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Truegrit · Last edited by Truegrit on Tue Oct 05, 2004 11:34 pm; edited 1 time in total

Has anybody picked up any information about possible resignations by senior American military officers in the event John Kerry should happen to win the election?
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Ted Harwood, Ph.D.
Enlisted, U.S. Army ('57-'60)

Anker-Klanker · Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:01 pm Post subject:

No, and I hope to God that doesn't happen. The sad paradox is: the worse it gets the more we need good men (and women). Resignations will just mean that less qualified people will get promoted. The security of our nation - especially in these times - makes these kinds of political statements just futile and counter-productive.

Navy_Navy_Navy · Admin Joined: 07 May 2004 Posts: 5777

I'm not sure about officer resignations, but I know that there are a LOT of people holding off on reenlisting until after the election.
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~ Echo Juliet ~
Altering course to starboard - On Fire, Keep Clear
Navy woman, Navy wife, Navy mother

Fabius Cunctator · Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:09 pm Post subject:

I have served in the Pentagon for the past three years, and have seen two kinds of officers: 1. the perfumed princes referred to by Col Hackworth, who politic and will come to terms with the new administration to get their next star and a shot at Chief of Staff of the Army or Air Force (don't see too many Marine or Navy brown noses...), and 2. those will stay on to insulate those under their command from the crap sure to come under Kerry, but who would resign out of a sense of honor. Not much in between.

Seems you will have those types in the field as well as in "the rear", as documented over the past year or so by Hack.

Sad but true. Clinton repoliticized the military - everything we were from Reagan on was changed, as senior officers became time-serving ticket punchers (I am an O-6, so I am criticizing my generation of officers...) We need another 12 years of Republicans to get back to what we were then, and let another generation of officers take over. No worries about the NCO's - they're pretty solid, and will remain so with good officers, who won't punish them for doing their job.

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Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator
USMCR – 1974 to the present.

"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum; qui victoriam cupit, milites inbuat diligenter; qui secundos optat eventus, dimicet arte, non casu. Nemo provocare, nemo audet offendere quem intellegit superiorem esse, si pugnet." - F. Vegetii Renati Epitoma Rei Militaris, AD 380

ATACKM · Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:23 pm Post subject:

The rush to get out when Clinton took hold was bad but this is going to way exceed that. How many soldiers turned down the Secretary of Defense offer from Clinton ? I sure do wish that General H. Norman Schwarzkopf was running things in Iraq today !
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ATACKM
Gulf War Veteran
Proud American
http://www.buglesacrossamerica.org

Fabius Cunctator · Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:35 pm Post subject:

Too bad he was not appointed the top dog at the CPA, instead of Bremer. Now, Bremer is criticizing lack of boots on the ground, etc., as I just hear on Fox. THAT is utterly unbelievable. For the love of God, this guy was the top civilian in Iraq for nearly a year. If we needed boots on the ground, HE would have had the direct line to Bush to get them. He did nothing - he and his lackey Dan Senor stayed holed up in the Green Zone all year and had little clue as to what was happening in the country.

That is the problem with the State Department. I interact with their Intel Group and State Ops, and those folks are okay, but the average foreign service officer is a waste. I have seen them overseas over a period of 16 years. They go native and end up advocating the country in which they should be representing OUR interests, but it works the other way around. I have interacted also with foreign diplomats, attaches, etc. and these guys are patriots in their own country, and would not DREAM of doing what our own people in State do to us. If Bush were to eliminate it tomorrow, it would have little measurable effect on our foreign relations, and might even clarify things quite a bit.

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Quintus Fabius Maximus Cunctator
USMCR – 1974 to the present.

"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum; qui victoriam cupit, milites inbuat diligenter; qui secundos optat eventus, dimicet arte, non casu. Nemo provocare, nemo audet offendere quem intellegit superiorem esse, si pugnet." - F. Vegetii Renati Epitoma Rei Militaris, AD 380

neverforget · Vice Admiral Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 875

Amen
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US Army Security Agency
1965-1971

Kimmymac · Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 11:21 pm Post subject:

The State Dept. philosophy is more closely aligned to Kerry's "global test" foreign policy than it is to the Bush Doctrine. By far.

I dislike the State Dept as it exists as an institution. Lots of GS-11's running around doing damage, regardless of who we elect. I am also no fan of Colin Powell, and I believe he is perfect for the job as head of the State Dept. Uber-politician running the uber political machine. PERFECT!

I know, I know, it is not cool to talk bad about *General* Powell. Well, sorry, folks. I do not like or trust the man. Something about him sets off my personal radar.

I think the Latin guy is right on his assesment. Senior military who are @$$ kissers will stay; most of those types will like it under Kerry moore than they did serving in a Bush Admin. Pacifist CinC's always engender extreme politicking and @$$ kissers love that stuff--after all, they can't make it on merit. Kerry getting elected will be like the fall of the Roman Empire, Act II. Lots of toga wearing morons running around giving un-merited "promotions" to REMFers who make nice-nice with the togas.

You ever notice how pacifist losers (like Kerry) are still enamored of titles and rank? Must be some sort of pathological problem. Although they hate the military they love getting next to power.

JCBoston · Seaman Joined: 31 Aug 2004 Posts: 185

Cali-HeyGirl · Seaman Joined: 11 Aug 2004 Posts: 156 Location: Mayport

Rurik · Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 1:10 am Post subject:

Fabius Cunctator · Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 1:45 pm Post subject:

VAW11_Vet · Ensign Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 56

It is interesting that it has taken so long for this story surface.

About a month ago I had dinner with two friends and their wives. Both of them are American Airlines pilots as well as being Navy reservist. The obvious topic of conversation was the election and the war but Kerry became the real issue.

They told me that there is a growing number of officers, both active and in the reserves in all branches, that are planning to resign their commissions on the day Kerry is sworn in, should he be elected. They said there are currently SEVERAL HUNDRED that have committed but the list is growing daily and they expect to have "an unbelievable number" by January.

Their idea is to create a military crisis for Kerry on day one of his presidency. They know that the military will not allow them to resign under the circumstances, but it will put the spotight squarely on Kerry, and as commander in chief, who will be forced to deny their requests. He made so much about Bush keeping reservist on active duty, calling it a defacto draft, that they want to compound the problem for Kerry and at the same time send a lack of confidence message.

It is amazing just how much the guys on active duty, as well as us veterans, dislike and distrust this man.
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VAW-11 NAS North Island 1961-1966

Rdtf · CNO Joined: 13 May 2004 Posts: 2209 Location: BUSHville

This is all very interesting. Seems like their intentions could help to alter the election beforehand, somehow....
Regarding Powell, for once I don't agree with ya, kimmymac. I'm not trying to be niave, but to me he has a sense of decency about him.

a6502 · Ensign Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 64

I know several officers, and many enlistees who are waiting to re-up until after the 2nd.

It is not a matter of 'quitting' to the people that I have encountered, they all know their 'duty', but those who are waiting have told me that if Mr. Kerry wins, they will be looking to other employers for work.

I have not run into anybody who has told me they would resign their commision over the results, but I have to believe that they are out there. We lost some good folks when Mr. I Did Not Have Sex With That Woman won (both times).