Top U.S. General Concerned On The 'Behavior' Of Some Four Star Generals

A South Korean soldier briefs U.S. Army Gen Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on points of interest at the Demilitarized Zone in South Korea, Nov. 11, 2012. DOD photo by D. Myles Cullen

Dempsey: Concerned, Not Distracted, By Misconduct -- DoD Buzz

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey wrote a letter Nov. 15 to every U.S. four-star officer to express his concern with the recent string of misconduct highlighted by the investigations into ex-CIA director Gen. David Petraeus and Gen. John Allen, the head of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta issued a memorandum to Dempsey saying ‘the fundamental mission of the Department of Defense is to protect the nation. Any behavior that negatively impacts our ability to perform that mission is unacceptable.”

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My Comment: He should be concerned .... the top brass is beginning to look foolish and not deserving with all of the scandals and misconduct that is being reported.

Low Morale For U.S. Army Officers In Afghanistan

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Daniel Nelson participates in a training exercise on Forward Operating Base Farah in Afghanistan's Farah province, Sept. 2, 2012. Nelson is assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Benjamin Addison

Less Than Half Of U.S. Army Officers in Afghanistan Report High Morale -- CNS News

A 2011 army leadership survey found that only 48 percent of U.S. Army officers stationed in Afghanistan reported “high or very high” morale.

In contrast, 25 percent of officer respondents in Afghanistan said morale was “low or very low.”

“Fifty-nine percent of leaders at [U.S.] locations report high morale, which is higher than those in Afghanistan (48%) and Iraq (43%)," the survey said. "About one-fourth of deployed leaders report low or very low morale (25%) in Afghanistan and (24%) in Iraq, compared to 15% CONUS (continental United States),” the report said.

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My Comment: That 48% number is (in my opinion) very high. The input that I am receiving is that morale is in the toilet.

Supporting Our Troops

Saluting our troops: Courtney Stodden celebrates July 4th with yet another bizarre photoshoot

Supporting Our Troops... the Courtney Stodden Way! Fame-Hungry Blonde Poses For Racy Independence Day Photoshoot -- Daily Mail

Courtney Stodden has her own way of celebrating America's independence.

The fame-hungry teenager is pledging allegiance to bikinis and bad hair on this Fourth of July.

The 17-year-old blonde has posed up for her latest provocative photoshoot - albeit one that's unusually patriotic.

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My Comment: She doesn't look 17.

A 92 Veteran Breaks The Law To Lift The Morale Of Soldiers Overseas

Todd Heisler/The New York Times

At 92, A Bandit To Hollywood But A Hero To Soldiers -- New York Times

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. — One of the world’s most prolific bootleggers of Hollywood DVDs loves his morning farina. He has spent eight years churning out hundreds of thousands of copies of “The Hangover,” “Gran Torino” and other first-run movies from his small Long Island apartment to ship overseas.

“Big Hy” — his handle among many loyal customers — would almost certainly be cast as Hollywood Enemy No. 1 but for a few details. He is actually Hyman Strachman, a 92-year-old, 5-foot-5 World War II veteran trying to stay busy after the death of his wife. And he has sent every one of his copied DVDs, almost 4,000 boxes of them to date, free to American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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My Comment: I suspect that the reason why he has not been shut down is that no one has the guts to serve him the papers and put him through the court system.

And in this case .... that's actually a good thing.

A Canadian Analysis On America's 'Exhausted' Military

Afghan commandos sprint to board a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during a mission in the Chawkai district in Afghanistan's Kunar province, Feb. 25, 2012. The commando-led mission was to conduct reconnaissance for a future village stability platform where Afghan forces and coalition special operations forces can live and work with villagers. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Clayton Weis

That Ticking Time Bomb Is America's Exhausted Army -- Brian Stewart

Domestic violence, sexual assaults, gang memberships, the U.S. military is reeling from two too-long wars.

Bad things happen when a nation tries to fight too many wars with too few troops. The blunt fact about the U.S. army and Marines — whose difficulties have become the stuff of headlines — is that they are exhausted and at their wits' end.

Armies wear out rapidly under the unique stress of combat, and for a decade now U.S. ground troops have been rotated through three, four and five combat tours lasting up to a year in each case (15 months at the height of Iraq fighting).

