I read an article that told how Army training has gotten shamefully soft. It blamed politically correct leadership and the disruptive and diluting influence of too many women in what should be a male oriented warrior society. Only in those units where women are not allowd do standards remain high. In the article an infantry officer said he recognized right when he saw it and today our army is not right. He also went on to say that our nation has a habit of paying for unpreparedness with the blood of its children in the early part of each war. (My observation. Desert Storm was an exception thanks to Ronald Reagan. In Vietnam we started the war with strong forces but had a poor high level strategy). The officer said it would be soldiers like him who will pay the price while the nation mobilizes.

The article also said the Marines have retained there warrior culture and part of it involved gender separate boot camp. For an interesting look at the Marines read The Making of the Corps by Thomas E Ricks. He notes they cultivate a loathing of civilian culture to maintain their ethos. In the past if a recruit could not do push ups he was berated by his DI as a weak and worthless individual. Put nicely. Now he is berated as a weak and worthless individual who is that way because he was raised by selfish materialistic parents who sent him to a soft school full of loser kids and liberal teachers. Quite a difference.

I have two questions. Does the infantry officer see things correctly. Is there something in our national mind that is willing to sacrifice soldiers in the first battles. And what about the Marines method. It is effective no doubt. Is it right.

In Christ, Nathan Paujo

-- Anonymous, April 29, 2001

Answers

Nathan, We should be concerned about decreasing our potential nuclear confrontation with other world powers. According to an interview with Admiral Stansfield Turner, the United States has about 20,000 nukes, Russia has about 15,000, and China has 600. The balance are divided between Israel,Pakistan,India and others. The one nuclear bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima killed everything within a 30 mile radius. As I understand it, todays nuclear weapons are far more powerful and one nuke can kill 250,000 people. In a confrontation with China, if they launched 100 nukes across the North pole in 15 minutes, the continental US population would become extinct. This country has been involved in 10 wars since its existence and has lost only one. Future wars will probably be more technology based. Therefore, there will probably be less need for prolonged ground forces. Your concern about the military being softened because of the presence of women then becomes irrelevant because if we enter into a major conflict with China, it's the beginning of the end.

JazzMan

-- Anonymous, April 30, 2001