!CAUTION!
YOU ARE IN A "VERBAL SHRAPNEL" RICH DOMAIN
24 April 2012
I’m headed to the virtual Mess Hall to take The Butter-Cutter’s pulse on General Amos’ new initiative on letting officer and enlisted women go through the Marine Schools of the Infantry.
“Hello there retired officer-type, where ya been?” he said on seeing me.
“Oh, I have been involved in a number of projects that I am certain would bore you,” I answered.
‘Ya been involved in helping’ the CMC ta bring booty ta the foxhole like I read in the Marine Corps . . . ”
“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?” I interjected.
“That article in the Times ‘bout turnin’ the foxhole inta a Booty Pit . . . er maybe I outta say puttin’ the fox in the foxhole! Yeah! GOOD SHIT!” and The Butter-Cutter howled repeating “good shit” ever louder.
I stood there stunned trying to gather my senses to respond. “I don’t know where you get that idea about . . . whatever! The Commandant . . . YOUR Commandant, GENERAL AMOS, is reportedly going to let a few female officers and enlisted attend the Schools of the Infantry to EVALUATE how they perform in that environment!” I tried to explain.
“Oh yeah! It’s been so long since he got laid that he gotta ‘EVALUATE’ how it’s done? Hey, man, tell ‘im ta come down here ta the Mess Hall ‘n’ we’ll demonstrate it ta him. ‘n’ if he can’t come down here, tell ‘im there’s a bunch here willing' ta do ‘evaluation’ anywhere he likes!” The Butter-Cutter slapped the Steam Table repeatedly as he continued to laugh aloud.
“STOP IT!” I shouted. “You are making a joke of a serious and important effort on the part of the Commandant of the Marine Corps to determine if women can function effectively in the infantry.”
“Me? I’m makin’ a joke? MAAAN, ya jest don’t get it. This IS a joke; NOT BY ME, but by the retro team o’ Amos ‘n’ Andy our comedy leaders . . .”
“Whoa! Whoa! WHOA!” I shouted out to cut him off. “Who . . . what is this ‘team of Amos ‘n’ Andy’ you’re talking about?” I asked in shock.
“Who the f*** d’ya think? The CMC ‘n’ his enlisted advisor turned CMC ECHO. Ya know, the Marine Corps’ traveling’ comedy team o’ Amos ‘n’ Andy that went down ta Lejeune last week ta entertain the troops with this BULL SHIT!” The Butter-Cutter blurted out.
I stared at him in disbelief. The Butter-Cutter has not gone “over the top,” he has BLOWN his top!
“Whaddya starin’ at? D'ya really think this is an evaluation? BULL SHIT! Amos ‘n’ Andy have already made up their minds ‘n’ SPLITS are goin’ int a the infantry. This evaluation is all bull shit just like that survey on homos. When the vote came in sayin’ we were against it, the Kingfish made all his freakin’ minnows lie 'n' say we voted fer it! ‘n’ that’s exactly what Amos ‘n’ Andy are gonna do on any evaluation 'bout SPLITS in the infantry! Now, d’ya get why it’s a freakin’ joke?” The Butter-Cutter continued while glaring at me as if he were about to leap across the Steam Table and stab me with his fork.
“Hold on! Who is this 'Kingfish' you’re talking about?” I asked in confusion.
“MAAAN, ya don’t pick up squat on yer own, do ya? That Dude in the White House with swim-fins fer ears is the Kingfish!”
I decided not to be distracted by the Kingfish issue and hit the most fundamental aspect of his arguments. “Your gross presumptuousness has led you again to a false accusation. The Commandant is EVALUATING women to provide an objective basis for determining if it is feasible to assign them to the infantry and there is NO evidence that there is any other intent in this initiative,” I said in trying to bring The Butter-Cutter to rationality.
