Posted on 04/13/2003 5:48:19 PM PDT by Lacey
"If possible, avoid wearing of the uniform when dining in public places." — From a "Protective Measures Awareness" notice sent to San Antonio's U.S. Army personnel by Maj. Gen. Darrel R. Porr on Friday
April 11, 2003, will be remembered as one of the saddest dates in Alamo City history.
Because of recent instances of harassment of uniformed personnel, Porr, the commanding general at Fort Sam Houston, felt compelled to warn the men and women who serve under him to use caution when traveling, shopping and dining in San Antonio.
"Two separate incidents against military personnel have occurred," Porr reported. "In the first incident, two males on the city's Northeast Side made threatening gestures and pounded on the car window of a drill sergeant and his spouse while they were on their way home.
"The second incident involved two sailors, in uniform, who were accosted by several males who said, 'You'd better not go to war,' as they departed a River Walk restaurant."
Porr provided this possible explanation for the hostile actions:
"There has been a significant increase of demonstrations throughout the United States in opposition to the ongoing U.S.-led military operations in Iraq.
"As individuals voice their opinions against military operations, they tend to direct their frustrations toward governmental and military symbols."
On receiving a copy of the notice from an anonymous e-mailer, I called Fort Sam to ask for more details about the incidents, in general, and the harassers, in particular.
A post spokesman indicated that more information was available, but declined "to go there."
He then made a point of emphasizing:
"Soldiers here in San Antonio have always proudly worn their uniform because of the support for the military.
"Previously, there has never been any perceived threat. This is quite unusual.
"Even during Vietnam, San Antonio was one community that supported the military forces.
"That's one reason the general put that notice out ... because (such harassment) is so unusual in this community."
The notice included cautions other than the warning not to wear uniforms when dining in San Antonio restaurants.
Porr also recommended:
"Be cognizant of people who gather and voice their sentiments against the military efforts in Iraq. Do not get involved."
"When in public facilities, soldiers should avoid conversations related to work or military operations in general."
"Always practice the 'Buddy System' when traveling."
"When in uniform, minimize the number of stops when traveling from home to work or vice versa. Wear civilian clothing when possible."
There you have it: San Antonio, Texas, anno Domini 2003, in all its un-glory.
What's worse ...
Community leaders continue to show pitifully little support for U.S. soldiers.
Example in point:
City officials have been mute as mice since troops entered Iraq. (The San Antonio City Council, which regularly passes resolutions honoring everything from the Dallas Cowboys to Hike and Bike Week, has deigned only to observe "a moment of silence" for the troops and their families.)
Add to that palpable hush the rants of the town's Saddam Hussein apologists, and "Military City USA" can easily degenerate into a South Texas backwater, where men and women in uniform can't safely wear their uniforms in public.
"Sad" hardly describes such a miserable state of affairs.
Fortunately, all of the news surrounding the recent threats isn't dreary.
One unofficial source I talked to said he had seen the police report of the incident on the River Walk, and he provided this description of the confrontation:
"Some Marines who were nearby saw what was happening and went to the sailors' aid.
"The matter was then taken care of by combined military action."
And often, illegal aliens or those who support their continued presence within what once were our borders.
We have Nicaragua, soon we will have El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and Mexico. One day, tomorrow or five years or fifteen years from now, we're going to take 5 to 10 million Mexicans and they are going into Dallas, into El Paso, into Houston, into New Mexico, into San Diego, and each one will have embedded in his mind the idea of killing ten Americans."
--Thomas Borge, Nicaragua Interior Minister as quoted in the Washington Times, March 27, 1985
-archy-/-
When my unit's retention NCO tried to talk me into reenlisting at the end of my first enlisted tour of duty in 197, I gave him a copy of an all-to similar written order by our post commander ordering us not to wear our uniforms off-base after a couple of *incidents* involving students from a nearby university, who were hospitalized. I told the old sarge that if the post's commanding general was ashamed to see our uniform worn, so was I.
I expect after a while, the unit retention statistics spoke louder than anything else that could have been said.
-archy-/-
What leads you to think these are American citizens involved? And since illegal entry into the US is not only a felony, but a Homeland Security violation as well, I expect such violators need to be apprehended and have an ID and records check run against them. It's certainly suspicious conduct, and probable cause for detention and search.
-archy-/-
This makes it possible to get behind them casually, in order to put on a choke hold. Then age is not a factor, only oxygen intake.
An armed man is a citizen.
An unarmed man is a subject....
Any individual that would insult or attack a man in uniform, simply because he was in the uniform of this nation's military --- is neither a citizen or a subject..
That person is the ENEMY WITHIN....and must be dealt with....severely..
Semper Fi
"The matter was then taken care of by combined military action."
Translation: Townies got their a** kicked.
I can't find this sort of thing mentioned in Joint Publication 1, "Joint Warfare of the United States Armed Forces." Maybe I need to submit a publication change request :o)
...and remove his stars at the same time.
Great, when do we start. Where do we start? Iraq maybe free, but what about us?
Start now. When you see someone in uniform being hassled by an agitator, assist a buddy. Don't just sit on your Michael Moore and let it happen. It ain't gonna happen again on my watch.
Denver airport, 1972. I was in two casts, one on each arm. I had on my 1505s with my I was there ribbons. Three freaks with nothing better to do chose me as their "designated baby killer". I yelled as loud as they did but the good folk sitting around us said and did...nothing, zero, nada zip. They just looked away.
The cops took me away to "cool off".
An AA pilot who saw it all and saw my wings bumped me to first class later.
Hehehehe....
L
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.