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Some see this as a political issue. I don't. School systems haven't known what to do with NCLB and haven't done a good job of administering the requirements of it. It's inevitable, I think, that as more people discover that schools are sharing their information, some will choose to opt out. As schools develop their opt out systems, easier access to opting-out will increase the number as well. Not every opt-out (or even the majority) represents a Cindy Sheehan.

I don't think this will have a big impact on recruiting. Children of parents who don't want them to join the armed forces aren't likely to be great candidates while they are still in high school and living at home. Those under 18 would need their parents permission to joint anyway. I remember when I went through the MEPS station, one of the first questions was "Who here is 17 years old?"

As a matter of principle, I support parents' rights. If I don't want my children talking to someone, doggone, they'd better stay away from my kids.

As a matter of both principle and utility, I favor recruits that are both informed and true volunteers. For the youngest recruits, it's also important to have parental support. I spent three years working with basic trainees and know what a pain it is trying to work with recruits that don't meet those specifications. Those who don't complete their enlistment are terribly expensive and hurt readiness.

So, although the anti-war types want to make this an anti-war issue, I think we all should be saying, "Sure, the law provides for parental opt-out. If you don't want to get the facts before you make up your mind, feel free to fill out the form. We'll leave you alone."

I see no problem here.

The overall goal of encouraging marital faithfulness is consistent with a military purpose. Adultery is a violation of the UCMJ and contrary to good order and discipline.

Strong families make for stronger and more prepared units. A torn apart family reduces a soldier's mission focus and can lead to a loss of unit cohesion if more than one unit member is involved. Unscrewing the problems caused by martial infidelity is a tremendous distractor and drain on the time and energy of the command. Military service is 24x7 and makes you a part of community that goes beyond "the job." What happens in quarters affects what happens down range, and vice versa.

Each chaplain supports the commander's overall goal of "strong families" in a way that is consistent with his or her faith. Soldiers are free to accept or reject whatever the chaplain has to offer. Chaplains can use faith-based material that is consistent with their own theology. Some chaplains apparently have requested this particular material; others haven't. The material is offered to those who want it, as an extension of that particular chaplain's ministry.

Personally, it's not my cup of tea. No chaplain that I know would be offended if I simply said, "No thanks."

As I said, I see no problem here.

I'm waiting for the arrest warrants from the Spanish judge.

Feed me ammunition
Keep me in the 3d Division

Rock of the Marne!

Co-author of WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE AND YOUNG with Hal Moore. Generally respected by military types for his respect of soldiers and getting into the field to get the story.

Like many others so impacted by Vietnam, he's seeing things through the wrong lense.

I'm don't think that "draftees" is the real answer. I wasn't in the Army during the Vietnam war, but my father was a draftee in Korea, my father-in-law in WWII and my grand-father in WWI - draftees all - all in Armies with discipline, commitment and esprit-de-corps.

Our all-volunteer, professional Army is a good thing - but even an army with draftees can have spirit.

The nation's attitude toward its armed forces make a big difference.

“I was in the Army in the late ’60s and ’70s … and I remember what a dispirited Army looks like.”

And what was it that dispirited the army of the 60's and 70's?

America - we're at war. Have as much heart and courage as the soldiers defending you.

Hats off to everyone in uniform - dedicated to accomplishing whatever mission they're given no matter what the personal cost!

It's amazing to me - reading the posts here on FR - whenever the issue of Muslims and the Koran come up - how many supposedly freedom-loving Americans don't really believe in the free exercise of religion. It's scary, really.

I suppose that's because we're in a war with Muslim extremists. But the people that we are trying to HELP in Iraq and Afghanistan are also mostly MUSLIM. They're not all the enemy.

As a matter of public policy: If someone can swear an oath with their hand on the Bible, they should be able to affirm that oath on whatever "holy book" they choose. The government is incompetent to make judgments about what's theologically valid and invalid. Seriously, do you want the government telling you that YOUR religious ideas are wrong?

Oaths today are a quaint relic of more superstitious times, a way to indicate the seriousness of the proceeding and to invoke the punishment of the gods on perjurers. I'm not sure they are much more than a solemn tradition these days. But, if putting your hand on a book isn't very likely to make you more truthful, it's probably not going to make you a bigger liar, either.

As a matter of theology: for Christians, no oath is necessary. Jesus said, "Again, you have heard that it was said to our ancestors, You must not break your oath, but you must keep your oaths to the Lord. But I tell you, don't take an oath at all .... But let your word 'yes' be 'yes,' and your 'no' be 'no.' Anything more than this is from the evil one. (Matthew 5:33-34a, 37 HCSB)

Christians are supposed to be people of integrity whose word can be trusted. Putting my hand on the Bible can't increase my responsibility to be truthful in court. God already requires that of me.

Free exercise is good for everybody. I'm not afraid to let my beliefs compete in the market place of ideas. Certainly, many ACLU suits seek to limit the free exercise of religion. This isn't one of them. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, and in this case the ACLU is right. (Americans United, as usual, is dead wrong. Don't get me started on Barry Lynn who told me in the early 1980s .... well, that's a story for another time).

