tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post4979481744593229141..comments2023-11-17T03:55:40.736-05:00Comments on Ink Spots: Mission: Readiness and a strange lack of perspectiveLilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18373158801523577733noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-5950526635719484392009-12-15T08:59:09.786-05:002009-12-15T08:59:09.786-05:00Seems to me that what this group is saying about t...Seems to me that what this group is saying about this being a national security issue makes sense. Clearly, if we can't as a nation help develop young people to where they are at least ABLE TO MAKE THE CHOICE about whether they want to go into the military, we're in trouble -- in lots of ways. Not only will our military suffer, but our businesses will have the same problems finding talented employees (OK, so they can be fat). And if kids don't graduate from high school, then their outlooks are pretty bad (and our communities less productive and safe). <br /><br />One more thing that occurs to me: I'm not the biggest fan of the military, but it seems to me that for a lot of young people, the military is a really good option to change their lives, get trained and educated, make and save money, and perhaps do better than they would have otherwise done. Of course, it's not for everybody, and young people should have many choices. But it's really sad that -- probably do to many factors that kids may or may not have control of -- so many young people will not be able to even explore the military as an option.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-3614975956664129482009-11-06T12:02:33.585-05:002009-11-06T12:02:33.585-05:00Schmedlap -- I drove GEN Clark from the airport to...Schmedlap -- I drove GEN Clark from the airport to his hotel in my little college town once, about eight or ten years ago. A lecture series organization that I was in had brought him to campus to speak.<br /><br />I can say without a doubt that he was the most aloof, patronizing old crank I've ever had the misfortune to drive for 15 minutes. I've realized as I get older that part of that is just how generals are, but I've always sort of thought of him as a d-bag since then.Gulliverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12558335790019565924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-33320665910766861502009-11-06T10:05:26.654-05:002009-11-06T10:05:26.654-05:00"Seriously? "
Sure - well, we can't..."Seriously? "<br /><br />Sure - well, we can't say that there is a federal government responsibility to ensure health and happiness, that would be too mamby-pamby liberal weak-wristed nonsense. Now if you make it a matter of national security, that gives the right-of-center people cover to do what's right in the first place.J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01031567700911395326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-17980289000834645952009-11-05T22:13:06.833-05:002009-11-05T22:13:06.833-05:00"talking about early childhood education, par..."talking about early childhood education, parenting guidance, mental and nutrition services, and so on as matters of national security."<br /><br />Isn't that all just another subsection of "good governance" and effective education? Isn't that what the US is asking from Afghanistan?AJKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08456979365708815896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-7493343143144392192009-11-05T21:12:08.022-05:002009-11-05T21:12:08.022-05:00If I thought it would be sufficient to make Wesley...If I thought it would be sufficient to make Wesley Clark go away, then that would be enough motivation for me.<br /><br />I second Starbuck's comment on raw materials. I hand-picked my driver and gunner - a Texas redneck and a Chicago pill-popper, respectively.Schmedlaphttp://www.schmedlap.com/weblognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-89315187936679976782009-11-05T20:43:12.932-05:002009-11-05T20:43:12.932-05:00this is more often a matter of training, doctrine,...<i> this is more often a matter of training, doctrine, and resources than of personnel "raw materials"</i><br /><br />One thing I learned from observing Soldiers is that you can't discount the "raw materials". As one example (out of many), a Soldier who comes in the Army and can't do simple stuff like figure out percentages simply will not work well as a flight operations specialist, charged with adding up hundreds and thousands of flight hours each month. <br /><br />YoStarbuckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02013102906896853767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8755035051021414780.post-76654260916233829152009-11-05T19:23:59.935-05:002009-11-05T19:23:59.935-05:00We're saying that we should have less high sch...<i>We're saying that we should have less high school dropouts, hungry kids, and parents who beat their children because if we don't fix those problems, we won't have enough soldiers for our army.</i><br /><br />Excellent point. I hadn't seen that organization before, thanks for the heads-up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com