“Didja say ya was once an INTELLIGENCE OFFICER? Intelligence in what? Dumb-Shititis? Lemme give ya three reasons why this is a humongous freakin’ JOKE: there’s a Congress law against infantry-persons ‘n’ ain’t NO Congress-pukes workin’ ta change it; the Army ain’t doin’ any testing’ ta see if women can do this shit, so why's the Marine Corps doin' it; ‘n’, the big two that tried it, Russia ‘n’ Israel, BOTH took ‘em out o’ the infantry cuz it didn’t work! Pull yer head outta yer . . .”
“Enough!” I shouted, “You are an embarrassment to our Marine C . . .”
“ME!?!” he shouted back in cutting me off. “I ain’t the one who’s tryin’ ta pussify the finest fightin’ organization in the world. It’s this white team o’ Amos ‘n’ Andy who’s put the reface of embarrassment on every Marine in our Corps by tryin’ ta turn Marine green ta MARINE PINK!”
Semper MARINE GREEN,
Anthony F. Milavic
Major USMC (Ret.)
HITS:
WHADDIA THINK?
(19 THINKS)
SEND "THINKS" TO: MAJUSMCRET@AOL.COM
(19 THINKS)
SEND "THINKS" TO: MAJUSMCRET@AOL.COM
“I HAVE DIRECTED THAT MEASURED AND RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH BE CONDUCTED TO PROVIDE ME WITH THE INFORMATION AND DATA NECESSARY TO MAKE AN INFORMED AND EDUCATED RECOMMENDATION ON POTENTIAL POLICY CHANGES.”
One can only pray that this evaluation isn’t already written as was the one on dropping DADT.
The Butter Cutter stole my thunder!
Jim C.
CWO-4, Ret.
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Oh Man! Just like DADT is right. It’s a done deal.
Great rant, Major.
S/F,
Hep
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I, for one, am totally against this. We have enough men to handle this. What happened to the save the women and children ethic?????????????
Granted there are a few women stronger than I am, but not many. And, I am 85 and 100% disabled.
Just becasue this is the new PC era, I am still totally against it.
When I can produce babies I may change my mind.
Semper disgusted with the present PC ways
Jack
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Major: I'm half laughing and half crying.
Joe L.
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I was the SgtMaj of The Basic School 85-87 and can tell you that in those days women officers had trouble with the infantry training aspect at TBS. As you know, the Infantry Officer's Course (IOC) come's under the Commanding Officer of The Basic School. Now we are going to send those same officer (Women) who had problems in the past at TBS with infantry requirements to more gut checking course, all for the sake of, gee, wouldn't it be nice for women to go into combat. More PC crap!
I've also been in combat but what the hell do I know anyway.
Semper Fi,
Leo
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Anthony,
As usual, your use of satire to make a point is excellent. I am sure that you will get responses, both pro and con. I am also sure that you have put out the link to General Barrow's testimony to the SASC in 1991 ( link below). I think all Marines should reflect on his words as we begin to debate this new and unusual development in our Corps.
I would like to believe that the Commandant listened to General Barrow and that he has a plan to test this policy to protect the Corps from disintegration from from legislative fiat. I do not want to believe that we have fallen into the trap that our Navy counterparts always used when they were given a task they did not want to do: " Tell the Marines they can't do it, and they will jump in to prove us wrong". We should be too smart for that today.
I look forward to the response to this "social experiment".
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy--whDNNKk
Robert J. Dalton, Lt. Col. USMC (Ret)
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This latest The Butter-Cutter is dead on, HOWEVER in Viet Nam if the CORP would
have allowed us a WM and bottle of whiskey in the foxhole, maybe we would still
be there. I was BOB DALTONS radio operator while with K co, 3/26. Keep up the
good work.
Ted
WOW!! It is right on brother. Oooorraaahh!
Bob S
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Politicians may want to beware of supporting women in combat arms. Here in Pennsylvania (I’m from Pittsburgh), former Representative Patrick Murphy, from a powerful Pa. political family, got upset in the primary for State Attorney General by new comer Kathleen Kane. Rumor has it, just like in his House re-election bid, the vet community came down on Murphy like a ton of bricks.