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My Comment: As foreign correspondents go, Brian Stewart has one of the best records in the world .... doing the foreign beat and covering conflicts since the early 1980s. His observations and analysis on the U.S. military is troubling, especially summarizing the states of what we now know that many of our returning vets are going through.

The Pork Eating Crusader Patch Is A Huge Hit With The Troops

The Pork Eating Crusader Patch.LAPoliceGearThe Pork Eating Crusader Patch Is A Huge Hit

The Pork Eating Crusader Patch Is A Huge Hit With Troops In Afghanistan -- Business Insider

With tensions at an all time high in Afghanistan following the Koran burnings, the urination video, and the killing of 16 civilians, attention is now falling on a long line of "Infidel" apparel and gear.

Exhausted from how they feel they're being perceived, troops have taken to wearing patches and carrying items that label themselves infidels, and offer translation in local dialect.

In the Muslim world an infidel means literally "one without faith" who rejects the central teachings of Islam.

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My Comment: Any bets that someone in the Pentagon (via through the White House) will be putting a stop to this.

U.S. General: Military Has A Disciplne Problem

Photo: Lt. Gen. Hertling

Army Commander Brands Lack Of Discipline With U.S. Troops As Potentially 'Cancerous' Problem -- Daily Mail

The leader of U.S. Army in Europe warned that soldier discipline has deteriorated to the point where it risks becoming 'cancerous'.

Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling told a group of reporters over breakfast that only a small percentage of soldiers lack proper discipline, but he stressed his concern that it be fixed, now that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are winding down and more troops are returning to their home bases.

'In some cases there are discipline problems that we have not paid as much attention to as we should,' he said, adding, 'If you allow that to go unnoticed it becomes cancerous.'

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More News On Concerns About Discipline Problems In The U.S. Military

Army General: Discipline Problem Risks Becoming 'Cancerous' -- FOX News/AP
General Calls Poor Post-War Discipline 'Cancerous' -- Military.com
Army: Lack of discipline could grow ‘cancerous’ -- Politico
USAREUR commander laments growing discipline problems -- Stars and Stripes
As wars wind down, Army general worries about troop discipline -- Government Executive

No U.S. Congressional Support For 'Pay Troops First' Bill

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta speaks to U.S. Marines assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion-7 at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, July 10, 2011 DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

Little Support For 'Pay Troops First' Bill -- Military.com

Two weeks after a Texas congressman tried force a House vote on his bill mandating that service members be paid first in the event of a government shutdown, only nine representatives have signed on.

The so-called discharge petition requires 218 signatures.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, filed the bill in March only to see it stuck in committee. During a press conference on July 14 he announced he would use a House rule that allowed members to petition to get a bill onto the floor. At that time he expressed confidence that he’d have the backing, claiming he had 190 co-sponsors.

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My Comment: I am sure that our soldiers .... especially those who are based in some obscure FOB in Afghanistan .... appreciate where they stand in Congress' food chain.

NCAA College Basketball On The USS Carl Vinson

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) conducts tactical maneuvering exercises in the Strait of Magellan. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Daniel /Released)

USS Carl Vinson Takes New Role: Basketball Arena -- CNN

Washington (CNN) -- The U.S. aircraft carrier that launched the first attacks against al Qaeda and the Taliban after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States will be the site of another first, as it hosts the opening game of the 2011 NCAA college basketball season.

Friday, Navy Chief of Information Rear Adm. Dennis Moynihan confirmed that after more than a month of discussions with a promoter, an agreement has been reached to hold the game on the USS Carl Vinson.

A company called Morale Entertainment will organize the game and be responsible for all the costs. "There will be no cost to the taxpayer," Moynihan said.

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My Comment: Playing basketball on the USS Carl Vinson .... now that is going to be interesting to watch.

Why Are Soldiers Leaving The Military

Survey: Bad Leadership Drives Soldiers To Leave -- Army Times

Poor leadership is driving soldiers to leave the Army, reinforcing the service’s push to make leader development a top priority. The results come from a survey by the Army Research Institute that showed 26 percent of sergeants and staff sergeants and 23 percent of lieutenants and captains surveyed planned to leave the Army after completing their current service obligations.

