The Kinder, Gentler Military
June 1st, 2006 by Charlie Sierra
I got a "talking to" yesterday regarding language I used in an e-mail to an officer at a higher headquarters. Basically, I put some folks names in so they could participate in an exercise and none of my guys got picked up. Needless to say, my commander and I were pretty ticked off that our guys weren't selected and there were still shortfalls for the exercise. My commander's guidance was, in a nutshell, "Get our folks in there."
I made the push by ranting on the phone to our higher headquarters about there being shortfalls that our folks could fill yet none of our volunteers were selected. I was told to re-submit names, ranks, socials, etc. as well as whatever position they'd like to fill. Time was of the essence so I didn't go back and ask each of the volunteers what they'd like to be doing for this exercise I just made this simple statement:
… I’m pretty damn sure any of these folks would take any position commensurate with their AFSC and rank. …
Now that e-mail obviously bounced around to quite a few people as it made its way towards those with the right answers. However, I didn't realize that "damn" is now one of the cardinal sins of e-mail writing. "Pretty damn sure" to me means 95% or greater certainty where as "pretty sure" means I'm purely guessing. So my superintendent gets wind of this scathing e-mail the big, bad, Staff Sergeant wrote and tells my bosses boss to talk to me about it which leads to my boss talking to me about it.
Sure it's a slap on the wrist, "Don't do that again," type of thing but has the Air Force thrown in the towel and given up to political correctness?
Posted in Military Perspective
Most officers like to be coddled and talked nice to and bowed down to, etc. Don't worry about it. If an officer, or Senior NCO I'll add, can't take straight talk, they need to do some reassessing. I don't have time for pleasantries. BLUF = Bottom Line Up Front
conservativesforum.com/
We have a conservative oriented forum at the above url. The forum is full of vets, vets wives, and retirees. We don't allow any of the left to come in and stir up trouble because I toss them immediately.
This fourm is designed to support the United States, it's defenders, and it's policies.
We would love to have you drop by and take a look and join if you wish. It is a discussion forum and well monitored.
Myself, I am a Vietnam infantry vet making me one of the older ones.
I would love to hear from more vets, especially vets of the current Iraqi/Afghanistan war. I want the true story from your perspective, not what the media chooses to tell us. Being an infantry vet I know the story is entirely different than what we are hearing.
We support everything you are doing and understand the military since most of us have been there. These blogs help us a lot but your comments on any discussion threads would be honestly appreciated.
Thanks
Terry Foote
Old (growing older) 1st Cav grunt
Charlie you can be "damn sure" that those officers have used worse themselves!! I find it rather hypocritical coming from the group that gave us the infamous "fubar"!!
I've got one, too. I have a very good working relationship with my big boss and am able to say just about anything as long as I follow it with "sir." One day I walked into his office not realizing he was on the phone as he gestured me in, and I said a big "WTF, sir" but I used the real words. His eyes got a little bigger, then came a glare. A glare that would have made me turn to stone if I had looked long enough. He pointed at the mouth piece mouths, "Maj, LtCol, and Gen."
I'm "pretty [explitive deleted] Got Damn" sure who ever started the whole politically correct genre should be banisehed to run Irans sucide brigades. Pretty silly but its all part of the game of dealing with management no matter if it's wall street or a bunch of queens in funky town. At least you didn't include "cock plucker" or "mother trucker" (edited for all you officers) if you had you would be in the marine corp somewhere wondering what the hell a dick skinner is. Hopfully all interested parties were trained and no open spots were left unfilled. When dealing with PC in the military just remind the parties involved Clinton established "Don't ask don't tell", for a reason and there is no need to out your self unnecessarily. Watch the heads spin.
Higher up officers get the more they resemble old ladies!
It's always been true.
We put old ladies in retirement homes but senior officers lead our military.
Deplorable situation.
I Say….Don't Sugar Coat it, Tell it like it is…..
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Just be glad that you weren't near a Battle ship commenting on how the BIG GUNs affected you. You too could be awaiting courts martial.
There has been a marked change on this blog which many obviously greet with enthusiasm. However, courtesy and good manners are appropriate in the general interaction of informed people, regardless of what you do and say in your personal lives. In addition, surely it is enough to be fighting Islamofascist terrorists and the far left, now you are taking on Officers, Senior NCOs, Management etc. and people who prefer not to be confronted with unbleeped vocabulary. While you on the blog and your chorus above may not realize it, this all says more about you than it does about those you are now lamenting in such an immature fashion.