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The Art & Study of Self-Reliance
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Hagel on the 82nd Airborne – Today’s Quote
You can’t just drop the 82nd Airborne into Baghdad and it will all be over.
Former Senator Chuck Hagel
Andrew’s Note: Let’s hope that if Mr. Hagel becomes Secretary of Defense that he’s better briefed on just how Bad A** the only Airborne Division in the Free World is!
6 Responses to Hagel on the 82nd Airborne – Today’s Quote
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The 82nd is pretty B.A. but Hagel was right. I was in Ramadi, Iraq with these guys and from what I saw they were kind of a soup sandwich. Lets be honest the military’s standards have dropped significantly if we want to stay the greatest military force in the world we are going to have to start making some real changes. It pains me to say this. I enjoyed my time serving but always felt that it was lacking and always wondered how we are the elite.
Been a long time since I was in the 82nd but I hope you’re wrong. Headed back out to Fort Bragg for the first time since being stationed there in the late 80′s…can’t wait to see what it’s like now. I’m pretty amazed at what we can accomplish now (especially in the junior ranks) compared to when I was a junior enlisted super-trooper…where I do think we’ve slipped as an Army is in losing the ‘warrior mentality’ and replacing it with political correctness and a risk intolerant culture.
I agree with you 100%, I should also add that it wasn’t only the 82nd that I saw this with. I also saw this in my own unit as well as nearly every other that I cam across. Like you said we lack the “warrior mentality.” Because of our elite status I believe that the majority of our military has become complacent by the idea that we are the elite fighting force today, and therefore we lack the desire, motivation, and dedication that once made us the Elite. One of the things that I noticed was that we had those soldiers with the desire, motivation, and dedication, in the military but majority were getting out. They were getting out because of all the political B.S. in the Senior Ranks. When this happens those that stay in and get promoted are usually the ones that really had no business being in the military to begin with.
A couple of buddies and I started making field grade active duty officers ‘honorary Reservists’ if they were mission focused and didn’t go around asking everyone what their “senior rater’s profile looks like.” We got funny looks at first but once we explained it…it became a badge of honor. The worst were the active duty O-6′s that were on their first combat tour…every decision was based on the way it might be worded on an OER…they had stars in their eyes.
That is a good idea, wish we had thought of that. Most of us in our free time would sit down with a soldier, (enlisted or officer) and teach them the skill we felt or saw that they were deficient in. This helped us build better camaraderie, and unit cohesion. I was a Chaplains Assistant, but I knew how to operate every crew serve weapon in our armory because of this. Our mission in Iraq was Personal Security Detail (PSD) My emphasis in AIT was PSD for the Chaplain. So I would teach the skills that I had learned. It helped with passing the time, made us a better team, and brought better cohesion. Both officers and enlisted alike did this. Though I only wish we could have gotten more involved that wouldn’t have anything to do with it. But we all respected each other. I have brought this concept home with my family for preparedness. By the way thank you for all of your hard work and dedication here on Prepography. HOOAH!!!
You’re welcome and thank you for your service.