Posted on 03/22/2008 4:23:03 PM PDT by Main Street
OK folks, I appreciate that my view was unpopular. But in the responses, I see only civilian emotions based on a civilian attitude. Here’s what it looks like from my perspective, as someone who was in the military in Iraq: this is a commissioned officer flagrantly violating a very well founded and very well known US military regulation, one that — as we speak — commanders are trying to enforce, even in the face of this very poor example.
Below, I’ve quoted the regulation that 160,000 GIs manage to follow while in Iraq, but that the Major was too special to follow. You’ll note that it is “General Order #1” — if that sounds like an important rule that EVERY GI OVER THERE IS TOLD ABOUT, then you’re right:
CENTCOM General Order # 1 (19 Dec 2000), paragraph 2 i., prohibits “Adopting as pets or mascots, caring for, or feeding any type of domestic or wild animal”. This prohibition is applicable to all United States military personnel, and to civilians serving with, employed by, or accompanying the Armed Forces of the United States, while present in the USCENTCOM AOR.
It’s not about “aww, a heartwarming story about a cute puppy”, it’s about an officer flagrantly violating regulations, seeking and getting national positive publicity because of it, and getting away with the whole thing, thereby making every combat commander’s job that much harder.
Today, if you’re a company commander who has a troop who violates the regulations in this way (and I guarantee there will be many, after this story), what do you do? And if you’re a commander who has a troop bitten by his “pet” and medevaced for precautionary rabies treatment, how do you feel about the good Major’s undisciplined hijinks?
This is a very perverse “feel good” story that the Major has created for reasons of his own, and the media has lapped it up. Don’t be fooled.
Me too and let’s keep 0bama out of this story..he cannot be allowed to horn in on this in any way at all.
Can’t wait to read the book.
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