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-Election 2012
Narcissist in Chief Selfishly Shortens Soldiers' Holiday
2012-09-05
Someone scheduled a mandatory attendance campaign stop for the president at Fort Bliss last Friday. They did get the large crowd they wanted for their photos, but someone neglected to order the troops to be enthusiastic.
Posted by:trailing wife

#14  yep, loyalty is a 2 way street; once aboard USS CV, Jimmah came on to talk to da troops; we were ordered to attend. they didn't tell us which way to stand; lot of interesting things outside them hangar bay doors........
this was after the Desert One fiasco.
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2012-09-05 21:36  

#13  Never in the military, but if this ruined my kid's weekend at home (USMC, retired) I'd be quite angry!
Posted by: Bobby   2012-09-05 18:17  

#12  Yep, "Operational Reason" .....The boss desires your ass in this formation. Make it happen!
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-09-05 16:48  

#11  Besoeker. This is bull. There never was an army (not one which actually won battles) where loyalty didn't go both ways. Spoiling troops' weekend without operational reason is disloyal.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2012-09-05 16:46  

#10  Disrespectful! Bad juju. I don't care how big a SOB he is, he's still the boss!

No clapping, no problem, got it! Clapping is an acquired skill, I understand. Time for a no-notice 5k "fun run" with 5k of clapping to the cadence. Leaders out front! Regular PT schedule in effect tomorrow... if we can give our battle buddies a big round of applause. How about it, Hooah?

Posted by: Besoeker   2012-09-05 16:31  

#9  According to the article, the troops were quite during the speech, even when the punch lines were delivered.

I was once at an arena where one of the shows was put on by a performer the locals did not like. The performer put on about a 20 minute routine. It was pretty good. But at the end when the MC called for applause from a couple thousand human beings, the place was as quite as a cemetery. The people were as cold as ice.
Posted by: Jiting Lumumba1148   2012-09-05 16:12  

#8  g(r)om, not sure about the IDF, but we have an old saying that goes something like this:

The soldier's job is to defend democracy, not participate in it.

You man-up and do the job. "Salute and execute" as OS indicated. Bitching and moaning comes later, and is expected. A soldier who never bitches bears close watching, it ain't normal.
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-09-05 16:08  

#7  Duty goes both ways, Besoeker.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2012-09-05 15:45  

#6  Look, things are hard enough the way they are. Don't mess with Troops extended weekend. You Jerk.
Posted by: newc   2012-09-05 15:17  

#5  Yep, they're good enough for a photo op, but not enough to make sure their votes will count.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2012-09-05 14:56  

#4  What we did back in the day when faced with a shit detail: Salute and execute.
Posted by: OldSpook   2012-09-05 13:34  

#3  ...and it wasn't that long ago, that soldiering was forced upon a male citizen whether he wanted to go or not. Turn 18 and you still have to register.

It takes about 2 years to make a good quality soldier, not cannon fodder. It costs a lot of money to make one. Got to remember a quarter applying are disqualified for education reasons. Another quarter are physically unfit. These aren't your John Kerry dregs of society types anymore. You can only pile up so much horse-s**t before you lose all that investment. It's the proverbial straw that one day breaks the camel's back. Just add another reason to a growing problem.
Posted by: Procopius2k   2012-09-05 08:56  

#2  This speaks to a larger issue. Soldiering didn't use to be a 9-5, every week end off, with an extra "training holiday" tagged on to Labor Day and other holidays. Two hour lunches for wet nursing. Leaving early for kids doctor's appointments, etc.

I personally have absolutely no use for the fellow, but if the mission is 'go to the hanger and listen to the Commander in Chief', then dimmit....smile, ruck up, head to the hanger and soldier on!
Posted by: Besoeker   2012-09-05 07:23  

#1  Half the harm that is done in this world
Is due to people who want to feel important
They don't mean to do harm ­
But the harm does not interest them.
Or they do not see it, or they justify it
Because they are absorbed in the endless struggle
To think well of themselves.

T. S. Eliot
Posted by: Hupush Phager5421   2012-09-05 03:35  

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