Tag Archives: combat

Kamala Harris in the eyes of a military combat veteran

Posted on by mjgranger

The current Vice President, a CIVILIAN, has assumed the role of President of the United States, or, the Commander in Chief. In a way, this is STOLEN VALOR.

She is consciously saluting military personnel, as if she were in their chain of command. She is not. Civilians do not salute unless they are veterans and it is during an appropriate ceremony or event where saluting the flag or National Anthem are pro forma.

The goal is to promote the illusion that Ms. Harris is already Madame President. She is not. In fact, if Ms. Harris were in the military she would have been fired long ago, if not just from her appointed roles, i.e. Border Czar, then from the position of Vice President.

Recently, while describing gifts she plans to give people if she becomes the next President, she said, “I’m gonna give,” (blank amount) to the people. “I’m gonna give?” As if the money were coming from her personal bank account.

In the military, which used to be a meritocracy, if you don’t perform, you’re fired from your position. Or, you get demoted, or you get kicked out, or you go to jail. Ms. Harris would be in the running for all of these if her record were totally scrutinized by authorities over her (where are the CHECKS and BALANCES I learned about in high school government class?).

As one progresses in one’s military career there are opportunities for promotion, which are mostly based on the quality of one’s periodic professional evaluations. Good evaluations and positive results in one’s endeavors and responsibilities could lead to promotion. Performance and achievement are usually rewarded in the military.

In the case of Ms. Harris, who can tell us what her OER support form would look like? This Officer Evaluation Report support form is completed by the officer seeking promotion, for the superior officer who has the authority to grant or recommend promotion. In it, the promotion candidate details accomplishments and achievements.

Isn’t she up for a public referendum (election) on her performance? After all, she is asking to be promoted, and not just from second lieutenant to first lieutenant, but from the second highest office in the land to the very tip top position – where leadership equals influence and setting the example is paramount. She is asking We the People for this promotion. We are the promoting authority. We need to see the OER support form.

On her support form, we need to see examples of her demonstrated leadership skills, evidence of her professional competence, effective communication skills, demonstrated personal integrity and ethics; examples of teamwork and collaboration; proof of her ability to problem solve, of her adaptability, resilience and resolve; we need to see evidence of her commitment to serve as loyal commander in chief. We need to know whether or not she has been a mentor and is able to develop others. We need to understand the facts pertaining to her ability to form and maintain positive relationships and demonstrated networking skills. And, finally, we need evidence of her accomplishments and performance.

Military officers must show and demonstrate and be able to document their claims, or guess what? No promotion.

If you were to write Ms. Harris’s OER support form, what positive things could you put in it?

The bottom line is that if one wishes to be promoted in a professional environment, military or civilian, one must show demonstrated skill, competence and acumen for the job they are seeking. Kamala Harris has not shown any shred of competence in her current job. Any CEO, HR professional or shop keeper would immediately put her resume in the circular file.

She is not exceptional.

Exceptionalism is the driving force behind achievement, behind progress, behind leadership.

If we elect someone who is not exceptional, we are cheating ourselves out of a brighter future, and we are letting down those who depend on us for good decision making for their future – our children and grandchildren, who, if Ms. Harris is elected, would certainly suffer a far worse future than if another candidate were chosen.

Montgomery Granger is a retired educator and veteran, and can be found in social media under the @mjgranger1 tag.

Women In Combat: Debate Should Be Over

Posted on by mjgranger

I submitted this piece to a local newspaper after reading several editorial opinion pieces on why women should not be allowed in combat.

The debate on women in combat rages on, but what most people don’t know is that the battle has been over for some time, which is why the Joint Chiefs of Staff have recommended changes that will now simply become formally approved. Since Operation Just Cause in Panama in December 1989, when several U.S. Army Military Police (MP) Officers, including Cpt. Linda Bray of the 519th MP Battalion, faced combat when securing Panamanian Defense Forces installations, women have performed brilliantly in battle. Their participation in just Cause was eventually not recognized as combat by the Defense Department because they were not legally allowed to be in combat.

Since that time many women have advanced through the MP ranks in combat support roles, including most notably Gen. Janis Karpinski (Operation Iraqi Freedom), our own (and former colleague of mine) Lt. Col. Jackie Gordon (Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom (2 tours), and Iraqi Freedom, and a Suffolk County public school counselor and Babylon Town Legislator), and Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, who was awarded the Silver Star medal for her exemplary performance during a battle to protect an ambushed convoy just south of Baghdad, Iraq in March, 2005. At that time I was stationed in Baghdad at the 18th MP Brigade headquarters. The brigade was responsible for all detainee and convoy security and I watched the security video of then Specialist Hester in the battle. Her calm, cool and deliberate actions, in the face of a well-armed and superior force of insurgents helped save the lives of the convoy personnel and her comrades.

More than just proving in battle that they are capable, these women and thousands of others endure the same Army training to get where they are. After three mobilizations since 9/11/01, and after three cycles of rigorous pre-deployment training that I went through, I can personally attest that men and women in the Army from all MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) backgrounds train together, in all conditions, including very physically demanding battle simulation lanes training and live fire convoy and defense training.

In the early 1990’s combat exclusions for women were lifted in the Air Force and Navy, allowing women in those services to serve in combat aircraft and on combat warships, respectively. Also, in 1994, rules were changed in the Army to allow women in combat support Military Police units that could serve on the front lines. That, in essence began the test that led to the Joint Chief’s recommendation.

Women in combat are nothing new. Over the past 24+ years they have proven time and again their value and capability to not only make the grade, but also excel on the battlefield, in the air, and on the seas. The only thing causing a stir now is that these accomplishments have not grasped the attention or imagination of the mainstream media or the public at large. But that’s OK. The military women who have faced and will face combat in the defense of their nation don’t really care about all that, their reward comes in knowing and being able to prove they can in battle.