We all remember how Murphy, who served honorably as an Army Lawyer behind the heavily defended green line in Iraq leveraged that service to - some say - betray the men at arms who protected him by not only supporting, but leading the charge to repeal DADT on the Personnel Subcommittee and then on the House floor.
Veterans oppose open homosexual service because males overwhelmingly find such conduct distasteful and the idea that they might be the subject of such attention . . . upsetting. Because of that fact, among others, open service disrupts small unit cohesion, trust and morale and must result in unnecessary death. It endangers the mission.
Murphy and others ignored this reality and, some say, put political expediency above the safety of the troops. I personally hope Mr. Murphy has a successful law practice and a good family life, but to the vet community, politically, he bears the mark of Cain. So do all the other supporters of the repeal vote. No more politics. My only regret is we haven’t been able to get one of the Republicans yet.
Of course, vets are committed to the safety of our Troops and reinstating the DADT policy, which allows homosexuals to serve, without endangering troop safety.
I agree with an earlier post - the entire JCS must go, and politicians must know women serving in combat arms also presents a risk to the Troops, not because women lack the intelligence or courage, but because they lack the muscle mass, lung capacity, reflexes and bone density.
The well being of young troops is a vet obligation - Veterans vote, influence others and do not forget. Just ask Patrick Murphy.
Joe L.
Obama, Panetta, Mabus, Amos and Andy.......are annihilating the Corps with this insanity? Another illegal, attack on the Republic from within the Executive Branch perpetrated by politicians and sycophants. We must remove this evil regime in November.
Col RJ Ingold USMC Ret.
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R.O.T.!!
HOTEL6
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Major, taking a different slant than the physical one. How many women can, or
does America want, that can site down a barrel and willingly take the life of
another human being? Not one shooting at you, but say on an ambush? Self
defense is different - but aggressive combat, searching out and killing?
Do we want the women of America to charge pass a fallen Marine to continue to
engage the enemy? It is hard for some male Marines, but women are the nurturing
gender, how difficult will it be for most of them to continue the mission and
take troop welfare second? If we have women in the infantry leadership billets,
can we, as a Nation, hold them to the same aggressive life-risking and life
taking standards we expect from our Marine riflemen?
I know women Marines have served, are serving and will continue to serve the
Corps and nation; but combat in Iraq and Afghan is not the normal "close with
and destroy" the enemy focus of a Marine Rifle Squad. Are we as a Corps ready
for leaders being hesitant on issuing orders? Are we as a nation prepared for
the wave of emotional, psychological and physical disorders and wounds?
C. E. (Ed) Blanz
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Sir,
I have read the entire article and concur that we are being led around by "Amos and Andy". All we hear
is that the Marine Corps can't send Women into Combat, that responsibility lies within the powers of our
Congress. This is a total piece of crap. We don't have a Congress in DC that could lead a Hog around a pen.
What we have is a group of 500 + professional money collectors. The only thing that they are capable of
doing with any amount of accuracy is to sit up there on their Sanctimonious Backsides and answer in unison
" Yousa Boss Man " when ever our illegal CIC snaps his fingers.
IMHO a good Squad of "HashMark " PFC'S would do a better job of running our country than all of them put
together.
If an old Gunny can figure this out then what in the H**l do we need "Amos and Andy " for.
Off my soap box......
Semper Fi
Gunny Grump
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It is a sad commentary on the males in our society that this is even a subject for discussion. Having witnessed more than one "girl fight" I can assure any congressman that they can be as vicious as any man and that if any country ever invades this nation they will be taking on a momma bear in defense of the homeland. That being said there are many places in our military where females can serve often better than a male but to consider sending our females into situations where they are expected to close with and destroy the enemy is frankly reprehensible.
I guess that makes me old school.
Semper Fi,
Tom Bailey
Let's Splain! I was on The Basic School (TBS) staff from 80-84. I was the Ops and Scheduling Officer of TBS in 82/84-the Infantry Officer Course (IOC) falls under the CO of TBS. So, I had to POIs/schedules/classes/ranges/testing/support requirements for both schools.
