I was reading the Navy Times yesterday and came across this article... The rise and fall of a military blogger - Military Technology, military gear, military gadgets - Military Times
Ok, finished reading? Good! Now here is my 2 yen...
First of all, if ( and I am not 100% sure) this Master Sgt. called the CIC a liar. But, if he did then he is in the wrong... For one reason and ONE reason only. President Obama is his Commander in Chief. That is just the way it goes. Those in the military live their lives by a different set of rules. It is called the Uniformed Code of Military Justice. This means that military personal CAN NOT speak ill of the president. No matter what his political feelings are. Everyone in the military understands they have a chain of command. And, that chain ends with the President. There is a grain of truth to the jokes "sign your life away". By signing on the dotted line (and I am not sure the line is dotted, I think maybe its just a Xerox copy of a form), those who serve are agreeing to uphold the orders given to them by their CIC. That does not mean service members give up ALL of their rights.
As for the school board issue. All I have to say is GO FIGURE! We are talking about a PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD~! How many of you (most of you work civilian jobs) would think for 1 second that the school board would call your husbands job to complain? If your spouse or you yourself work say at walmart, what do you think the chances of the school board calling up the local walmart to complain? NONE! ZIP! ZILCH! It just would not happen. Yes, those that wear the uniform live by a different set of rules, and most of them do so willingly and with honor. BUT, they in NO WAY give up ALL of their rights. MSGT. Grisham did NOT show up to the school board meeting in uniform, and AT NO TIME did he try and use his rank during the meeting. Did the school board call the employers of EVERY parent there who voiced their concerns? I would venture to guess not! MSGT. Grisham was trying to voice his opinions and concerns at a PUBLIC (yes, folks open to the public) school board meeting. Then to make matters worse the school board CLAIMS they were worried and felt unsafe because you know soldiers have that pesky PTSD... You have got to be kidding me...
I hope and pray for MSGT. Grisham that the military leaders step up and DEFEND their soldiers right to be a parent. WE live in the day and age of technology. It is true the military is always slow to change, and progress but they ALWAYS do in time. Blogs, facebook, myspace, and the like are NOT going away. Believe you me there have been many days I wish I could just hope on my blog and LET IT FLY! But, I don't because I respect Ian and his career (and some day I will just write one hell of a book).. There is no way the military can take away a persons right to blog, or chat on facebook.. But, they sure can curb the discussion. Let's hope that discussion starts with MSGT. Grisham....
5 comments:
That's an incredible story. I am sitting here, outraged over it. Schools have too much power, ya think?
Astounding.
To be honest, I did say that the President lied, but the context is missing. I was talking about gun control and published candidate Obama's statement to gun owners that if he were elected they would have nothing to worry about.
"I'm not going to take your guns away," he said at rallies in Pennsylvania and Idaho. "Lawful gun owners have nothing to fear...I think people an take me at my word."
Then I go on to write how Attorney General Holder is aggressively pursuing the reinstatement of the "assault weapons ban." Obama also supported a provision that would ban individuals diagnosed with mental health disorders from owning a gun. Sounds fine of the surface right? Well, that would also include troops diagnosed with PTSD!
So, I used his own statements and postured the question about whether or not the President had lied. Depending on whom you talk to, it could go either way. As an enlisted Soldier, the provisions of Article 88 don't pertain to me.
Regardless of our political opinion, I've ALWAYS told troops and my readers that whether or not we agree with the President we are required to follow his lawful orders and I would serve this country in any capacity I'm required to.
On another note, I miss Japan. My father was stationed in Atsugi and I graduated high school at Camp Zama. I met my wife there and we've been together for over 17 years. I've always wanted to go back. How are you liking it there?
Military life certainly is a different world. I grew up in a military family and then vowed I would never get involved with a GI as I saw how much control it had over my life. Of course, no one knew I would grow up to be a wild and crazy-liberal-hippie-free thinking-lesbo. So I have to put that into context. I have so much respect for families that live the life you have chosen to live.
I also do think the public school system is trying to get a little too big for their britches. What a trip.
NUTS!
And it is so true. You saw how the bitches here got all pissy at me for blogging about "Lord of the Flies Island", as we are calling our current base.
I didn't let them stop me from blogging, though. I'm a civilian and I don't really care about their opinions.
(I DID take a break, but for other reasons - I wanted to streamline and simplify; it was wayyy too much work maintaining a following.)
There are so many things we'd LOVE to say about the military life, true... But, like you, I tend to behave. I've not complained about the Air Force on my blog, nor do I ever talk about exercises, deployments, etc. I'll mention AFTER the fact that David went to a place and brought me a neat gift or something.
The only thing I've criticized is the hands-off parenting technique of many of the spouses and how they USE the military as an excuse. (And, yeah, they totally got pissed at me - oooh, not honesty! Not that!)
What they're doing to this guy reminds me of how the spouses here somehow equate guns to patriotism... As if you are anti-patriotic if you don't own a gun, or dare to criticize someone or something, are honest about an organization's flaws, etc.
It seems to me he cares about making the military and the U.S. a better place. He's a guy who is choosing to use his brain. Very unusual these days. We already know that individuality and free-thought are ridiculed among the spouses, so I'm not at all surprised that the military tries to quash it entirely.
As for the school officials - they need to blame themselves for looking like incompetent idiots, rather than trying to deflect. What BS to do this to someone who is simply a concerned parent, who also just happens to be in the military!!!
Overall, very sad.
I love your posts. I'm a former brat and even though there are about thirty five years between my "bratdom" and your moving your kids around, I can see my Mom in some of your comments. I don't think some things change.
Vis a vis MSGT Graham and the school board! That is so out of control and so inappropriate. He has my sympathy. Good luck to him.
Keep writing and good luck in the new year
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