Your comments regarding Dr. Bacevich’s command of the 11th Infantry regiment don't jive with countless certified and uncertified accounts of Army History. The excerpts below wer taken directly from government websites. The websites are posted below the excerpts. The Army's account of the Kuwait explosion incident clearly states, “miraculously, there were no fatalities.”
Farther below is a time frame taken directly from the 11th Cavalry Regiment website(which is also provided). It clearly states Bacevich commanded from 1990 to 1992. If the motor pool fire incident occurred on 11 July 1991, why did it take at least five months to relieve Dr. Bacevich of command? Also, what was the reason for relief of command—a defective heater does not constitute grounds for relief of command. Was there a proven lack in the 11th’s motor pool maintenance practices? Please explain...your explanation seems very inconsistent with all other certified facts.
History from certified/authentic Army website: http://www.irwin.army.mil/Units/11TH+Armored+Cavalry+Regiment/11th+CR/
On the morning of 11 July a defective vehicle heater triggered a motor pool fire in the north compound of Blackhorse Base Camp. Despite valiant efforts to extinguish it, the blaze burned out of control and began detonating ammunition stored in and around the Regiment's vehicle fleet. The resulting shower of shrapnel and unexploded ordnance forced the evacuation of the entire compound and caused extensive damage.
Some fifty Blackhorse troopers suffered injuries that day, a number that would have been far higher had it not been for numerous individual acts of heroism and the Regiment's disciplined response to the emergency. Miraculously, there were no fatalities.
Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Commander-in-Chief of the United States Central Command, visited the Regiment. He presented the Soldier's Medal for Heroism to three Blackhorse soldiers:
Major Ricky Lynch
Staff Sergeant Charles Rogers
Private Eric Tomlinson
Dr. Bacevich’s term of Command along with his Command Sergeant Major's. Information found at 11th’s website: http://www.blackhorsetroopers.org/history.htm
54th Colonel A. J. Bacevich 1990 - 1992
12th RCSM Earl J. Williams 1990 - 1992
Centurion316, please explain your inconsistencies.
First of all, you refer to the 11th Infantry Regiment, which makes me suspect that you are an internet warrior and nothing else. Bacevich commanded the 11th Armored Cavary Regiment, as you subsequent comments note. They are completely different organizations. I will write it off as ignorance on your part, nothing intentional.
Skip Bacevich is a friend of mine. I don’t wish him any ill will, but the facts are that he took the blame for the incident in his motor pool, and paid the price after the investigation was completed. His career was finished: Tot as they would say at the Cheese Schnitzel factory in the Fulda Gap. The unfortunate fact in many of these events is that the powers that be require heads to roll, and he was Blackhorse 6. I don’t think that it was fair, I’m sure that he doesn’t think it was fair. But, that’s what happened.
BTW, don’t believe everthing that you read, including this. Facts can be very elusive, especially in official reports.
Skip Bacevich was a great soldier, and he is a distinguished intellectual in the academic world. I don’t agree at all with his take on current world affairs, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t respect him.
Now, unless you can do better than another Google search, I recommend that you move to a subject on which you are better informed.