Stage Setter:
In 1977, the USMC decided it would gender integrate TBS and instead of running a separate 12 week all female company "L" Company, the women would be totally integrated into the male companies at TBS -(shifted from 26 week course where all males were basic infantry officers to an 18 week course and then IOC was added to train the infantry officers). They put women into the male platoons and expected them to perform with the men. They BROKE the women trying to train at the same standard....so we segregated the women out into a separate platoon and allowed them to perform within their capability--Not to the male standard. Since then, as I understand it, they have now re-integrated the women into the platoons and they are doing fine. Or are they, or did the USMC lower that standards. Believe me they are lower-this also allows weaker males to successfully compete!!!!
We rebuilt the POI for TBS in 1982, while I was the Ops O. Col Dennis Murphy had TBS (78-80) and really screwed it up by changing the POI and making everything academics. Gone was the old system of Academics, Leadership and Military Skills. Col Ernie Cook (80-83) was put in to fix the school. TBS went back to a tri-system of evaluation of 2d Lts., Academics, Leadership and Military Skills. The best indicator of officer's potential performance is Military Skills.
So under Military Skills we put in the following graded events:
1. Pistol Qualification-Qualify
2. Rifle Qualification-Qualify
3. Physical Fitness Test (USMC PFT)
4. Night Compass Course-successful grade or do over
5. Day Land Navigation- successful grade or do over
6. Obstacle Course - for time
7. Double Running of the Obstacle Course- (Men only) for time
8. Endurance Run = Obstacle Course + then War Gear on + "E" company Trail-2 miles + Stamina Course-3 miles for time.
9. Confidence Course = Negotiate/complete all obstacles (Men only)
10. 20 mile hike = finish
11. Swim Qualification = 3d Class swimmer
So what we found was the women could not complete the Obstacle Course or the Confidence Course. What ended up happening was they would not be required to do the Confidence Course (too hard-simply could not do it). And with the Obstacle Course devices were added to each obstacle in order to compensate for their height and lack of physical strength (knots in the ropes for women no knots for men, etc). Women would not be required to do the double running of the O'Course-they couldn't complete two runnings. Also the PFT is the same for both men and women but women get higher scores for lower reps and times. Additionally, there was a compensation scale that was built and used for females for the Endurance Run.
So my point is, the USMC has lowered the standards significantly in order to allow women to succeed up to this point. Since DOD is ready to open up all MOSs to women, don't be fooled---some PC officer(s) will accept lower performance.
We'll see!?
R/Cliff
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http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/04/marine-corps-not-giving-women-infantry-jobs-robert-milstead-congress-james-webb-042512/
General: USMC not giving women infantry jobs
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Expanded infantry training for women does not mean the Marine Corps is ready to send women into combat assignments, the Corps’ top personnel official said Wednesday
“Assignment policy for women has not changed,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Milstead Jr., the deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs.
“We are not training women to be infantry officers,” he said. “We do not have that authority. That authority rests with Congress.”
His comments came before the Senate Armed Services subcommittee on personnel, where the panel chairman is Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., a former Navy secretary and Marine combat veteran. Webb said the decision is controversial, and that he will be closely watching.
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Has “gender-neutral physical standards” been defined?
Semper Wondering,
Hep
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No shit. Then why all the unnecessary expenditures of manpower and resources? My Congressman will be happy to know that the Executive Branch has not yet made another Unconstitutional Dictate. Enough is enough.
RNS RJI
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If in this kind of war with no front lines women are going to be assigned to jobs that might expose them to enemy action they should at least know how to organize and man a perimeter defense, fight their way out of an ambush and organize an attack to secure a dominating terrain feature. Ratchet back to Korea there were more than a few occasions when battalion, regimental and division headquarters came under fire. You might let them pack he 81mm mortar base plate around for a few days. That might cool their desire to to be a grunt.
PR
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