Privates

While I respect CSM Pendry and his opinion as expressed in his opinion piece, Generals, I must disagree with him on one critical point. He states:

What these men are doing is more damaging to Soldier morale and the war effort than anything the likes of Kerry or Fonda ever mustered during Vietnam.

My fundamental disagreement stems not from the comparison to Sen. Kerry and Jane Fonda, although I disagree with that as well, but instead from the assertion that it poses a threat at all to the morale of soldiers.

To follow CSM Pendry’s example there are two types of privates in the army. The first type is the one that is portrayed in the media the most, but is actually less common. They are the simpletons, the ones who could not succeed academically, or perhaps just wanted to make things go boom. These soldiers do exist. They do not care what some general, active or retired says, and I would be willing to bet that they do not know what these generals said.

The second type of soldier is actually more common, but not viewed as genuine by the media. These soldiers are relatively well educated, many of whom have some college or have graduated college altogether. We have a soldier who has a PhD and is now a corporal in the U.S. Army. This is the type of soldier that eventually goes on to become either officers or non-commissioned officers. They may know what is going on with the “General’s Revolt” they either do not care, much like the privates, or realize that this is something in the political realm. They understand politics, at least enough to not get swept away by it.

In the end, soldiers are far more concerned about mundane things than they are about politics and Generals. Even I do not really much care about what a bunch of retired generals have to say, or who is the secretary of defense. In reality, most soldiers just care about going home as soon as possible, and all they really want is for people to think that they did a good thing. They are doing a good thing too. I hope you know that.