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HukeOKC · September 8, 2000, 08:08 AM

smitty21, I think you need to read this again and not look at it as a slam on the military and it's enlisted. I look at this story as a Veteran of over 7 years service who got out because of the very things he is talking about. He is in NO way telling you to not be proud of what you are doing. He is trying to help you. He is a journalist that is friendly to the military and it's current problems, and that is what you need these days. If you don't have low morale in your unit, then you need to go thank your Commander. He has sheltered you from what the current Administration has in store for you and your brothers and sisters in the service. I read this story and was thinking, Thank God it is in print somewhere and will get someone's attention. This guy is a Vietnam Veteran. He knows what you do. He has "been there, done that". Look around you, what he said about minorities is true. Look at your upper echelon of command. Granted, there was a period when it was a majority of whites. But now things are different. Now you can be an outstanding soldier but you will wait in line for promotion boards and schools while the minoritys get first dibs. There ARE quotas. I had an E-8 who worked on the promotion boards for the senior enlisted soldiers. He was on the boards that actually reviewed the soldiers files and selected them for promotion to the senior enlisted ranks. He told us flat out, that if a white male soldier was better than a minority soldier, but they hadn't met their quota, that they would give the promotion to the minority to meat the quota. My heart sank. That was one of the final straws. I had always thought that once you got to that point that quotas wouldn't matter. I was wrong.

Trust me, this guy is on your side. And unfortunatley, he is right on most things. I do think we have enough vets and real Americans who would "ruck up" if TSHTF. And I know we have superior equipment to our enemys. But there will be a huge loss on our side of soldiers who didn't take their training seriously or recieve the proper training and discipline. They will be the ones you zip up in a bag to go back home. Those who try hard and make the most of their military training will be hurt and killed because of some of these soldiers too, because that other guy was supposed to be covering their back. Sorry for the length but I want people to know that this story is right on, and we need to do something about it.

September 8, 2000, 08:08 AM	#15
HukeOKC Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2000 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 347	smitty21, I think you need to read this again and not look at it as a slam on the military and it's enlisted. I look at this story as a Veteran of over 7 years service who got out because of the very things he is talking about. He is in NO way telling you to not be proud of what you are doing. He is trying to help you. He is a journalist that is friendly to the military and it's current problems, and that is what you need these days. If you don't have low morale in your unit, then you need to go thank your Commander. He has sheltered you from what the current Administration has in store for you and your brothers and sisters in the service. I read this story and was thinking, Thank God it is in print somewhere and will get someone's attention. This guy is a Vietnam Veteran. He knows what you do. He has "been there, done that". Look around you, what he said about minorities is true. Look at your upper echelon of command. Granted, there was a period when it was a majority of whites. But now things are different. Now you can be an outstanding soldier but you will wait in line for promotion boards and schools while the minoritys get first dibs. There ARE quotas. I had an E-8 who worked on the promotion boards for the senior enlisted soldiers. He was on the boards that actually reviewed the soldiers files and selected them for promotion to the senior enlisted ranks. He told us flat out, that if a white male soldier was better than a minority soldier, but they hadn't met their quota, that they would give the promotion to the minority to meat the quota. My heart sank. That was one of the final straws. I had always thought that once you got to that point that quotas wouldn't matter. I was wrong. Trust me, this guy is on your side. And unfortunatley, he is right on most things. I do think we have enough vets and real Americans who would "ruck up" if TSHTF. And I know we have superior equipment to our enemys. But there will be a huge loss on our side of soldiers who didn't take their training seriously or recieve the proper training and discipline. They will be the ones you zip up in a bag to go back home. Those who try hard and make the most of their military training will be hurt and killed because of some of these soldiers too, because that other guy was supposed to be covering their back. Sorry for the length but I want people to know that this story is right on, and we need to do something about it.