Of those, 35 percent of enlisted and 26 percent of officers cited the quality of leadership at their duty stations as a reason for leaving.

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My Comment: I call this a "DUH!!!!" moment of realization. Also .... I suspect that fighting a never ending war in Afghanistan is sapping the ranks of the U.S. military.

Morale Drops For US Troops In Wartime

U.S. Marines patrol the outskirts of a village near a forward operating base near Kajaki, Afghanistan, in October. Photo from CNN

Study Of US Troops In Wartime: Morale Droops And 'Acute Stress' Rises -- Christian Science Monitor

More than 1,200 soldiers and Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan completed surveys between July and August of last year. The US military released the results Thursday.

Morale among American troops underwent a “significant decline” between 2005 and 2009, according to a study by the US military released Thursday.

Soldiers also experienced “significantly higher” instances of “acute stress,” including depression or anxiety, during the same time period.

Nearly half of combat troops surveyed say that they had killed an enemy fighter.

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More News On U.S. Troop Morale

Mental health issues rise among US troops -- Boston.com/AP
New Pentagon study finds psychological toll from years of fighting -- CNN
Report: U.S. troops' morale in Afghanistan down -- CBS
Troop morale in Afghanistan plummets, report says -- Seattle PI/AP

Morale Plunges For U.S. Troops In Afghanistan

CAVE CAUTIOUS - U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rudy Skultety pulls security near a cave as members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Zabul and the U.S. Agriculture Department visit a village near the city of Qalat in Afghanistan's Zabul province, May 8, 2011. Skultety is assigned to the reconstruction team. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Brian Ferguson

Morale Plunges Among Troops In Afghanistan -- Navy Times/USA Today

U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan are experiencing some of the greatest psychological stress and lowest morale in five years of fighting, reports a military study.

“We’re an Army that’s in uncharted territory here,” said Gen. Peter Chiarelli, Army vice chief of staff, who has focused on combat stress. “We have never fought for this long with an all-volunteer force that’s 1 percent of the population.”

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Update #1: Afghan War vets are stressed out -- UPI
Update #2: US Troop Stress in Afghanistan Hits 5-Year High -- Newsmax

My Comment: If casualty rates start to reach rates that are higher than last years .... expect morale to plunge even further.

Will U.S. Troops Be Paid If There Is A Government Shutdown?

Official: Troops' Pay Would Be Withheld Until Shutdown Is Resolved -- Stars And Stripes

Troops worldwide would remain on duty if the federal government shuts down Friday, but would only receive pay through April 8 until the crisis was resolved, a government official with knowledge of Pentagon plans said.

But servicemembers would eventually be paid for all time worked, the official said.

With the possibility of a government shutdown looming on Friday, the Pentagon was still working out details regarding which operations would continue and which would cease, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said Tuesday.

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Pentagon Getting Ready For A Government Shutdown

Budget Impasse May Sink Troops’ Paychecks -- Military.com
Budget impasse could hit troops' paychecks -- AP
Federal shutdown would have some troops' paychecks -- Star Telegram
Pentagon: Government shutdown threatens military families -- CNN
DoD Still Forming Plans For Government Shutdown -- Navy Times
DoD Engaged in ‘Prudent Planning’ Ahead of Possible Government Shutdown -- Executive Government
Pentagon Makes Plans in Case of Shutdown -- U.S. Department of Defense
Pentagon faces yet another battle -- on the budget front -- CNN

My Comment: As if our fighting men and women have enough things on their minds.

Even In the Internet Age, Receiving Mail Is Still A Morale Boost For Soldiers

Snail Mail Hasn’t Lost Its Power to Boost Troop Morale -- New York Times

For nearly as long as there have been pen, parchment and wars, there has been military mail. Even in the Internet age, it remains a huge morale booster for troops. The mere possibility of some buried goodie in a box, or some special piece of news in a letter, still makes mail call a bit like Christmas, soldiers in the First Battalion, 87th Infantry in north Afghanistan say.

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My Comment: I know that when I receive a regular letter from my main squeeze .... even though she can easily email it .... I feel great inside. I can only imagine what these soldiers must feel being thousands of miles away.

