Posted on 04/25/2011 11:50:18 PM PDT by Jet Jaguar
He was replaced so noone suffered or was deprived.
When I had my company command, I made a point of in-briefing every new soldier in my command. Understanding that I owned everything that happened in my company, every order given was ultimately in my name. For my new officers and NCOs, part of my guidance was that when possible, their orders should be explained fully. I had several reasons for that. First, it trained soldiers to think like NCOs and understand their rationale. Second, it made my NCOs and Lieutenants think through their orders. Sometimes it encouraged a soldier with a good idea or a better, more efficient way of doing something to offer their input. Perhaps most importantly, it increased the soldiers' trust in their orders so that in situations where there wasn't time to explain an order, the soldiers would at least have the confidence that an individual NCO or officer had never given them an order without a good reason before.
Had I become aware that the newest Private in my company had a question about the legitimacy of my command or my commission, I would have taken whatever steps were necessary to ensure that any ambiguity or doubt about the lawful nature of my orders or actions was addressed and put to rest immediately.
Of course he was replaced...probably by someone that didn’t get to come home as scheduled or by someone that wasn’t scheduled to go. Why couldn’t he refuse his orders from the combat zone instead of from home?
I certainly wouldn’t do it his way.
Have to pick someplace. Since the orders were to move overseas then it that was the logical place.
I still take strong issue with your original statement.
Would have been better if he deployed, then refused.
We all have issues.
What? Translation, please...
Once a Marine always a Marine I know Marines who have been out of service for 50 years and they are Marines today!
I’ve heard many a Marine refer to themselves as a “former Marine.”
Although this has undoubtedly been hard on his wife and kids, Try as I might, I can’t bring myself to feel much sympathy for Lakin himself. Ultimately he made his own bed.
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