Here's my take on it.
Blame the dumb@ss who wrote it and the higher ups who approved it, not the rank and file NG guys. Having done numerous exercises in three separate branches, most of the enlisted guys likely didn't know nor cared much about the background of the scenario. If my experience is any indicator, it was maybe rattled off to them in a formation and then they focused on the meat of what they had to do for actual training before they went home for the night/weekend.
I know I heard it many times. Some umpty-scrunch rebel group/bad guys has some-such beef w/ the US. What are they wearing? What are they armed with? Where do we go to take them out? When's chow and were are we sleeping tonight?
But some nitwit thought he was being funny and wanted to push an agenda. Some officer either didn't read it or didn't care and approved it for distribution. Then the news got out.
So that's how I feel about it. Others can agree or continue the upset.
5 comments:
Well, I was a little pissed, myself. Your words seem to ring the bell of reason, though, so I feel a little better. Still want to bitch-slap the guy who created the scenario, though.
I understand where you're coming from, but.... this somewhat ramps up my tinfoil hattery. If the rank and file don't know the specifics, and don't much care, how can we know if the leadership goes totally rogue, they will uphold their Constitutional oaths? If they only focus on their tasks as assigned, what's to stop a nutty kool-aid-drinking general from breaking an assignment down into small enough chunks so no one company or squad really knows what's going on? I'm not suggesting that a private or even a sergeant should be questioning orders, but it does pose a number of questions. And I'm not normally one to throw in with conspiracy theories.
I'm with chiefjaybob on this one. Yeah, I understand what you're saying from the whole, 'this is just a drill, who cares why" standpoint. But at the same time, if they don't care during the drill, can we be confident they would care if it wasn't?
Yeah, I know I can sometimes read too much into certain things, but I have to admit, it does bother me.
They would care if it wasn't a drill. Return fire does that.
Just remember the mess they made at Kent State the last time they gat concerned about those evil "radicals"!
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