What a Shame
SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Military -- Coronado-based SEALs charged with beating Iraqi
What a shame when I read this. There is a line in the military that nobody can cross, ever, no matter what. That line is the use of illicit drugs. It impairs your performance, it impeded your reflexes, degrades your judgment and makes you a liability to your fellow team mates and other trigger pullers who are there with you. Sure, I'd deployed on two COBRA GOLD exercises. I can remembered drinking way too much, and waking the next morning with a pounding headache and a hangover from Hell. But I never, ever, not once, ever crossed that line into the world of illicit drug use.
Now, what bothers me is what is the cause behind this type of drug use and behavior? For the past three years, the military, Special-Ops Forces especially, have been at the tip of the spear, spending twelve out of every eighteen months deployed, with little or no time for "de-frag" or cool-down time. As the deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan continue, and new real-world responsibilities are handed down, the Op-Tempo will only remain as intense, or get worse. That the Navy has fielded two new SEAL Teams, this does not mean that there are more operators to go around. The operational platoons were taken from other SEAL Teams. Now each coast has four teams of six platoons, rather than three teams of eight platoons, so don't let the numbers play games with you.
We all need time to de-frag after an op. There is no doubt about that. Like the weekend long drinking binges that we used when we hit port or came back in, it was something that was not very healthy but served a purpose. That the Navy, the Teams specifically, are becoming more professional, with it's own warfare qualification, and career path for both enlisted sailors and officers, with a broadened horizon for those who remain on active duty, this serves as a wake up call. If we are to retain quality sailors, we must provide proper recompense, de-stressing time, and sailor assistance. It's more than just the physical aspect that the Navy needs to worry about.
I feel no sympathy for these sailors, or the officer. They knew the rules. They broke the rules. The rules are cut and dry and are there for a reason. I would not want anyone who was under the influence of an illegal chemical to be walking point, acting as dive or jump master, checking my six or calling in close-air, on my patrol. They are a detriment to themselves, the unit, and the service. I believe the officer, who holds a higher responsibility, should be held accountable more so than the other sailors. When things go bad, the enlisted sailors look to the officer corps for guidance and leadership. They need to command. That the officer fell into the same trap as the rest of the sailors does not speak well for himself.
I won't go as far as saying that this is a smear on Naval Special Warfare. I do not believe that this type of behaviour or action represents NSW across the board. The SEALs remains at the top of the food chain and will continue to be there. That they are cleaning house themselves and are policing their own is another testament to the professionalism of their leadership.
We live in a generation where younger people are more likely to use illicit drugs habitually as an escape method. They learn it in high school. They learn it in college. With this being the case, officers and senior enlisted need to take better control of their sailors. If that officer had not been involved and kicked some ass, it could have made a difference. It could have kept this from getting out of hand. For those who had used drugs in the past, the drunken stupor of a binge is only a small step across a hazy line into the world of illicit drug use.
I hope the Navy takes a closer look as to the root causes behind these types of actions. They need to look at ways to ensure that the sailors have the proper support both deployed and stateside to make sure that they remain a deployable fighting force. This includes emotional, psychological and spiritual assistance, better compensation, tighter controls, and more downtime, if at all possible.
This is only my two cents on this subject.
What a shame when I read this. There is a line in the military that nobody can cross, ever, no matter what. That line is the use of illicit drugs. It impairs your performance, it impeded your reflexes, degrades your judgment and makes you a liability to your fellow team mates and other trigger pullers who are there with you. Sure, I'd deployed on two COBRA GOLD exercises. I can remembered drinking way too much, and waking the next morning with a pounding headache and a hangover from Hell. But I never, ever, not once, ever crossed that line into the world of illicit drug use.
Now, what bothers me is what is the cause behind this type of drug use and behavior? For the past three years, the military, Special-Ops Forces especially, have been at the tip of the spear, spending twelve out of every eighteen months deployed, with little or no time for "de-frag" or cool-down time. As the deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan continue, and new real-world responsibilities are handed down, the Op-Tempo will only remain as intense, or get worse. That the Navy has fielded two new SEAL Teams, this does not mean that there are more operators to go around. The operational platoons were taken from other SEAL Teams. Now each coast has four teams of six platoons, rather than three teams of eight platoons, so don't let the numbers play games with you.
We all need time to de-frag after an op. There is no doubt about that. Like the weekend long drinking binges that we used when we hit port or came back in, it was something that was not very healthy but served a purpose. That the Navy, the Teams specifically, are becoming more professional, with it's own warfare qualification, and career path for both enlisted sailors and officers, with a broadened horizon for those who remain on active duty, this serves as a wake up call. If we are to retain quality sailors, we must provide proper recompense, de-stressing time, and sailor assistance. It's more than just the physical aspect that the Navy needs to worry about.
I feel no sympathy for these sailors, or the officer. They knew the rules. They broke the rules. The rules are cut and dry and are there for a reason. I would not want anyone who was under the influence of an illegal chemical to be walking point, acting as dive or jump master, checking my six or calling in close-air, on my patrol. They are a detriment to themselves, the unit, and the service. I believe the officer, who holds a higher responsibility, should be held accountable more so than the other sailors. When things go bad, the enlisted sailors look to the officer corps for guidance and leadership. They need to command. That the officer fell into the same trap as the rest of the sailors does not speak well for himself.
I won't go as far as saying that this is a smear on Naval Special Warfare. I do not believe that this type of behaviour or action represents NSW across the board. The SEALs remains at the top of the food chain and will continue to be there. That they are cleaning house themselves and are policing their own is another testament to the professionalism of their leadership.
We live in a generation where younger people are more likely to use illicit drugs habitually as an escape method. They learn it in high school. They learn it in college. With this being the case, officers and senior enlisted need to take better control of their sailors. If that officer had not been involved and kicked some ass, it could have made a difference. It could have kept this from getting out of hand. For those who had used drugs in the past, the drunken stupor of a binge is only a small step across a hazy line into the world of illicit drug use.
I hope the Navy takes a closer look as to the root causes behind these types of actions. They need to look at ways to ensure that the sailors have the proper support both deployed and stateside to make sure that they remain a deployable fighting force. This includes emotional, psychological and spiritual assistance, better compensation, tighter controls, and more downtime, if at all possible.
This is only my two cents on this subject.
posted by Jim at 9/05/2004 07:23:00 PM
2 Comments:
hasn't the military been expirimenting with drugs and soldiers since vietnam?
I don't think experimenting is the word to use here. Yes, the military has had an issue with drugs in the military since Vietnam, to the point that some officers only felt safe to enter enlisted barracks armed with a pistol.
The military has a "Zero-Tolerance" policy, pure and simple. Sometimes commands can go to bat for high performance and quality sailors who "experiment" or show poor judgement in a narrow set of circumstances. But for most, the rule is cut and dry.
The bigger issue here I think, is the situation which set the conditions for this type of behavior. This was not a one time deal under some narrow circumstances. This is a behavior, not an action. That is the issue here.
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