In the past 12 years, the brave men and women of our armed forces have spilled their blood in the sand.  Our soldiers and Marines have carried the fight to the terrorists and to those counties that harbored them. Our Navy has maintained a constant patrol of the seas surrounding these countries launching aircraft to support the ground troops, our SEALS on the ground carrying out missions that only a few can accomplish.  Our Air Forces making long flights from the U.S. to the war zone also to support our troops on the ground. We have seen so many come home in flag draped caskets, others returning home wounded and dismembered. These are the men and women that answered the call and fulfilled their missions and obligations in which they swore to uphold. As Americans, we were quick to call them "heroes", although most of them would have preferred to be just acknowledged for their service, they were simply doing what they we trained to do and their personal obligation to serve. Messages and patriotic postings were made on all the social medias, thanking the veterans for their service and to support our military families. Grand shows of patriotism were staged at all sporting events and wherever a group formed, thanking these Americans for their service.

During Presidents Carter’s administration, your military forces were drastically cut, including our naval fleet which was hindered form going to sea because of the lack of supplies and manpower.  On my last trip into Vietnam, I had division which was comprised of three Petty Officers including myself and fifteen seaman. My minimum regular complement for my division was set at forty-three personnel.  The morning we pulled out of Pearl Harbor, a caravan of paddy wagons appeared on the pier and unloaded our new crew members.  The Brig at Naval Station Pearl Harbor had been cleaned out and those that were incarcerated were our new crew members, untrained and undisciplined. 

“Peace Through Strength” was a predominant plank in President Reagans presidential campaign, his vow was to restore the strength of our military services including the construction of a five hundred ship Navy. A goal that he completed midway through his second term. During this tenure in office, our nation’s economic conditions escalated, due in part to reconstruction of military services.  At the same time, we saw the Berlin Wall fall as well as the Soviet Union dissolving as a nation and adversary.  Again, due in part to our strong military stance and their lack of ability to maintain their stance in comparison.

In July 1973, I was I a different aspect of the Navy while assigned to shore duty.  I was Navy Recruiter in western Colorado.  It was at that time that our Military Draft System concluded and we made the transition to the “All Volunteer Forces”.  This transfer of personnel acquisition did not concern me, the Navy had not used the draft system since WW II.  The “All Volunteer Force” has worked for us very well since that time in both our Commissioned Officer and Non-Commissioned ranks.  However, my primary concern was and I made it abundantly clear at the time, eventually we would have a Commander in Chief and other elected office holders that had no previous military experience. I feared that budgets would be cut and hesitation would be used in committing our military in times of turmoil. This has been the case in the past six years.

In the fourth year of the Presidency of the President Obama, the strength of our naval fleet had been reduced to less ships than prior to World War II.  This occurred at the same time that China and Russia was increasing the size of their naval fleet to include aircraft carriers and support ships for those carriers.  Neither these countries had developed a “carrier” prior to the current administration.  By federal law, the Department of the Navy is required to maintain a fleet of ten aircraft carriers. Today, we have nine carriers on line with additional cuts coming.  To accomplish the primary mission of the Navy, in keeping our sea-lanes open to commerce transportation, they patrol the waters of the world to complete that mission.  As well, they maintain a steady strike force in the event that it is required.  In our immediate past, we have seen several incidents where they were not available to fulfill that requirement.  The 6^th Fleet of the Navy has always maintained a posture of two carrier task forces in the Mediterranean Sea.  In order to complete their primary mission of insuring the Suez Canal and the Straits of Gibraltar is open to traffic, a bitter lesson we learned in World War II.  Today, we do not maintain that posture in the Mediterranean Sea.   In the past two years at least three incidents occurred with no presence of our sea power.  The first occurred, when two destroyer class war ships of the Iranian Navy left their home waters and passed thru the Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean Sea to park off shore from Israel. There was no carrier task force to welcome them and demonstrate “Peace Thru Strength”.  The second incident occurred with a loss of life when our consulate was attacked and destroyed in Benghazi by organized terrorists resulting in the loss of life of our Ambassador and three security personnel. The Administration states that there were no resources available to render assistance in the attack. If the normal carrier task forces had been maintained in the Mediterranean, those resources would have been available.  Aircraft could have been launched and reached the area in a short period of time.  Not ideal to utilize, but just the presence of our aircraft flying low and fast over the heads of the terrorists would have given them time to reflect on their wisdom of attacking U.S. soil.  As well, each carrier also has a contingent of Marines and sailors that make up an organized “boarding party” that could have been airlifted into the “hot zone” by the carrier helicopters if they were in range.  Today, the American public still has not received the true answers as to what occurred at Benghazi.  The third and most recent occurrence was just a couple of months ago.  Syria was utilizing chemical warfare against the peoples of their state. When confirmation was achieved, the President drew a “red line in the sand” and ordered our ships to the area, two fast frigates was the total show of force that we demonstrated, as no carrier task force was available in the area.  Although, very capable two fast frigates does not have the desired impact as a super carrier and all of her escorts.

During the length of the administration of President Obama, there has been more Flag Ranked Officers (Admirals and Generals) retire from military service than all of the previous Presidents combined!  Earliest retirement possible of senior enlisted personnel is at an all-time high in each of the services. Re-enlistment levels for first term enlistment personnel is at an all-time low, these are our mid management level personnel.  Their retention in the service is critical for later development into senior enlisted management.  Low morale is the biggest impact that the services are currently experiencing due to longer deployments and curtailment of benefits.

