On Heroism
by ZACH ROSENBERG
Today is Veteran’s Day, when Americans honor their military veterans and the sacrifices they have made. People celebrate in different ways, and as with most holidays, some are more observant than others. I, for example, will write this post, think about those who have made sacrifices on my behalf, make pasta for dinner, and watch an episode or two of Generation Kill. Others are standing in the cold rain in Arlington National Cemetery. Others are on patrol in Afghanistan, where some will likely be bombed or shot at.
Heroism is a nebulous concept of subjective application, but it’s one that many Americans bestow on all U.S. veterans. In addition to praising veterans in my own way, I want to impart my view, which is that being a veteran of military service is not automatic grounds for heroism, and that heroism is not necessarily tied to armed service. Where to draw the line is relative and varies from person to person.
I don’t want to insult or anger anyone, I’m genuinely curious about what people think. I want to put a couple of questions to readers:
What actions define heroism in the service of others? Is it sacrifice or service?
How does the cause served impact the definition? A just vs. a mistaken war? Would a particularly brave Taliban fighter qualify under your definition? Were there more heroes in the Union than the Confederacy?
What level of service does it require? Is it only armed deployment abroad, or would the mail sorting platoon qualify? What about an armed FBI agent? What about an unarmed IRS agent or SEC regulator?
(Painting: Legends of America)
Axeghanistan ‘09: Afghan Pirate Radio Defies Morale Crack-Down
It was a war we thought we’d won. But after eight years of escalating violence, the Afghanistan conflict has morphed into something perhaps unwinnable. U.S.-led forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to deny sanctuary to Al Qaeda, a goal we’ve largely achieved. But in years of occupation, Washington has apparently conflated counter-terrorism with nation-building. Now the U.S., NATO and their allies are struggling to destroy a deeply-rooted insurgency in country with a corrupt, ineffective government, poor infrastructure and few prospects for everyday people, but to fight. David Axe visits U.S. forces to see for himself.
by DAVID AXE
There’s a rumor circulating Bagram air base, the main Afghan military hub with some 20,000 U.S. troops, that General Stan McChrystal wants to cut back on so-called Morale, Welfare and Recreation perks — things like movie theaters, coffee shops, massage parlors. Top officer at Bagram, Brigadier General Steve Kwast, says morale perks are an important comfort to hard-working personnel. But McChrystal, who outranks Kwast, supposedly believes MWR to be a distraction from the war.
At least one person at Bagram is defiant. Somewhere on this sprawling facility in a lush river valley, someone has hooked their iPod to a simple radio transmitter, and broadcasts his alternative-rock playlist “for morale to the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and KBR [contractors] on Bagram airfield (everyone except the French),” according to Afghan Pirate Radio 96.5’s Facebook page. “The crazy shit we say and play does not represent the views of the military,” APR points out.
One Bagram officer says Pirate Radio is a welcome relief from the Top 40-heavy Armed Forces Network radio. Oddly, AFN is a Facebook friend of APR. But it seems the Bagram brass aren’t thrilled. One day in early October, Pirate Radio went off the air, who knows for how long. The officer speculated that the authorities had used a radio locater to pinpoint the source of the broadcast, and shut it down.
(Art: APR)
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Who Says Ships Don’t Live Forever?
Wednesday June 04th 2008, 11:47 pm
Filed under:
At Sea,
UmmThe awesome new Russian Navy Blog links us to this little gem — a catamaran Russian salvage ship, Kommuna … commissioned in 1913!
(Photo: www.warfare.ru)
Russian Paratroopers Rock Out
Try to keep a straight face:
“It’s about how great the VDV [paratrooper force] is and how Russia will rule the world (i.e., the U.S.. is doomed),” a friend in Russia tells me. “I’ve been hearing that a lot here lately.”
Keeping Military Threads Out of the Wrong Hands
Sectarian death squads in Iraq have been known to swipe or fake government uniforms as covers. Baghdad responded with new “hard-to-counterfeit” police threads. The U.S. military prevents uniform theft by lighting old outfits on fire. From the Air Force website:
Senior Airman Frances Gavalis tosses unserviceable military uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq, March 10. Clothing items turned in must be burned to ensure they cannot be used by opposing forces. Airman Gavalis is deployed from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)
Bigfoot Is a Terrorist
This just in:
A member of the Canadian Mounted Police by the name of Mike Lake has officially notified the Canadian Parliament that he believes that Bigfoot should be added to the nation’s Species at Risk Act. This is similar to the Endangered Species List in the United States. According to Mr. Lake, the creature that is also known as the Sasquatch is real, and is endangered. The reason, he says that there have not been more sightings in North America of Bigfoot is because the creature is endangered, not necessarily shy like many believe.
Yes, this is a blog about war. And yes, this post is relevant. Bear with me.
“In the 21st century, no military strategy can be considered complete unless it recognizes and manages the risks that damaging the environment will pose to the military’s operational readiness.” This according to the Canadian army’s official website. ”The Army Environmental Strategy implicitly recognizes these risks and acknowledges our moral obligation to protect the environment, while offering a roadmap for the way ahead.”
That means taking care not to disturb any endangered species living in the vast tracts of undeveloped western land that Canada maintains as training ranges, according to a Canadian Forces news story:
“The troops are out there to do one thing,” said Capt. [Chuck] Roeder, “and that’s to train for operations. But they need to keep in mind that if something they’re going to do is going to have a negative impact on the environment, maybe there’s another way to do it.” He added, “It’s difficult when the primary function of the area is to support military training, but the bottom line is that it’s not our land, and we can’t leave any negative environmental legacy for the province.”
So what happens is Bigfoot gains official protection? Suddenly, huge swaths of western Canada might be designated as Bigfoot habitat, potentially limiting live-fire training at important bases such as Suffield. And that means soldiers who are less prepared for combat. In short, Bigfoot might seriously undermine Canada’s ability to train effective forces for its growing role in the long war against extremism.
Related:
Canada kicks ass for cheap
Canada buys C-17s
Canadians take a hit in Kandahar
