Concur with your assessment of Congress, but that does not absolve flag officers from their sworn duty to support and defend the Constitution as well as their sacred duty of defending those that serve under them. When a general officer is quick to throw his men into the lions den, it erodes good order and discipline. The two Army officers I mentioned are guilty of precisely that. Marine Corps officers have done the same, specifically one of my beloved Commandants is guilty of this as well. Any leader that crushes those that are loyal to them, fails to engender loyalty, in himself and his corps.
A prime example of what we are discussing is the most recent spokesman for the Pentagon (RADM Kirby), he is one that is worthy of contempt and a coward, first for placing his career aspirations above what is right for the country and second for failing to name our enemy. He embodies the political nature of the modern flag officer and the cancer that is infesting both the officer corps and has pervaded Congress.
They are all worthy of the damnation that is coming.
RJ
Major, USMC (ret)
rjsimmon: Right on! I’m glad that you outted Kirby as a career-promotion shithead. And a wimp to boot.
Now the Marines are seriously compromised by bad leadership. Remember JCS Head is Gen. Martin Dempsey, the Chicken of ISIS. What a pathetic creature.
As a journalist I had the privilege to interview or just talk with such American heroes as Lyman Lemnitzer, Maxwell Taylor, Adm John McCain (CINCOMPAC, VN), Adm. Dan Galley (U-505 and one of the famous five Admirals brothers), Gen. Chappie James, Col. Bud Day (a friend), Adm. Jeremiah Denton (a friend), and some great guys on the ground in So. Vietnam and Cambodia.
Today all I see are career-concerned, Obama asskissing wimps and cowards.
We buried my father-in-law, a retired Lt. Col. , in October. You will know how much I admired his professionalism as an officer and a gentleman by listing his last battle in WW2 - Iwo Jima, 75th JASCO, US ARMY, PH.
For a long time, I’ve viewed and listened to Kirby both in uniform and out.
And, with 2 years on an Admirals Staff (ComServGru3), I know my admirals.
All those times, I said to myself “I don’t know exactly why, but I don’t like that little weasel”.
Your opinion, one of those I respect, helps me understand my own thoughts about the man.
Thanks.