Staying In Touch With Home In The Middle Of A War Zone

A soldier with the First Battalion, 87th Infantry using his laptop during off-hours from the war in Afghanistan. Damon Winter/The New York Times

Staying In Touch With Home, For Better Or Worse -- New York Times

KUNDUZ, Afghanistan — Forget the drones, laser-guided bombs and eye-popping satellite imagery. For the average soldier, the most significant change to modern warfare might just boil down to instant chatting.

Consider these scenes from northern Afghanistan:

A gunner inside an armored vehicle types furiously on a BlackBerry, so engrossed in text-messaging his girlfriend in the United States that he has forgotten to watch for enemy movement.

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My Comment: Morale is important .... and the soldiers (and the families back home) want this access .... even with the dirty laundry and news that you do not want to hear or know about it.

Should Soldiers Be Submitted To A 'Spiritual Fitness' Test

Army's 'Spiritual Fitness' Test Angers Some Soldiers -- NPR

Multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken a toll on soldiers: Witness the rise in suicides and other stress-related disorders. A few years ago, the Army noticed that some soldiers fared better than others, and it wondered: Why?

One reason, says Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum, is that people who are inclined toward spirituality seem to be more resilient.

"Researchers have found that spiritual people have decreased odds of attempting suicide, and that spiritual fitness has a positive impact on quality of life, on coping and on mental health," says Cornum, who is director of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness.

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My Comment: I am not surprise to see that one's strong spiritual faith will an impact when returning from a deployment, but will one's 'spiritual fitness' impact the effectiveness of a soldier when deployed .... that is something that I have doubts on.

Why Are Our Best Officers Leaving The Services

Why Our Best Officers Are Leaving -- The Atlantic

Why are so many of the most talented officers now abandoning military life for the private sector? An exclusive survey of West Point graduates shows that it’s not just money. Increasingly, the military is creating a command structure that rewards conformism and ignores merit. As a result, it’s losing its vaunted ability to cultivate entrepreneurs in uniform.

John Nagl still hesitates when he talks about his decision to leave the Army. A former Rhodes Scholar and tank-battalion operations officer in Iraq, Nagl helped General David Petraeus write the Army’s new counterinsurgency field manual, which is credited with bringing Iraq’s insurgency under control. But despite the considerable influence Nagl had in the Army, and despite his reputation as a skilled leader, he retired in 2008 having not yet reached the rank of full colonel.

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My Comment: This article brings up the point right away .... there is no reward for private initiative, and a lot of punishment if things go wrong.

U.S. Soldier In Afghanistan Receives A $16,000 Cell Phone Bill

Capt. Evan Brainerd outside his new HQ in Afghanistan.
(Credit: Evan Brainerd)

U.S. Soldier In Afghanistan Gets $16,000 AT&T Bill -- CNET

I cannot imagine too many U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan are currently having a great time.

However, Pfc Jose Rivera has additional troubles with which he has to deal. His wife has just given birth. She is being treated for heart trouble. And AT&T claims he owes $16,000 for his cell phone bill.

His commanding officer at Forward Operating Base Shindand, Afghanistan, Capt. Evan Brainerd, is deeply frustrated by what he describes as AT&T's "unethical, unprofessional and inflexible" attitude.

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My Comment: Ouch.

Soldiers` Families Receive Fake Death Calls

Defence Minister Peter MacKay expresses his disgust over the prank calls on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010. Photo CTV

Soldiers' Families Get Fake Death Calls -- Montreal Gazette, Postmedia News

QUEBEC - Military police are pursuing a prankster preying on families of soldiers deployed to Afghanistan by calling them in the middle of the night to say their loved ones have died.

The relatives of at least three soldiers serving in the war-torn country have been targeted by the prank, said Alex Maillé, a spokesman at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier said Tuesday.

The wife of one soldier filed a complaint with military police after someone called her last week to say her husband had died in a roadside bomb explosion.

"It's a shame and we're taking this very seriously," Maillé said.

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Update: Fake calls to soldiers’ spouses ‘disgusting,’ Canadian Defense Minister Mackay says -- Toronto Star

My Comment: Let us hope that this does not become a trend. Unfortunately, it is not surprising that some of these families may fall for this ruse. Soldiers in Afghanistan have easy access to cell phones and the internet .... if something goes wrong, (even if it is forbidden) it is very easy for a fellow soldier to call back home and notify that a love one is injured or worse.

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