The Roar
And The Beat Goes On
Just by chance, thumbing through the follow-up postings of a Delco Times article about Santorum, I came across a comment about this recent incident involving some Marines. It’s conclusion, written by a Vietnam veteran, echoed my thoughts completely. Since I also served in Vietnam, it’s not too odd to view events with a similar eye. At any rate, and I’m paraphrasing, the veteran wrote something to the effect that the Marines should be given a medal and be done with this story. Amen.
As the writer said, it’s often those with cushy far away positions which do the most criticizing. Some things never change. Back in the day, the media alternated between two major on going subject lines; the war and the protests.
As a Vietnam veteran, I instinctively feel the heat of Iraq, experience the sand in everything and understand the bleak terrain of an Afghan landscape. I too dozed off under a jeep, out of the intense sun and smelled the local offerings. Veterans of all wars know and understand the unknowing, the loneliness, the uncertainty from danger. However, we all acknowledge that military service best substantiates the old wisdom that “experience is the best teacher.”
With this very select genre in mind, today’s media captures national headlines, reporting that four Marines were taped urinating on the bodies of dead enemy combatants. For me, echoes from long ago once again whistled with questions and condemnation. I am sure that I am not the only Vietnam veteran who was whisked back in time .
To say that our homecoming was a bit tense would greatly understate those daily returns. This is not meant to revisit those years but is solely an attempt to tame our judgement upon an event which is now being dramatized from an unknown stage. Often a war’s single event frames its right or wrong identity. In my day, My Lai became infused and validated the unwarranted charges leveled at retuning veterans. And our media greatly promoted such response.
This most recent generation of American warriors, my brothers and sisters in arms, deserve more restraint from both the public, the press and most definitely from those who order our military without “any skin in the game.” We should all take time to pause, to envision our actions in such circumstances before we jump on this media bandwagon of condemnation. I might add that an over whelming percentage of Americans have refrained and rightly so.
Instead of being in the breach, my generation is also dependent, with reserved skepticism, upon the reports from various news outlets. While Vietnam greatly expanded the media’s ability to report, today’s capabilities have miniaturized those forty year old telecasts. However, today’s coverage emphasizes more and more upon the aspects of “collateral damages” than ever before. It is almost as if war must be controlled and clean.
This official preoccupation with “good intentions” demonstrates our general unknowing as to what war really is. I find it incredible and somewhat corruptive in that the “higher-ups,” those who still wear our nation’s uniform yet are assigned to that chasm between military and government, can go along to get along. Most have tasted war’s raw realities but toe the line with muffled silence. It’s clear that political correctness has been taken “a bridge too far.”
Many factors contribute to this cleansing of war’s dirty tools. First and foremost, there is a lack of accountability since WWII. Wars now rage until both sides tire or see an advantage in calling a tie. However, what remains unchanged is the call to sacrifice from those doing the “humping.” We recently witnessed that somehow, it was time for our troops to leave Iraq. As such, I will not venture back to question the original reason for invading but this type of war’s conclusion, which has permeated our nation’s sacrifice for over sixty years, is directly attributable to the original individual decision making at the outset.
What was witnessed and reported is not the act of barbarity but rather the reflections from another mission, the relief of surviving and the knowing that tomorrow only offers another survival test. Who among us experiences such an extreme “day at the office?”
In conclusion, I think the local headline, Marines name general to handle video probes, says it all. Yes, this incident was unfortunate but for reasons not mentioned. It is unfortunate by the fanfare in which it was reported. And it was unfortunate that our elected and appointed leadership lack basic understanding of a war’s daily grind.
Should medals be awarded? Obviously not but I can understand the premise. Consider that our services have taken to mandating “sensitivity classes” for a number of issues. Instead of the overkill from a court martial proceeding, it might be resolved that such lectures be held for identifying and understanding the correct places, positions and general nomenclatures required for such impromptu “leaking.” Maybe, some of our leaders in Washington should enroll. God Bless our Troops!
Jim Bowman, Author of,
This Roar of Ours