And, yes, I DO take it personally: New (to me) blog: The Sergeant Major's Thoughts on That

it's been my privilege to know several army sergeant majors in my life, one of the most outstanding of which was my late father-in-law... these "super nco's" (as they're known in the military) are often as not super people as well... something about rising in the enlisted ranks to the top of the pile, with the "pile" being folks that, as they say, "work for a living," forges a different kind of character and integrity... i just stumbled on this gentleman's blog on daily kos, made a little visit and instantly decided to include it in my blogroll...

this deserves to be re-posted in full...

This is the first time I have actually decided on the title of a post before I wrote the post. I think it happened because as a soldier and leader I am feeling more pain today than usual. Today 12 more soldiers spilled their blood in the sands of Iraq.

The total number of American soldiers who have died in Iraq as of this writing stands at 2,210.

The total number of American soldiers who have been wounded in Iraq as of this writing stands at 15, 955.

I want to avoid repeating what I have written in previous post if I can but I think it will be difficult. So here goes anyway. Each time I read about another soldier dying in Iraq I think that either that soldier or more likely his leader is someone I probably trained. That thought brings it close. I then think that that soldier has a family waiting. Maybe they have children, a husband, a wife, brothers and sisters and a mother and father. Then I think about what my parents and family went through those many months I was serving in Vietnam or some other conflict in some other god forsaken hole. I think of the pain that they felt and it brings it all home to me. I was never the one waiting and I’m beginning to see how being the one waiting can be more painful. Then……….I think that for the families of the soldiers who died today the waiting is over and it hurts more. My family got me back and their families didn’t.

I have to ask myself this……; does George W. Bush think about these things? Does George W. Bush know that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11? Does George W. Bush know that Saddam did not have weapons of mass destruction? Does George W. Bush know that Saddam was not a threat to the United States? Does George W. Bush know that those who attacked on 9/11 were al Qaeda and most were Saudi citizens and none were Iraqi? Does George W. Bush know that Osama Bin Laden, who planned and directed the execution of the 9/11 attacks is still at large?

George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in spite of knowing all of the above. George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq knowing that we were going in with at least 50,000 fewer troops than needed to accomplish the mission. George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq without a plan to maintain stability or for the occupation of that country. George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq knowing that the soldiers did not have enough body armor to protect all of them. George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq knowing that the military did not have enough of the right kind of armored vehicles to accomplish the mission and protect the troops. George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq knowing that the military did not have enough of the right kind of armored vehicles and didn’t bother to ask the manufacturer to produce more, faster and let our soldiers continue to be in harms way without the equipment to protect them and save their lives. George W. Bush continues to occupy Iraq with American soldiers who have inferior body armor instead of providing the armor that could reduce casualties by 70% to 80%.

Some might say this is Monday morning quarterbacking. I say it’s simply realizing the facts as they were known at the time. I also say it is dereliction of duty to commit an act for purely political reasons. And I say it is treasonous for the Commander in Chief to order soldiers into harms way while knowing it is one the wrong thing to do and they are not prepared to handle the situation on the ground.

I am hurting today because my/our soldiers are dying as a result of at least gross negligence if not treasonous acts.

I ask you to hurt with me and weep with me but do something to bring change to our government and bring our soldiers home. We have won the war of Armies and it is the Iraqi’s responsibility to win the war of insurgency through democratic means. It may be idealistic thinking on my part but it’s reality in the desert.

SGM Larry A. Myers U.S. Army (Retired)
Location:Tallahassee, Florida, United States
A veteran of 27 years in the United States Army including combat tours in Vietnam.