Having been a military officer in charge of people, I can unequivocally state the following:
When wearing that uniform, you are a resource.
Period. End of story. Sorry if that offends your civilian sensibilities.
Most people do not understand that when you are sworn into military service you take a legal and binding oath. For officers part of that oath is “…to protect and defend the constitution of the United States.” For enlisted personnel part of their oath is to: “…support and defend the Constitution of the United States,” and to “…obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice” There is also a line in there that states “…without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion.”
This is legal, this is not playing around, this is eminently serious.
I know that Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo has since reversed his decision, but I’m going to try to clarify the situation and address the rampant indignation the best I can to help give those not hip to the military way of thinking a better understanding of the involved mindset. I’m sure Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo, in his reversal, was just doing what his civilian leadership recommended he do, for the military is ultimately led by civilian leadership. Now, I’m not in any way speaking for Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo, or anyone else in the military or government, these are just my thoughts based on first-hand experience. And no one has to like them; I’m just trying to better clarify what might not be all that well understood. I’m not a flag waver nor one who joins Vet organizations (not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just not me). I’m simply ex-military and this got my attention and I felt a need to comment. And, unfortunately, the way life seems to be, a military appears to be needed. The only way to change that is to change the way we as Humans do business.
Yeah, go tackle that one. Actions speak louder than words.
Many get into the military so that they can get school paid for, learn discipline, straighten out their life, get some of the best training in the world, or whatever, but what many civilians simply may not realize is that when you take that oath…you just put YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE to defend the United States. Whether or not you “have an opinion” on the war, the president, or your new attire, you keep it to yourself and perform your new professional duty as a soldier, sailor, marine, or airman. Frankly, you just gave up most of your nifty civil rights and civilian status to what many deem a higher calling. You gave up sleeping in and just went on-call 24X7. Doesn’t matter what “job” you get while in the military, whether it’s an administrator or flying jets, the government has every right to pull you from whatever you’re doing, shove a rifle into your nervous little hands, and point you toward the front lines (and be thankful we don’t have a draft, because this really applies across the board, friends). You give up your life for service to 308 million others.
The military, especially during times of war, doesn’t have the luxury of debating every order it delivers. Many at the receiving end of orders simply do not have all the knowledge, or the need-to-know, about what they’re being directed (note: not asked) to perform. There are many elements and reasons for this, but one of them is time. If an order comes down, you have to have faith in your superiors and your civilian leadership that they know more than you, and that they’re making the best decisions, given the circumstances.
Of course, when you lose faith in your superiors and their direction, then we have problems…but that’s not the subject of this post.
So, when something like the current topic of interest—military pregnancies—becomes an issue, it impacts a command’s—the country’s—ability to discharge its duties. You want to know something even more odd? It doesn’t have to be a pregnancy.
It could be a sunburn.
A hangover.
Screwing around while on duty.
It can be absolutely anything that keeps the Government Issue (aka “G.I.”) from faithfully performing what they said they would do, and if that behavior takes down others with it, then there will be hell to pay. It’s that simple.
“They” don’t use the term “G.I.” for nothing.
So, no, N.O.W., no, N.O.W. President Terry O’Neill, it’s not about throwing women in jail just because they’re pregnant. I think I can also unequivocally state that it has absolutely nothing to with “women being pregnant.” It has to do with reducing a commander’s national resources to perform his civilian-directed mission of fighting for his or her country (again, issues with the war itself, or its commanders, notwithstanding).
And another thing I’ve seen mentioned in blogs: when entering the military, G.I.s are expected to perform to a higher standard, a higher level of behavior. It’s not about succumbing to all that ails you, whether it’s relieving sexual stress or what-ev-er, “because you’re Human.” It’s about learning and applying discipline for a “higher good” (again beliefs about the war and its commanders notwithstanding…). It’s about service to those 308 million other reasons I’d mentioned above. We and they are not and never treated as slaves in the military. The military is called upon to do sometimes extremely drastic things so that others can blog and play and sleep soundly, and in discharge of said duties you simply can’t have a “soft” G.I. You can’t have them live in luxury and be able to do all the fun stuff civilians—whose lives are not on the line—do in a war zone. You need to keep a military mindset. You need to keep “your edge.” It’s much harder to get someone who’s waking up in a nice and cozy be-blanketed and comfortered bed to go out into a harsh climate and perform sometimes brutal acts, than to get someone sleeping and living in Spartan quarters and surrounds. Even those who work stateside and have to perform “extreme acts” have said it’s very hard to do when they then go home to the wife and kids. I’m not saying its right or wrong…I’m just saying. But also, as one comment poster mentioned, yes those in the military are human, and as such, they are some of the most compassionate people around. Look at all the disillusioned around us. The disaffected. There are always exceptions, but many and most of those I’ve dealt and deal with in uniform put to shame most civilians when it comes to compassion and behavior (politeness as well as respect) for their fellow human. They are some of the most well-mannered individuals you will ever meet. They have not lost their “right to live.” What they have done, which may be hard for most to really internalize, is that they have (and read this next line very carefully) CHOSEN to give up their life for YOURS. Whether or not they actually do it, depends on what situations they are called to, but the fact is, they freely swore without any mental reservations or purpose of evasion to do this, which means they’ve accepted the conditions of their new role in life.
They are not slaves.
And, BTW, I’m sure police and other similar professionals have the same oath. So, if you go back on that oath—for whatever reason—there are consequences, just like if you chose to run a red light or shoplift. The military consequences are more harsh, simply because they have to be. This ain’t kindergarten.
And, yes, G.I.s can change their mind—I did—but I had to do what I signed up for, even though I did try to get out early. There’s no harm in asking. But when you get your answer, you deal with it in a professional manner. A commander of mine once said, when your desires and those of the military’s take on divergent paths, it’s time to get out. I realize that people can change their mind, but what people also have to realize is that sometimes you can’t change you mind on a dime. Joining the military isn’t like trying on a pair of pants or a skirt. It’s a serious frigging commitment. One where your life is on the line. Think hard about that decision. Because now it’s a choice—there is no draft—but there very well could be.
As open-minded a person as I am, I agree with the general’s decisions—both of them. He was in a rock and a hard place and his civilian leadership counseled him and he did what he did. But he was not wrong in his first place. But I challenge each of you who take such a righteously indignant opposition to what the general “decreed” (again, it was and will always be in force to take action against any “dereliction of duty”) to see what any of you would do were you in a war zone and you had enough attrition due to G.I. pregnancies that you thought this a necessary emphasis to bring to the forefront, and you were fighting a war. And no, “Well, I wouldn’t be there in the first place” is not acceptable.
If you don’t want situations like this, the changing of the war mindset starts at home. With each and every Human on this planet. If you laugh and dismiss this idea, then of course it will never happen. But war and the military is composed of individuals. Look in the mirror. Just because we were or are in the military does not change that fact.
Happy holidays.