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The Village

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If you had been given the chance to interrogate Diem during his rule in South Vietnam, you would have discovered that his thoughts, policies and eventual practices differed little from those of France. Diem had no intention of creating democratic rule. This is actually a place where American political clout shined for once as the US tried in vain to support to the backbone of Vietnam: the villages. Diem didn’t care. He ruled every detail of the country in his own image, handing small bits of power to his three brothers. The rest was a ruse. Democracy never got off the ground.

Several things can be learned from this lesson, one of which is an overused clichÃ© but it fits all too well: Absolute power corrupts absolutely. If you happen to be a history nut, you have seen the act in this play a hundred times with the same end result. The total collapse of a society occurs with the villagers shaking their heads at the amount of energy and money spent on stupidity that creates destruction of the very things the powers were striving for: wealth and power.

Wealth and power are not tangibles and they are very slippery. The more you have the quicker they leave your hands. Grab for more and you are forced to drop what you had, losing your own stability in the process. In a hundred or a thousand years, the wealth and power always ends up back in the same hands once the empires fall: the villagers. No one seems to get it.

The United States has played the game both ways since its inception. Each U.S. presidency has its own agenda. Some are corrupt beyond description, with self-centered enterprises bringing down destruction on everyone’s heads while others try with desperate measure to shore up what was lost and give it back to the village again. Johnson was one of those presidents caught in the middle, trying to do both simultaneously. He had the military in one pocket and the villages in the other. Guess who won again?

Filed Under: Military, Military Photography, Navy, Navy Facts, Recruitment Tagged With: France, History, South Vietnam, United States, Vietnam, Vietnam War, Village, Wars and Conflicts

Tipping the Scale with Pride

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USSR, China, and the United States all tried in vain to stand with equal force on the heads of Burma, Malaya, Indonesia and Vietnam, to name a few. That is a heavy load for such tiny countries to be carrying. So why all the sword rattling over such a small part of the planet?

It is possible that wealth had something to do with it. These areas of the world do offer a great deal. Production of rubber and rice? That seems a little overboard with the invention of synthetics and the fact that rice is grown in the US as well. Food, is a big factor, so for now, let’s not erase that as a possibility for domination by outer forces.

Another possibility is perceived ethics. On one hand, the U.S. seems to think that its own brand of democracy is the only possible way to save the world from total collapse, not seeing that the sheep’s skin of democracy is a paltry cover for its capitalistic religious fervor. The U.S. is not innocent. The irony is, of course, the fact that Communism, which began as a welfare system for all, turned into a dictatorship creating different results from Capitalism but the end score was the same. Disaster.

Is it possible that the only reason that Indochina, et al, has been so important to these three superpowers, one now being Russia, is pride? Could it be that simple? If you look closely at the U.S. presidents, little is hidden in their personalities and their policies. Pride was indeed a determining factor in most decisions made in that office, along with a desperate desire to win the next election . . .pride again?

What is the point of this? For the sake of a better economy, welfare of all, balanced military designed to serve and protect and a government for the people and by the people, it might serve all of us to look at our motives next time we decide to help someone see our viewpoint. Rulers are not the only ones with arsenals. They just have different weapons.

Filed Under: Military, Military Photography, Navy, Navy Facts, Recruitment Tagged With: Burma, Capitalism, China, Indochina, Indonesia, Russia, United States, Vietnam

Giving Instead of Taking

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Tiny tears in time eventually repeat themselves if not tended to. Often the rhetoric of savior kings becomes the rhetoric of political activists which then becomes the rhetoric of kings again, or politicians running for office under the guise of activist. The circle completes itself, all emotions charged and brains turned completely off.

Those tiny tears are a minute rips in time and if you compare the tears to cloth, the weft and weave is humanity trying to hold itself together while hanging on to fraying pieces that keep pulling away from what ends up being nothing but a pile of mislaid thread. Entropy one, balance zero.

