Dems Clueless about Combat

[Wehrwolfen]

Dems Clueless about Combat​

By Russ Vaughn
February 21, 2013



Warfare has progressed geometrically since I was a young sergeant on the ground in Vietnam. The huge advances in computers and electronics have given our American forces capabilities never before possessed in any of our previous wars. Among the most widely known of these is drone warfare, wherein an unmanned, armed, aerial vehicle enters enemy airspace, guided by an office-based pilot somewhere many thousands of miles from the actual conflict, and launches lethal missiles against detected targets.

To this old infantryman's way of thinking, that is a great concept. The idea of being able to win wars from the air goes back to WWI; the concept was used to great effect in WWII, when strategic bombings in Germany and Japan greatly degraded the fighting ability of both those countries and undoubtedly saved tens of thousands of American servicemen's lives. I can't begin to express my gratitude to those Air Force and Naval aviators who flew over my ground positions and delivered lethal ordinance on my enemies in the hills, mountains, and rice paddies of South Vietnam. But for them, I might not be writing this.

So keep all that in mind when evaluating my take on this new Defense Department medal for those who pilot the drones. We are going to create a new class of combat award for a group of technicians who, through the incredibly complex inter-connections between their U.S.-based control centers in the docile deserts of Nevada or some other undisclosed remote location and the combat zone, are able to provide close air support for our ground troops or air strikes deep within enemy territory.

Let's picture this:

Somewhere in Afghanistan, a small team of American soldiers, commanded by an Army captain, occupies a forward outpost. They are so far into hostile country that they must and can only be supplied by helicopter. That means then that they get only the minimum necessities. They have no running water source, so they are persistently and continually hungry -- and hygienically ripe, indeed.

At 2:00 am on a cold morning, they get hit by a large enemy force that has every intention of overrunning them and killing them to the very last man.​

[Excerpt]


Read more:
Articles: Dems Clueless about Combat

 

[g5000]

Since Obama has approved more drone attacks than Bush, I am unclear how this article proves "Dems are clueless about combat".

 

[g5000]

Covert drone strikes are one of President Obama's key national security policies. He has already authorized 283 strikes in Pakistan, six times more than the number during President George W. Bush's eight years in office.

Drone is Obama's weapon of choice - CNN.com

 

[Tech_Esq]

What do you want us to do with this? Comment about the medal idea? Comment about Dems Cluelessness? What?

 

[bucs90]

"Combat" has become a very clouded term, indeed.

The Fort Hood incident for example. There is a movement being pushed in part by the right to get "combat pay" and awards for those who were in that building with the military. It was on US soil, not a war zone.

Should they get "combat" recognition? Maybe, maybe not. But the civilian police officers who engaged and shot the terrorist and thus saving countless lives? Should they be recognized as "combat" heroes? And if so, whats stopping us from recognizing other cops who are engaged in gunfights on US soil as "combat" vets? Were the non-military men in the Revolutionary War "combat vets" for fighting on our own soil, without offiical US military uniform?

"Combat" has indeed been clouded in definition. But I agree....piloting a drone from an office building is NOT "combat".

 

[Tech_Esq]

As another old Infantryman, I'd say, that there should be a medal for the drone pilots. It should be in a separate category than the current medals. Sure you could get an Army Achievement medal (or whatever the branch is) or a commendation medal, but there ought to be a higher medal available for circumstances that are very extraordinary. Sure, don't give them "V" devices or Flying Crosses or anything like that, but there should be something.

 

[g5000]

The OP article is an opinion piece on a far right wing web site. It provides no actual facts and instead creates a fantasy scenario.

The opinion piece makes a lot of assumptions. For instance, the author does not provide any evidence the military award process has been altered under Obama. I don't think it even occurred to him to wonder if that is the case.

Hack writing from an uncritically thinking hack on a hack site.

 

[Deepbluediver]

"Combat" has become a very clouded term, indeed.

The Fort Hood incident for example. There is a movement being pushed in part by the right to get "combat pay" and awards for those who were in that building with the military. It was on US soil, not a war zone.

I thought the argument was over if it would be declared a terrorist act (in which case the injured and/or their families would get more benefits) or declaring it "workplace violence" in which case they would get less.

I'll try to look up more recent information.

 

[bucs90]

I was never in the military, so I defer to those who were/are about who should or shouldnt get military awards.

I do, however, blatantly, emotionally and boldly support ALL people willing to put themselves in harms way in defense of US citizens, whether it be kicking in doors in Iraq, running into a burning building in New York, rushing into a mass shooting to kill the shithead murderer in Anytown, USA, or jumping out of a helicopter in rough surf to rescue a boater.

Our society is full of selfish, snotty, spoiled brats who have no clue how good they have it. They live in a bubble of comfort and safety, and have no fucking clue what all goes into providing that. I AM ONE OF THEM in a way, as having never served in the military, I have no clue what is overseas. But I try to appreciate that I dont, and am proud I did my part here at home in a police uniform for many years.

