On another thread, an e-mail discussion with numerous members of my old TBS class, we have been recently talking about what all Trump can or can’t do vis a vis money. One of the points was that we have always had a citizen-soldery, but now we have a “professional” military, the much vaunted “volunteer military”. There has also been quite a bit of RIF’ing in the services of late, Obama’s legacy to the services.<\/p>\n
One of the issues brought up was the desirability of citizens to be the military, to create more of a bond between citizens and the country and to limit the “foreign legion” effect. There was the suggestion of using mercs for our basic ground-pounders as a more economiocal alternative, as Americans have become inured to the very CONCEPT of combat losses.<\/p>\n
So I am reading this fascinating book called Tarawa, by Robert Sherrod, a reporter who landed with the regimental command on the beaches of Tarawa. The beginning of the book is spent with “house keeping” about the process of getting to Tarawa.<\/p>\n
But one of the really fascinating rants in the early part is a discussion of the American soldier and what makes a soldier fight. ONE of his comments is that he was totally unsure that Americans were at all willing to fight. This from someone observing the onset of WWII.<\/p>\n
?So are we really that much different from “the greatest generation” or is this just the usual American distaste for risking of life and limb without real reason to.<\/p>\n
On another thread, an e-mail discussion with numerous members of my old TBS class, we have been recently talking about what all Trump can or can’t do vis a vis money. One of the points was that we have always had a citizen-soldery, but now we have a “professional” military, the much vaunted “volunteer military”. There has also been quite a bit of RIF’ing in the services of late, Obama’s legacy to the services.<\/p>\n
One of the issues brought up was the desirability of citizens to be the military, to create more of a bond between citizens and the country and to limit the “foreign legion” effect. There was the suggestion of using mercs for our basic ground-pounders as a more economiocal alternative, as Americans have become inured … Continue reading