I have known Skip Bacevich for years, both professionally and personally. He and I are contemporaries in both our professional and personal lives. We both experienced the emotional challenges of dealing with American defeat in Vietnam, a defeat of political capitulazation, rather than failure of military actions.
Skip and I left the emotions of Vietnam behind and turned our attentions to the real threat to world peace, the Cold War. He was a true Cold Warrior, dedicated to the defeat of the Soviet Union, both militarily and politically. To this end he became a political science intellectual and a true soldier of the Cold War standoff against Communist agression in Europe.
No doubt, he rejoiced in the fall of the Wall and the Soviet Union and expected that his years of dedicated service to the country would be vindicated by this significant event.
But, then came Saddam and the resurgence of Islamic Fascism. Skip was by then the Regimental Commander of the 11th Regiment of Cavalry, one of the Army’s most storied unit. He and his Regiment were late to the fight, arriving after we had brought Iraq to heel and liberated Kuwait. Skip and his regiment were given mundane chores while the warriors packed up their kit and went home. Whilst they conducted this unglamorous chore, a tragedy occurred: ammunition stored in the vehicles and in the motor park of his Regiment exploded, a number of soldiers died. Skip was relieved of his command, the kiss of death in today’s military.
He retired from the military and pursued an academic career, for which he was well suited. Then came the second Gulf War and the ultimate tragedy: His son was killed in action. Skip was twice personally injured by his country. His judgment has been understandably affected by these jolts to his life.
I admire Skip Bacevich, both as a soldier and as a scholar. I discount most of what he has to say.
I sensed in reading the transcript of the interview that he was a troubled intellectual. The losses he suffered must have played into his political philosophy. Then there is the environment at Boston College.
Some of what he says is factual. We are too indulgent, too consumer oriented, our government istaking the shape of an empire. The American people need to know this. These things being said, however require context. We have a near total failure of leadership in terms of academics, politics and morality. This, I believe is the legacy of the "60's. The student radicals, draft dodgers and the like have matriculated into professorships, positions of power in politics and government.
Where are we now? Our "elite" class eschews military service and goes to the highest bidder, lock, stock and soul. "Joe six-pack," the guy who just wants to go to work, feed his kids and pay his bills has given up all hope of making any gains.
We need to hear at what Col. Bacevich has to say, to take into account his suffering and to filter it through our moral values and come up with a renewed nation under God, with citizens who are engaged, who are willing to sacrifice for a cause greater than themselves, to understand that while we cannot save the world from itself, we can save ourselves by being the people God would have us be.
Thanks to both of you for this very interesting and informative dialogue. I saw parts of the interview and had lots of questions. The bio presented gives great insight into the man.
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.