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Hilarious - I figured that you could do better than to simply attack the messenger and pretend:

- that Hackworth did not admit in his own book to serious criminal activity wile in commnding troops (running a brothel, abultery, winning $100,00 by gambling with his troops, smoking drugs with his troops while in combat) or

- that Hackworth as an O6 had no idea that he was not entitled to wear a Ranger tab, etc.

- that he did not hold others to a standard he never himself met

As a purported retired O6, you should be able to do a lot better than that.

You are one strange individual: you have bent several column-inches into odd screeds against a guy who, as far as we know, never did you any harm.

Further, as even the Slate hatchet job points out - " Let there be no doubt: David Hackworth is a war hero. In 1944, when he was a 14-year-old orphan, Hackworth faked his way into the U.S. Merchant Marine. At 16, he was a U.S. Army private, fighting Yugoslav partisans on the Italian border. At 20, he won a battlefield commission in Korea, then commanded a savage and brilliant Army Raiders unit that wreaked havoc on the North Koreans and Chinese. When he left the Army in 1971, he was the youngest full colonel in Vietnam, winner of eight Purple Hearts, nine Silver Stars, eight Bronze Stars, four Army Commendation Medals, four Legions of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and a chestful of other medals. Today Hackworth calls himself--often--"America's most decorated living soldier"".

Through his articles he did what he could to keep the public's attention on the welfare of our troops and the effectiveness of our forces. Very often he was the only voice out there and whatever flaws he may have actually had, God love him for the good he did.

Which brings me back to the question about your vitriol against a guy that not only served but got eight Purple Hearts doing it.

Just how many Purple Hearts have you and Slate earned so far, Big Guy? No offense, but I really don't care about "Ranger Tabs" - you get those for going through a nice rigorous school in the States! Whatever crazed view you have about Hack, he was there in combat and that is what counts to me...