In an effort to support what is already falling apart, taxes are raised, military might is increased and the old bags of rhetoric are opened up one more time. Eventually the rhetoric lands on numb ears and everyone refuses to play the game. Chaos theorists have had fun looking at this for years, finding patterns inside of patterns. John Nash must love this stuff!

In the interest of balance, look at this numbing fact: in 2009, the world spent 1.531 trillion on military, with the U.S. footing 46.5% of that total.

The next step is for you to do your research on the soaring cost of food worldwide, the shortages causing food riots, the indexes of food stores dropping, the affect bio-fuels have on the production of food, the total effect this has on humanity and the unrest that will continue to skyrocket due to this problem. Once you have done that, come back and look at the military expenditures. That’s all. Just look and let it sink in. Don’t define the problem. Don’t lay blame. In all likelihood the blame spreads very far anyway and blame does not alleviate the problem. It only strengthens it.

With that done, remember how the U.S. military has been used in the past decade to help people during disasters. No shots fired. Simply hundreds of thousands of well trained men and women pouring their hearts out to help. Just think it through, that’s all.

Filed Under: Military, Military Photography, Navy, Navy Facts, Recruitment Tagged With: Academic Departments, Biofuel, Communication, Directories, John Nash, Rhetoric, Social Sciences, United States armed forces

Silent Impact

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If you want to make a point of moving through life living impacting experiences, you don’t have to visit India during Kumbh Mela or live through an event like the anti-Chinese uprising in Indonesia from 1996 through 1999. Life abounds with ways to see and understand the dynamics of human failures and triumphs. All you have to do is open your eyes.

One short visit to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington D.C. will push your mind into silence. It is not a place to go for pro-war or anti-war sentiment. That is not the point. In fact, to make the point in words is wrong. You simply must experience it yourself and walk away from it with feelings you may never have dealt with before. That is an impact that creates growth no matter what your political views.

For the most sobering effect, go in the dead of winter when it’s ten below zero. If you have the choice of time, do it on a clear windy day. You can see the wall in countless photographs in books and magazines. That doesn’t cut it. You have to go. When you arrive, you will be greeted by vets who dedicate part of their lives to helping visitors find the names of friends or relatives. They can tell you the section of the wall to find a given name. Even if you know of no one on the wall, take the paper and pencil they offer and choose a man or woman and make a rubbing of the name. Stay silent. Look at the letters, flowers and personal belonging that have been left by visitors whose sons or daughters are on the wall.

When you walk away, don’t talk. Let it sink in. Each person will have an entirely different mind opening in wordless feelings. Take that with you on the plane when you fly home. When you are being served your little bag of nuts and ginger ale, take the rubbing out and look at it without thought. The result of this experience will last for the rest of your life.

Filed Under: Recruitment, Security, Service Tagged With: India, Indonesia, Kumbh Mela, Washington DC

Carl Orff and Change

Hearing a version of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana for the first time from any given conductor, that version often sticks in your mind as the “correct” version. Every conductor interprets the master’s work differently. Each recording sounds different. You may have your favorite recording. Perhaps the CD got scratched and won’t play now. You grab your second recording that you consider to be inferior. Timing in play is different. Voices have different tone qualities. You get the picture.

Being too lazy to replace your favorite copy you begin to listen to the second. After awhile you lose the reasons in your head for rejecting this second version and it becomes your new favorite. In fact the female soloist in the second to last piece reminds you of one of your favorite singers. She is better than the original that you had stuck with all your life. You realize that your prejudice for the original stopped you from seeing the honest realities about the two recordings. The second one is better!

Humans are that way about things. It is a form of prejudice which is an unwillingness to move and learn.

In earlier human history, it was considered correct to stand soldiers in a single line, facing the enemy in full view, and slug it out. The stupidity of the matter had never been considered and any variation from that practice was rejected out of hand. We see this behavior repeated throughout history at every level: in music, science, religion, military practice, economics and politics.

