with one Palm oak leaf cluster)
World War II Merchant Marine Awards:
- Pacific War Zone Bar
- Victory Medal
He's on record as saying the only one that means anything is the CIB.
Charon
-
I spent seven years in the USAR 1985-1992 as a Cavalry Scout instructor (19D H 30) with 3/85th Div Tng. I saw both good and bad during my service. My unit, of course was good :) Actually it was.
Our LTC for much of that time was a Vietnam LRRP who got a battlefield commission. A fantastic leader. He would, on occasion, borrow an E-6 uniform and have a few cocktails with his senior NCOs in the rocker club at Ft. McCoy. My peers were dedicated and motivated. We had a Regular Army mission with RA evaluators so we had to be on top of our game. Basically, we would drop into Fort Knox and relieve a unit’s Drill Sergeants and instructors for two weeks in the middle of a regular training cycle. I served with a number of ex Vietnam era troopers (one Silver Star, one Bronze with V), ex marines and generally squared away individuals. We even had a Captain who was an MD, but kept it quite so that he could stay in Cavalry. We did have some loads, but not that many and we put them in safe places. For example, there were several E-7s that drove buses, etc. during summer camp.
It was an interesting unit as well. Since we were all cadre, we really had few privates (they would be the trainees when active). It was not uncommon to have E-5s doing KP, but at the same time there was a lot of integration between officers and NCOs of all ranks that made for a tighter, more motivational atmosphere. Not buddy-buddy so much (except with the NCOs of course), but mutual respect.
However, there were a lot of sloppy units also. As I recall, we were the only battalion in our brigade allowed to do a vertical displacement with a RA unit for much of my time in the unit. We also took part in an experiment at Fort Hood around 1988 that was educational to say the least. This involved a Basic Training/AIT (actually OSUT) Squadron that was fully trained, 2 weeks at a time, by reserve units. We arrived late in the AIT phase to find some undisciplined, sloppy troops. We went trough them like a hurricane, sweeping all the porn and junk food from the barracks, locking them up and driving them hard. For example, the MD captain who was a short guy with strong arms, dropped them one day at PT for about 300 push up as I recall.
I got an Army Achievement medal for locking up one private who actually mouthed off to me when I was starting a class on estimate range (I was telling the class to get situated and as he sat down I think I heard him say “carry on”). I tore into him immediately, the DI took over immediately and took him outside to the leaning rest, and the class proceeded in an alert and attentive manner. A RA evaluator told our LTC that I could have been the last Troop’s First Sergeant (which helped our unit evaluation and got me my little ribbon). Now, this is not a reflection on Charon, bad-assed NCO -- nothing in my behavior was extraordinary compared the basic training environment I personally experienced as a trainee. Rather, it was a reflection as to how poor the discipline and training environment was from the units that preceded us. I only hope the unit that followed helped keep them squared away. I also had a nervous private almost roll a track on me at the driving range, and the road march from a hell in a track still painted from "Reforger 84" but that’s another story ;)
Charon
-
Originally posted by davidpt40
David Hackworth is the most decorated living U.S. soldier. I have two of his books sitting on the shelf next to me right now.
He actually deserted his unit in 1950something because they were sub-standard in combat. Went from deserter to most decorated living soldier (and being a colonel after starting out as private). I believe he knows whats hes talking about.
NUKE,
would you call somone a traitor if they "deserted" a medical unit they were getting treatment at to go back to the front and fight with there buddies. Many people did things like that in the korean war. Lots of times people would get seperated from there units and another one would just take you in. I think your missing the point about this statement and just goin high and to the right.
about his books, I read "hazardous duty" when I was on active duty and I couldnt believe some of the things I read and how true they were. It was a GREAT READ!
-
Originally posted by Gunslinger
NUKE,
would you call somone a traitor if they "deserted" a medical unit they were getting treatment at to go back to the front and fight with there buddies.
I never called the guy a traitor.
In case you guys didn't notice, I was posting in response to davidpt40's assinine idea that it's okay to desert your unit if YOU decide they are substandard.
Davidpt40 was bragging about the guy and pointed out that he deserted his guys because they were "substandard". I mearly pointed out how completely stupid his point was.
-
Originally posted by GRUNHERZ
He as in Hackworth?
I dont know much about him, I see he is long time combat vet, but does he have some axe to grind with the army in general after he left?
Your asking LDV for a reply? He's a drive by'er. His views are clear as Tomato soup.
-
ripsnort i was talkin about what bohdi said.
i dont respond because there is no point you dont listen to anyone only instagate and ruthlessly attack thus i figgure beating on a mental masochist (like you) is sickly pleasurable to you that is not my thing, have fun in your petty little hate filled world leave me out of it.
please please ignore list me i got no time to hate you.
-
Originally posted by NUKE
I never called the guy a traitor.
In case you guys didn't notice, I was posting in response to davidpt40's assinine idea that it's okay to desert your unit if YOU decide they are substandard.
Davidpt40 was bragging about the guy and pointed out that he deserted his guys because they were "substandard". I mearly pointed out how completely stupid his point was.
Understood....but would you stick around a bunch of idiots if you KNEW they were gonna get you killed. If you KNEW the commander had no back bone and hid in the first hole he could find when the bullets started flying.
I think this is actually a good point that the first human reaction in this case would be to run. The fact that he left his unit to go fight with another is in fact "desertion" but iin my eye is not a cowardice desertion. If I'm a Private and I think these guys are gonna get me killed cause there idiots i'd probably run too. I think it takes balls though to go find another unit and fight with them.
I've heard some bad storys from korea. Its not a wonder that that area is still considered a "combat zone". No formal truce was ever signed between the north and the south, the only thing that keeps the bullits from flying is a cease fire. In that war there was alot of hand to hand combat and alot of incidents were soldiers saw way more chinese charging them then they had bullets. Just my opinion!
-
Originally posted by lord dolf vader
ripsnort i was talkin about what bohdi said.
LDV, I actually am well aware, just had too put in my .02 in regards to the suggestion desertion is ok.
-
i stand corrected. sorry bodhi i agree