Category: Politics

Chief Tango sends us a link from Stars & Stripes which reports that Navy Secretary Ray Mabus completely disregarded the recommendations of his generals when he submitted his preference to the Defense Secretary in regards to the women in combat arms issue. You might remember that the Marines recently conducted a 9-month experiment which evaluated gender-integrated units. The study said that, on the average, women Marines didn’t shoot as well as thier male counterparts and they got injured more often.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus submitted his recommendations to Carter on behalf of the Navy and Marine Corps, and he did not request any exemptions, a spokesman said Wednesday.

The Army and Air Force secretaries also submitted their recommendations, but declined to say whether they asked to keep any positions closed to women.

The Marine Corps reportedly asked Mabus to keep some front-line units, likely the infantry and reconnaissance, all-male. But Mabus was emphatic that gender restrictions had to go, since even the Navy SEALs are ready to accept women into their grueling BUD/S program training the elite commandos.

Yes, this is not my shocked face that Mabus would choose the side of the social justice warriors instead of common sense. I hope the generals see how much confidence their civilian leader has in their opinions. According to the article, the Marines have one last chance to get their way – the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is the former Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Joseph Dunford, who get a vote in the final decision.

Over the last few days we’ve been receiving links about this story in regards to Billy Welch, reportedly a National Guardsman in uniform who wore his gun into the local Waffle House. Their national headquarters says that they have a “no gun” policy in their restaurants. As much as I support the 2d Amendment, I also respect property rights. That’s why I don’t go the Waffle House or Denny’s. I don’t go places without my gun and since they don’t allow guns, they don’t allow me.

But according to this link, there’s more to the story than just a guardsman with a gun. If you believe the manager, Billy Welch had been involved in an altercation only a few weeks before and was forcibly removed from that particular Waffle House by the local constabulary.

First, he was an active participant in a fight on the premises several weeks prior to September 27th. He was restrained and taken off the premises by off-duty police officers that were eating in the restaurant at the time. The second item not reported accurately was the time the most recent incident occurred, 2AM. We have associates who have to make snap decisions on our third shifts to provide for their own safety and the safety of our customers. Our associates decided because of Mr. Welch’s recent altercation, which they witnessed, it was in their best interest at 2 AM to ask Mr. Welch to leave his firearm in his vehicle. Mr. Welch decided to leave. We still tried to garner his business at that point. I am supportive of my team’s decision. I was not there and will not judge their decision making after the fact. If this incident occurred at 10am in the morning and Mr. Welch had not been involved in a previous fight I’m sure the outcome would have been different.

If it’s true, I really don’t blame the Waffle House. They still won’t get my business because of their policy, but I’m sure that won’t drive them out of business.

The Washington Post, in a link sent to us by Chief Tango, took pot shots at the leadership, such as it is, in the New Jersey National Guard yesterday, pointing out that the Adjutant General (the commander) Air Force Brigadier General Michael L. Cunniff was a bit broad across his beam.

Today, the Associated Press, in a link sent by Jon the Mechanic and Jerry920, reports that the Governor, a bit on the portly side himself, has counseled Cunniff, who recently failed his fitness test, the first in three years, and his tape test with his 43 inch waist.

Christie’s staff says that he was unaware that the general had been counseled by the Pentagon until the Washington Post article was published. Yeah, i know that this another Washington Post hit piece on a Republican presidential candidate, but it has merit.

A retired Lieutenant Colonel charges in the Washington Post that Cunniff had an affair (there’s no accounting for women’s tastes in men sometimes) and that the officer was fired because he refused to cover it up. But, it’s the size of general that is most concerning, I guess.

Christie…has given Cunniff 90 days to slim down and “meet his obligations.”

Failure to meet physical-fitness standards is a serious infraction in the military and can result in dismissal. But it is an especially delicate subject in New Jersey, where Christie had weight-loss surgery two years ago.

Cunniff declined an interview request. In a statement released by the Guard, he acknowledged that he had not met the Air Force’s fitness requirements in recent years.

How’s about that PT test?

Bobo sends us a link to the Army Times reports that yet another Army Colonel has lost his job because of shenanigans and stuf. This one, Chad McRee commanded the 16th MP Brigade of the XVIII Airborne Corps, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. This one liked to smooch on his troops’ wives among other things;

McRee was accused of using “spies” and “moles” to dig for dirt about soldiers while in command.

Multiple officers said McRee would task them to report negatively on leaders, including the 503rd battalion commander. If they had nothing negative to say, McRee allegedly would respond with statements like “you owe me,” “I write your OER, not [redacted],’” and “Why are you afraid of [redacted]? He can’t hurt you, but I can!”

“(McRee) does not trust his subordinates,” one company commander said. “Before taking command of the (company, McRee) told me it was my duty to inform him of what people are saying about him [redacted] and to give him a “pulse” on the 503d Military police battalion (airborne).”

Meanwhile, the Navy Times published a list of Commanders, XOs and senior NCOs who have lost their jobs in the Navy just this year – you know, as if we need a program for the theatrics.

One thing I noticed is that 38% of the commanders fired were female (five of the 13 listed). I wonder how the social justice warriors in the Pentagon feel about that. Most of them were removed for a lack of professional and leadership traits. I’m sure it is something that can blamed on men, somehow.

I guess the Hungarians are pretty fed up with the thousands of migrants lined up to pass through their country. Border police tear-gassed and turned water cannons on them. The migrants aren’t happy says the Associated Press;

“We fled wars and violence and did not expect such brutality and inhumane treatment in Europe,” said Amir Hassan, an Iraqi who was soaking wet from the water cannon and trying to wash tear gas from his eyes. “Shame on you, Hungarians,” he shouted pointing in the direction of the shielded Hungarian policemen who were firing volleys of tear gas canisters directly into the crowd.

Yeah, well, you could always turn around and go home, if you’re being treated so terribly in Europe.

According to Syria’s President Assad, it’s Europe’s fault that he won’t leave his office and would prefer to murder his citizenry, says AFP;

“Those refugees left Syria because of the terrorism, mainly because of the terrorists and because of the killing, and second because of the results of terrorism,” said the embattled leader.

“When you have terrorism, and you have the destruction of the infrastructure, you won’t have the basic needs of living,” Assad said, according to a transcript made available on Wednesday.

“So, the West is crying for them, and the West is supporting terrorists since the beginning of the crisis when it said that this was a peaceful uprising,” said Assad.

“If you are worried about them, stop supporting terrorists … This is the core of the whole issue of refugees.”

It sounds to me like a Islamic version of “Stop me before I kill again”.