When retired General Erik K. Shinseki was announced as the new head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, I applauded the President\u2019s choice. That in itself is very unusual for me.<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t do that because Gen. Shinseki and I have always agreed, we have not; but I know Gen. Shinseki personally and have always thought of him as a thoughtful, brilliant officer that put the affairs of soldiers at the top of his priorities. Especially me.<\/p>\n
When then MG Shinseki first took command of 1st Cavalry Division I was a brand new Captain (and light fighter struggling in a heavy Armor Division). Shinseki was a very welcomed arrival in the division because nothing could be worse than the previous commander, MG Wes Clark.<\/p>\n
The difference was day and night. Within weeks morale had swung 180 degrees!<\/p>\n
Then something amazing happened to me. I was offered command of an Infantry company. The problem was I had not yet attended the required Infantry Officer Advance Course at Fort Benning and Infantry Branch said NO WAY.<\/p>\n
Shinseki got involved and after a long discussing with me and my commander, he called whoever division commanders call and I took command within two weeks. He pulled the same rabbit out of his hat 16 months later and ultimately I did go to the advance course but I had 30 months of company command under my belt when I arrived.<\/p>\n
Years later I found myself in the Pentagon when General Shinseki showed up as the new Army Chief of Staff. I was very happy for him and told everyone who would listen that he was a soldier\u2019s General.<\/p>\n
Then came his directive that all soldiers would be issued a black beret!<\/p>\n
As a former member of the 75th Ranger Regiment along with Jonn, I vehemently disagreed with his decision and told him so.<\/p>\n
But my faith in him as a soldier and officer of impeccable integrity made me accept the order. I am an old soldier and when a General gives an order that is not illegal, unethical or immoral, I salute and move out whether I personally like it or not.<\/p>\n
This new approach to screwing veterans however is beyond my parameters. Based on implied contract rules of law where there is not a veteran alive today that ever thought he would be liable for his own care after a combat related injury; I am not at all certain that this change is remotely LAWFUL<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Even if some pony-tailed Chicago lawyer finds a loophole to make this legal, no one with an IQ above that of a pencil sharpener can argue that it is ETHICAL<\/strong>.<\/p>\n But most important is the MORAL<\/strong> part. Anyone who thinks this idea is remotely moral is either retarded or just plain un-American. Where is the morality in a country sending a person to war and then refusing to pay for his care after being maimed in the war?<\/p>\n This is beyond immoral, it is un-American! And I will debate this issue with any dumbass veteran who voted for this amateur. If you\u2019re not a veteran don\u2019t contact me. If you want to defend this as a veteran (and you know we will check), I will do so in any forum you like as often as you like and I will ask nor offer quarter.<\/p>\n To all you trolls out there, consider this before taking my challenge:<\/p>\n President Obama wants to charge combat wounded veterans for care to save $500 million while simultaneously GRANTING $900 million to terrorist in Palestine to recover from the beat down that they sorely deserved.<\/p>\n I know whose side I am on, do you?<\/p>\n To General Shinseki I say RESIGN NOW<\/strong>. This is the only possible way to preserve your integrity as a soldier\u2019s soldier. To do anything less is to slap the face of every wounded warrior and leave yourself as nothing more than a liar and pathetic political hack.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t call for you resignation because of any malfeasance that you did but as a principled position against this atrocity and solidarity with the soldiers that you once commanded.<\/p>\n Please Sir, You Must RESIGN, RIGHT NOW!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"