The (hopefully soon-to-be erstwhile) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine General Peter Pace, went and shot his mouth off the other day about his personal opinions.
Now as anybody who has ever been in the service will tell you, military personnel don't have personal opinions. At least, not for public consumption, they don't.
I'd be very interested in knowing whether or not he was in uniform during this interview. If he was, he may well have been in violation of DoD Directive 1344.10 (June 15, 1990) which, loosely, prohibits members of the armed forces from participating in partisan political activities while in uniform. Granted, it's targeted specifically against running for office, but you could stretch the point.
And the point really is that whether or not he meant to the CJS has used his bully pulpit much the same way that Mann Coulter used hers.
How demoralizing is it for the closeted gay troops under his command, quietly upholding THEIR end of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" bargain, to know that their ultimate military commander thinks that they are "immoral?"
How is that helpful to morale and group cohesion? Does he honestly think there are 12 gay people in the services? Does not not know that there are thousands upon thousands of gay people in the services, quietly toiling away in the service of their nation? And that, naturally, begs the question, just what fucking planet does this Bozo live on?
When crap like this happens I am always reminded of my favorite story regarding the origins of the "Don't Ask" policy. When President Clinton first proposed issuing an executive order to allow gays to serve openly, and Sam Nunn, then the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and a Georgian Democrat to boot, hit the road with his "Sam and Pony Show" to ask dumbass Bos'ns Mates what they thought of the proposed policy change, I nearly died laughing when I read about the response of one Air Force Pilot:
"If they let gays in the military, I'll resign my commission and join a civilan airline."
The theory being, I suppose, that the recreational air-travel business is a GREAT place to avoid that nasty homosexual element, currently serving drinks and snacks in coach, business and first class... and thank you for flying Continental!
Now as anybody who has ever been in the service will tell you, military personnel don't have personal opinions. At least, not for public consumption, they don't.
I'd be very interested in knowing whether or not he was in uniform during this interview. If he was, he may well have been in violation of DoD Directive 1344.10 (June 15, 1990) which, loosely, prohibits members of the armed forces from participating in partisan political activities while in uniform. Granted, it's targeted specifically against running for office, but you could stretch the point.
And the point really is that whether or not he meant to the CJS has used his bully pulpit much the same way that Mann Coulter used hers.
How demoralizing is it for the closeted gay troops under his command, quietly upholding THEIR end of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" bargain, to know that their ultimate military commander thinks that they are "immoral?"
How is that helpful to morale and group cohesion? Does he honestly think there are 12 gay people in the services? Does not not know that there are thousands upon thousands of gay people in the services, quietly toiling away in the service of their nation? And that, naturally, begs the question, just what fucking planet does this Bozo live on?
When crap like this happens I am always reminded of my favorite story regarding the origins of the "Don't Ask" policy. When President Clinton first proposed issuing an executive order to allow gays to serve openly, and Sam Nunn, then the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and a Georgian Democrat to boot, hit the road with his "Sam and Pony Show" to ask dumbass Bos'ns Mates what they thought of the proposed policy change, I nearly died laughing when I read about the response of one Air Force Pilot:
"If they let gays in the military, I'll resign my commission and join a civilan airline."
The theory being, I suppose, that the recreational air-travel business is a GREAT place to avoid that nasty homosexual element, currently serving drinks and snacks in coach, business and first class... and thank you for flying Continental!
But if the General did resign, what we he do for a living? I don't know what marketable skills Marine Generals have, outside of invading places. I'm sure the General is very good at invading places.... and shooting his mouth off.
Being at the top of the military pile, I don't know who gets to take the CJS to the woodshed. The SecDef, I suppose. That would be Bob Gates. I hope Bob has summoned General Peter to D.C. for a little "come to Jesus" meeting on the subject of keeping his big, fat, yap shut about his personal shit.
Just like he expects all of us Mo's in the military to do!
Being at the top of the military pile, I don't know who gets to take the CJS to the woodshed. The SecDef, I suppose. That would be Bob Gates. I hope Bob has summoned General Peter to D.C. for a little "come to Jesus" meeting on the subject of keeping his big, fat, yap shut about his personal shit.
Just like he expects all of us Mo's in the military to do!
2 comments:
Good to read this. My entry for tomorrow talks about this too (and--honest!--I did write it before I read yours!)
Hiya, Sis! And thanks. I look forward to reading yours.
As you can tell, I'm back at the office (and goofing off until caught).
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