So, deserving a combat ribbon or not, I salute the drone pilots as one of millions of men and women willing to put on a uniform and risk their safety, while the rest of the country chases wealth and fancy cars and second guesses every action those folks in uniform dare make on behalf of their own safety.

 

[bucs90]

"Combat" has become a very clouded term, indeed.

The Fort Hood incident for example. There is a movement being pushed in part by the right to get "combat pay" and awards for those who were in that building with the military. It was on US soil, not a war zone.

I thought the argument was over if it would be declared a terrorist act (in which case the injured and/or their families would get more benefits) or declaring it "workplace violence" in which case they would get less.

I'll try to look up more recent information.

I think you're right, but the "getting less" part hinges on whether or not it was "combat". Not sure though.

I for one think it should be considered "combat". The War on Terror has no borders. If people are being killed at the hands of another, it is indeed "combat", and anyone can be involved.

 

[regent]

The next big question, are drones protected by the second amendment?

 

[editec]

Dems Clueless about Combat​

By Russ Vaughn
February 21, 2013



Warfare has progressed geometrically since I was a young sergeant on the ground in Vietnam. The huge advances in computers and electronics have given our American forces capabilities never before possessed in any of our previous wars. Among the most widely known of these is drone warfare, wherein an unmanned, armed, aerial vehicle enters enemy airspace, guided by an office-based pilot somewhere many thousands of miles from the actual conflict, and launches lethal missiles against detected targets.

To this old infantryman's way of thinking, that is a great concept. The idea of being able to win wars from the air goes back to WWI; the concept was used to great effect in WWII, when strategic bombings in Germany and Japan greatly degraded the fighting ability of both those countries and undoubtedly saved tens of thousands of American servicemen's lives. I can't begin to express my gratitude to those Air Force and Naval aviators who flew over my ground positions and delivered lethal ordinance on my enemies in the hills, mountains, and rice paddies of South Vietnam. But for them, I might not be writing this.

So keep all that in mind when evaluating my take on this new Defense Department medal for those who pilot the drones. We are going to create a new class of combat award for a group of technicians who, through the incredibly complex inter-connections between their U.S.-based control centers in the docile deserts of Nevada or some other undisclosed remote location and the combat zone, are able to provide close air support for our ground troops or air strikes deep within enemy territory.

Let's picture this:

Somewhere in Afghanistan, a small team of American soldiers, commanded by an Army captain, occupies a forward outpost. They are so far into hostile country that they must and can only be supplied by helicopter. That means then that they get only the minimum necessities. They have no running water source, so they are persistently and continually hungry -- and hygienically ripe, indeed.

At 2:00 am on a cold morning, they get hit by a large enemy force that has every intention of overrunning them and killing them to the very last man.​

[Excerpt]


Read more:
Articles: Dems Clueless about Combat

An interesting POV that is basically wasted in its effort to make this issue partisan.

Trolls are idiots.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Since Obama has approved more drone attacks than Bush, I am unclear how this article proves "Dems are clueless about combat".

So a drone taking out a guy and the 7 or 8 innocent people that just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time is now defined as combat?

 

[ScienceRocks]

This new generation is clueless of what real war is. Pray we never have to go up against a Chinese division like we did the nazi's or the japs during wwII. We will be out ran, surrounded and then slaughtered.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Dems Clueless about Combat

You need to come-up....outta your bunker....for fresh-air....more-often......

*

Separating The CHICKENHAWKS
From The
DEMS!!!!

 

[Tech_Esq]

Dems Clueless about Combat

You need to come-up....outta your bunker....for fresh-air....more-often......

*

Separating The CHICKENHAWKS
From The
DEMS!!!!

I've found that most people that call other people "chickenhawks" are usually just plain yellow themselves. Usually so yellow they can't even talk tough. Just sayin'

 

[Warrior102]

What does that Warmongering Chickenhawk Commander In Chump have to say about this, between golf swings.

 

[rightwinger]

I don't see the need for a seperate class of medal for drone pilots. There are multiple MOSs that don't see direct combat yet are recognized for exemplary service.

Drone pilots do an exceptional job but I don't see where a special recognition is warranted

 

[Mr. Shaman]

This new generation is clueless of what real war is.

Yeah...we've ONLY been recycling them, in the Middle East, TOUR, AFTER TOUR, AFTER TOUR, AFTER TOUR, AFTER TOUR.....

*

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFGit_tZDqs]Generation Chickenhawk: With The College Republicans - YouTube[/ame]

*

*

 

[NYcarbineer]

It's ironic that the author of this thread would start one about being 'clueless' about anything,

since every thread he starts is based on someone else's opinion and never on his own.

Talk about clueless.