"I like Marines, because being a Marine is serious business. We're not a social club or a fraternal organization and we don't pretend to be one. We're a brotherhood of 'warriors,' nothing more, nothing less, pure and simple. We are in the ass-kicking business, and unfortunately, these days business is good ... As Marines, our message to our foes has always been essentially the same. 'We own this side of the street! Threaten my country or our allies and we will come over to your side of the street, burn your hut down, and whisper in your ear 'can you hear me now?' And then secure your heartbeat." --Colonel James M. "Mike" Lowe Let us begin again.... I know that all of us here at BlackFive have expressed our views regarding this really rather silly notion that females, in order to "belong" in the military, need to be allowed to serve in the Combat Arms branches. We have all waxed eloquent regarding what our views are. There is now a great leap backward that is coming, along with the "girls get Ranger Tabs too" movement. This is evidently, far from being a "dead" issue; however, it may actually turn out to be a "dead" issue not long from now... This is weapons grade stupidity.... Just as the U.S. military is indoctrinating troops to accept open gays in their ranks, a federal commission is pressing the Pentagon to make the force more diverse by, among other ideas, opening infantry and armor units to women. With the Military Leadership Diversity Commission’s report out this month, its leaders have briefed Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn and plan to deliver its 162-page report to every member of Congress. The commission says it wants the military to resemble the ethnic makeup of America. It is urging the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force to “validate” the standards — such as education, test scores, criminal records and drug use — that disqualify large numbers of blacks and Hispanics. WHOOP! WHOOP! The Deebow P.C. Bovine Scatology Decoder Ring just went bat guano crazy. Let's see what the codewords are here; "validate" = "lower," and this (according to the commission, somehow only applies to minorities). How tremendously awesome. But let's examine those four "standards" that they mention to start with (and believe me, I am just getting started). As a Former Senior Non-Com, I can say that I want soldiers who understand how to fire that Javelin Missile, can prove it on a written test or practical exam that I administer, don't have a penchant for stealing the missile and selling it to a terrorist, nor are they smokin' the wacky tobacky while trying to use it. And believe me, I think everyone can agree that these standards should apply whether you are black, white, tall, thin, short, fat, male, female, Asian, Hispanic, a trained monkey, small dog, or Marvin the Martian.... And I am just warming up.... So now we have to lower the standards so that minorities can get into the military. I am not a minority, but that sounds quite condescending to me. In fact, if I was a minority, I would feel pretty insulted that some committee thought that since I was somehow mentally deficient as compared to my peers of another color or creed, I needed a break on the test scores to be in the military. Kind of like patting a child upon the head and giving them a participation trophy. I know that the military is an equal opportunity employer, probably the most equal in the whole wide world. I know this because I can look at the success of men and women like Col. Allen West, (now Congressman West), Major Tammy Duckworth (Assistant Secretary for Public and Intergovernmental Affairs--USDVA, disabled Iraq war veteran/helo pilot and still serving in the Illinois National Guard) and Colin Powell (first Black US S.O.S.). I know it because the first VIP protective detail we worked while deployed in Egypt in 2002 was FORSCOM Commander General Larry Ellis (4 star general--also a Black Man). This little gem is a bit further down in the article, and Mrs. Deebow about had to call in a negotiator to talk me off the ledge... Part of the momentum for women in direct combat units stems from the fact they have engaged in firefights in Iraq and Afghanistan as military police and been subjected to enemy fire and homemade bombs, called improvised explosive devices (IEDs), just like the men. So the logic is that these members of the fairer sex who are rolling in convoys and attached to units conducting combat operations are participating in firefights just like the men, so why not let them do it as grunts or treadheads. Hey Diversity (Stupidity) Panel! Question from Deebow here in the back; do the ladies need to be in an MOS in the Infantry in order to get promoted, or recognized for their actions or to complete their mission while serving in the military? Answer: No, they don't. Anyone remember Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester? Silver Star for heroism in combat in Iraq in 2005. The name Spc. Monica Lin Brown ring a bell? Silver Star for heroism in combat in Afghanistan in 2007. Let's get in the way back machine and head back to the stone age of women's issues and talk about Dr. Mary Edwards Walker; Civil War Doctor (first female doctor to serve in the Army Medical Corps), POW and First (and currently only) Medal of Honor winner (awarded by President Jackson in 1866). And if you are taking notes, I would like to point out that Sergeant Hester is a Military Police Team Leader and Spc. Brown is a medic; two MOS's that are not 11 series. There are a few of us that recognize that in this day and age, and in the wars we fight now, you don't need to be a Paratrooper Grunt with a Ranger tab to be in a place...
Read the complete post at http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Blackfive/~3/yhP6ue_F_PU/diversity-is-stupidity.html
Posted
Mar 20 2011, 05:28 AM
by
BLACKFIVE