Evolution of thought eventually seeps in, but only after a dynamic change in the form of a shocking discovery or disaster opens the eyes to the realities. Human relationships with one another have slowly changed. Change is good. It creates better understanding of the world around us. We have better cars, better toasters, and better defense systems. Moving toward better people is a good idea. It is the hardest change to make. However, as we change, toasters and defense systems won’t seem so important. Open your mind. A third version of Carmina Burana awaits.

Filed Under: Military, Recruitment Tagged With: Carl Orff, Carmina Burana, Social Sciences

People: You’re One of Them

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The American Revolution was a political upheaval in the 18th century. It’s sound historical fact. Note the word political. That’s key. The Brits governed without allowing Americans the right to have representation. The British government also taxed the folks on the eastern seaboard pretty heavily. It didn’t seem fair so the Americans rejected Parliament authority and ousted the royal officials. What happened after that is clear: it led to war. The might of the British army and navy arrived and were beaten. It was a case of military might and to some extent the “best equipment” against people. People won.

Remember, politics is key.

In a letter from Ho Chi Minh to President Truman and the United Nations concerning the colonial rule of France over Indochina, Ho Chi Minh clearly showed the bitter contempt the French had for the Vietnamese people as they seized all rice stores over the winter, letting the food rot. The end result was genocide of one million Vietnamese, a not widely advertised fact.

French rule was cruel. By 1954 American politicians involved the US government in supporting the French in continuing colonial rule to the tune of a third of a million guns and a billion in cash. History has the rest well documented. From 1950 to 1975 political action support the kind of rule that the American politicians fought against 200 years prior. It was a case of military might and to some extent the “best equipment” against people. People won.

People in the conflict were good folks . . . on all sides. They were people, just like the British soldiers were people. All fighting for what they perceived was right.

Military most often gets egg on its face when something goes wrong. Get to know a few vets. Learn to know their hearts. You will find that due to consequences in their lives, they learned the depth of love the hard way. They are not the upside down ones. Remember that next time you are tempted to send derisions their way. People: you’re one of them.

Filed Under: Recruitment Tagged With: British Army, France, Ho Chi Minh, Ho Chi Minh City, United States

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

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“All men are created equal; they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights; among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” American Declaration of Independence, right? Yes and no. That statement is a part of the Proclamation of Independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam against Japan and France.

Yes, it was borrowed, but the ideals are not borrowed. They are fundamental truths that if humans are given the right to rule themselves, less ambiguous realties occur. People take care of themselves and they do not punish themselves unrealistically for monetary gain. People prefer happiness over agony.

Some of the greatest supporters of human rights were also soldiers. There is no need to list them. You can look them up by the droves. Some stand out as national heroes and are forever in the eyes of historians such as Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower. But leave the word hero out of the formula. Eisenhower is revered on American soil and despised by not just a few Japanese.

Perception is created by political actions muted by forgotten facts and reinvented by those who want the general populace to believe in certain things even if they might not be true. The facts? Eisenhower was a person endowed by his creator with certain inalienable rights. The rest is history and history tends to be written by those in control of power.

As of December 31, 2009 1,421,668 people are on active duty. That’s a quote from Wikipedia. Did you notice they used the word people? One retired American colonel fought in the Vietnam War. He was a helicopter pilot. He was shot down three times and walked away. You could make this man into a hero. He has all the stats but he is an unknown. The reality is that he is a very good man. He grew up in a small Idaho town, ran on the track team and had a family. People. You can find reflections of him in Mongolia, India, Vietnam, Columbia, and Russia. Vets are people created with certain inalienable rights. Don’t let political views mute that fact.

Filed Under: Recruitment, Security, Service Tagged With: Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Natural and legal rights, United States

Preparing for Navy Boot Camp

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If you’ve recently joined the Navy, you’re probably feeling excited, apprehensive, and maybe a little anxious about starting this new chapter in your life. One thing you will need to do is prepare for boot camp. Because it is physically and mentally demanding, having a good idea of what to expect when you get there can help you get through the experience.

These tips will help you prepare for Navy boot camp:

Get physically fit.
If you’re not already in good physical shape, now is the time to work on it. Basic workouts like being able to run a few miles and do push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups will be common in boot camp, so make sure you increase your stamina and strength so it won’t be a shock to your system when you get there.