Sigh --- and this is news, why? And it's significantly different than what has been done before, how?

I guess they could put "Global War on Terrorism" on the stones, but nobody I know really likes that title. We could call it WW IV, but there are political problems with that, too.

People who were there routinely say, "I was in OIF" or "I was in OEF". I had no idea that somebody would think that putting this on the headstone of the fallen was some sort of political conspiracy. Since very few people ever see the headstone of the fallen, it's probably not very effective propaganda.

But .. If I ever fall in the service of my country, I sure would want those who pass by my final resting place to know what I did for them.

I STRONGLY favor the former policy of keeping the processing of remains private until the family takes custody. Then the family can decide how much it values dignity, and how much it values publicity. If a family wants to invite the press to take pictures of their dead child's casket (or body, for that matter), let'em. But don't impose that choice on some other family.

It's hard to take such a study seriously ... so I won't.

Except to point out the obvious .... sexuality plays a slightly different role in human culture than it does in the rest of the animal world where it is purely instinctive. To frame questions of human sexual behavior in purely biological or animalistic terms is to miss the mark completely. You've already defined the set of possible answers by the question you've asked.

Unless you are deep, deep, deep into the backwoods, use the latrines. No civilized person craps on the ground in areas where other people will follow when there are more hygenic options available. Have a little respect for the other people who will come behind you. I've been in the field where people thought, "I'll just squat here" and it's disgusting. You aren't the only bear in the woods.

Party pooper.

I guess I'm one of your 90% who don't belong ... but I sure did enjoy my one-week auto tour of national parks and battlefields in South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming last month. It was a once in a lifetime trip to see national treasures, squeezed into 7 days of annual leave. I did some day-hiking with the family, but we didn't have time to make the 3000 mile loop by foot.

I didn't look for any tourist-traps (and I didn't see any INSIDE any of the parks), but the roads, restaurants, general stores, gas-stations and cabins in Yellowstone made the trip practical. (And I don't mind user fees for the parks. Other taxpayers who don't use the park don't need to fund my holiday).

Yellowstone is roughly 54 x 63 miles in size (3472 sq miles). "Put up a few dirt parking around the perimeter and make people hike in" .... except that only a handful of people would ever see it! Even though you "take it serious" (sic) when you visit a park, it's possible that even a he-man woodsman like yourself might not have a few months to dedicate to exploring Yellowstone.

I actually think the NPS does a pretty good job of both making our parklands accessible and preserving them (so that's there's something to see when you get there). You can stick to the main roads, or you can take off down little-used trails. But for goodness' sake, follow the rules and use the latrines when they're available.

I searched on "general relieved" "TRADOC" and "Byrnes" several times and this is the first hit.

Posting police need to take a strong laxative.

I was absolutely amazed at how well soldiers actually performed in the presence of multiple traumatic injuries. I was personally on the scene of several mass casualty events just after they occurred - with the wounded and with those who responded to the attacks. The professionalism of the the first responders (the soldiers on the scene), the medics and the NCO and officer leadership was astounding. There was no panic. Training (and courage) kicked in and people did what they were supposed to do. The courage of the severely wounded and dying was even more inspring. I heard similar stories (and ONLY similar stories) from my friends in other units.

Before the war, as we trained to care for our wounded, I told some soldiers, "If you feel like you're going to throw up, just step to the side, throw up and then get back to the mission. There's no shame in getting sick - it's a normal reaction - just get back in the game because lives are depending on it." In fact, no one I saw did get sick during a crisis - even while they were walking around picking up body parts. There's something that about the crisis of combat that makes you (at least temporarily) very focused.

On further thought, Gunner Palace is only a mild recommend. There's too much rap music for my taste. There's all sorts of soldiers with all sorts preferences. I saw more gospel choirs than free form rappers, but your mileage might vary. Gunner Palace is anti-war in slant, but it is a more comprehensive and realistic look at a soldier's life in Iraq.

I bought it because it supports Fisher House - because I have use for snippets of it from time to time - and because I was in that palace BEFORE they fixed the swimming pool!

Really ... rent it first. Compared to OVER THERE, it's a much more realistic picture.

WARNING .... it has VERY strong (read foul) language. NOT for children!!!

I have no objection to a show about Iraq ... but this one is TOOO STOOPID.

ROE ALWAYS allows self-defense. Blow that mosque to pieces. Where's the air?

One squad in one little CF to to isolate a mosque .... why, especially if this is sensitive. Not very effective.

Move 50 yards closer ... why?

The part about taking a dump in the dark with a loose perimeter and bad guys in the neighborhood ... now I can relate to that!

Go rent ... no BUY ... Gunner Palace. Proceeds help Fisher House.

... have called upon the Pentagon to conduct independent investigations of these incidences.

Funny ... I thought the word was "incidents". But ... I'm not a professional journalist.

Rock of the Marne!

Battle Kings!
Rock of the Marne!

For the same reason that we're preparing Halal meals for them ... because this country values freedom of religion. The cost for the Koran, BTW, is inconsequential - about the cost of a single meal. Detention operations are expensive. The cost of Koran isn't.