Get mentally fit.
Most people know that boot camp requires mental endurance as well, as boot camp involves being yelled at, singled out, and embarrassed in front of large groups of other recruits. Talk to friends and relatives who have gone through boot camp, and get advice on how to handle the emotions you will be dealing with.

Get into good habits.
You will also want to start going to bed early and training your body to get up early as well. Boot camp involves early hours and a lot of work on small amounts of sleep. If you are already used to getting up early, it won’t be such a shock to your system.

Tie up loose ends.
Make sure you have handled things back home while you’re away. This includes everything from signing up your bills to be automatically paid to making sure your pets are taken care of to spending time with your family before you take off. This will help to alleviate stress and ensure you have nothing to worry about while you’re gone.

Going into Navy boot camp knowing what to expect will make it a better experience for you.

Filed Under: Navy, Recruitment, Service Tagged With: Camps, Recreation, Recruit training, United States Navy

Organizations Within the Department of the Navy

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If you would like to work with the Navy, you do not actually have to be a part of the US Navy proper – though being a sailor doesn’t hurt. The Department of the Navy (DON) employs over 180,000 civilian workers in their respective organizations, and even as a civilian you can offer your services and skills to supporting America’s military. Because these are jobs with the DON, having Navy experience can’t hurt your job chances, but what’s important is that you have skills and ambition to bring to the table, and a patriotic attitude as you serve your nation’s primary defensive organization.

If you choose to start seeking a job with the DON, you immediately have dozens of options wherein you can being to find a job that fits you best. You can join in at the Office of Naval Research if you’re a student looking for real world application for the skills you’ve earned during your college experience, or if you’re interested in the filed of military intelligence, the Office of Naval Intelligence offers hundreds of jobs in a wide variety of intelligence-based fields. You would be stationed at the National Maritime Intelligence Center, which is also home to the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity and Naval Warfare Information Activity.

Or if coordination and administration are on your list of skills, you can work Bureau of Naval Personnel, which pick the right people for the right jobs and handle the Navy’s more complex human resources. There is also the Navy Secretariat and Staff, if you are looking for a job in an office. The Navy needs administration, too. There are also opportunities with the Navy’s Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, if you are civilian with experience in the fields of health and wellness. The Navy needs people who care and can treat the suffering and wounded, and with the military, the two sometimes go hand-in-hand.

Ultimately, sailor or not, the Navy is always looking for people to serve.

Filed Under: Navy, Recruitment Tagged With: Military, Navy, US Navy

Engineering and Applied Science in the US Navy

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Joining up with the US Navy is a great way to begin a career in engineering or applied science. Of course, as with anything, there is a process, but just as much as you are there for the Navy, the Navy is there for you, to help you and assist you in the present for the future. Aside from simply serving in the Navy, there are numerous career options within the Engineering and Applied Science branch of the Navy that will allow a serviceman or servicewoman to implement and expand their professional skills and career paths.

Offering options in construction, electronics, meteorology, oceanography, and even tracks in surface warfare and civil engineering, the Navy’s options for careers and service are boundless, and will unfold to more opportunities both in and outside of the service as well.

Some of the employment options within the Navy, such as anything related to civil engineering, require a four-year degree, though the Navy is ready to help you with that just as well. In many cases, the Navy offers tuition assistance, and can compensate off-duty sailors up to 75% of their tuition costs. This means that while a man or woman is fulfilling their initial four-year obligation in the service, with hard work they can also receive a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science so they can go on to further employment within the Navy.

Other options, like Navy careers in construction or electronics don’t require that you have a four-year degree, but simply a strong and dedicated work ethic and a willingness for workplace versatility. The experience you gain while working in some of these fields will actually give you credit hours towards a degree in a related field, so you can continue to grow as a career professional, both inside and outside of the Navy.

Filed Under: Navy, Recruitment, Service Tagged With: Applied Science, United States Navy, US Navy