Today, another nail was pounded into the coffin.  When the Vietnam Veterans returned home, they were spat upon, ridiculed and called every name in the book, demonstrations were common place on our college campuses.  Naval vessels returning to their home port in San Francisco had cans of red paint dropped on them from the Golden Gate Bridge.  But these veterans endured as they were completing a mission that their country asked them to.  Today, it is the veterans of the past twelve years being attacked for accomplishing their mission.  Not by the citizens of their country but by their government.

It was announced today by the Commander in Chief’s Administration, via his Secretary of Defense, Chuck Nagel the immediate outlook for the future of our military services.  Politics make strange bed fellows, Chuck Nagel, Secretary of Defense must know the effects that this “new policy” is going to have on the military services, but lacks the fortitude to set the example.  Chuck Nagel, was at one time Sargent Nagel, U.S. Army serving in Vietnam and among other medals for his service, he was also awarded two Purple Hearts for wounds suffered in combat.  As well, where are the Generals and Admirals, why are they walking in lock step with the Commander in Chief other than for their own benefit and being awarded another star to display on their shoulder boards.

It was announced today by the Administration that the personnel levels of the military services will be “cut” to lower levels than we saw prior to World II.  This means that longer and more regular deployments will be required by the remaining personnel.  Just as important, it also means that our services will be so weakened that a response to a national emergency will be difficult.  When we entered into the 2^nd phase of World War II in the Pacific we had a draft system.  Thousands of men and Women did not wait to be drafted, they enlisted.  In today’s “All Volunteer Services” this will be more difficult to achieve.  So, first we saw a reduction of the Navy fleet reduce back to WW II standards, now we are seeing our personnel being cut back to the same time frame.

However, that is only part of this package of gratitude for service.  Currently, the Department of Defense Budget is cut by 53% of the overall budget with additional cuts forthcoming from the “sequester cuts” developed two years ago. Additional cuts that were announced today to our military and military families is the curtailment of future pay raises for those on active duty to the amount of no more than 1%, cost of living increases, reduction or elimination of Commissary (grocery stores) privileges, additional costs in medical care, and reduction of “on base housing”.  Welcome home, men and women of our military services, we appreciate your dedicated service and the sacrifices that you and your families have endured the past twelve years.             

Now it is to me for each of us to step forward, make our voices heard to each of our elected officials that these “employees” are the most dedicated and underpaid employees of any of those serving in our government. Write to your congressional delegation and tell them, do not ask, to vote no on these drastic cuts to our men and women that serve us so well.               

 



During this, our greatest  Holiday Season of the year, our culture and values have changed through the years.  Today, via the mass media, we are bombarded with the commercialization of Christmas.  Although,it is an important business season for our economy, I maintain that there is a better way to market the season.  I see parents getting stressed out to get their children everything that is on their Christmas list, despite the fact the majority of the Christmas season expenses are put on a credit card and paid through the New Year.  Modern technology and the electronic generation adds to this since every child wants or thinks they need the latest electronic gadget on the market.  Parents feel guilty if they cannot provide the things that their children request from Santa.  Today, a parent takes their young child into the mall to see Santa Claus, they sit on his lap and have their picture taken, of course at a small expense to the parent.

I am not naive enough to believe we can return to Christmas Past, but like many things in our lives we can learn from the past and apply to the present.  As a pre-teenager, I lived in a small rural community in western Colorado.  Predominantly, it was a ranching and farming community.  At that time, the population base was around 5,000 residents.  Each Christmas, I thank my mother for teaching myself and my siblings the meaning of Christmas.  But, I also thank the community for similar values.  Today, in this community, in the center of town is the movie theatre, the Fox Theatre.  The last time I visited the community, it was still there and still in business.  As a child, the theatre always had a Saturday matinee, cost of admission was a dime.  But, Christmas was very special.  On the Saturday before Christmas, the Fox would host a free matinee for the children of the community.  It would consist of two cartoons, the news reel, and a full feature movie.  Following the movie, the lights would come on, Christmas carols would start playing, and then the Mayor would make a short speech and introduce a special guest, Santa Claus. 

Santa would not sit in a big chair, he preferred to stand up with a Elf standing next to his side.  He to, would make a very brief speech, highlighting important things like school work and listening to our parents. When he finish, those of us in the audience, would file out by row and proceed in line to meet Santa.  As we approached him, he would extend his white gloved hand and shake your hand. As he chatted with you, his Elf would appear with a brown paper sack, a lunch bag nearly filled with a variety of candies and always some type of fruit, orange or apple.  In later years, I learned about Santa's visit.  The Fox Theatre would provide the Free Movie, the merchants in town contributed all of the contents of the bag by either donating cash or product.  Following the meet and greet of Santa, we would return to our seats and a choir would come in and sing a variety of carols, with Santa leading them.  At the conclusion, he would depart the theatre, step up onto the City Fire Truck, wait for all of us to clear the building and with sirens blaring head down the street from our sight.  Years later, as an adult, do I believe in Santa?  I do because I saw him through the eyes of a child, I touched his hand, and he spoke to me.

Walking home, the majority of the homes were decorated for Christmas, City Hall and every church would have a naivety scene, some them even having live animals at the manger.  The homes would decorate with lights, but they did not keep time with blaring music, but every home would have an outside tree decorated.  It always intrigued me, but some of these homes would have lights in the shape of a star in their front window.  The stars would always be solid blue or gold.  It was later that I learned that those stars indicated that they had a member on active duty if it was Blue.  If the family had lost a member of the family on active duty, the star would be Gold. 

A family of seven, my farther made a living of buying and selling horses to supplement his guiding and dude ranch business in the summer and fall.  My mother would work in the local restaurants as a cook to provide additional income.  She would start in early November and start preparing for Christmas, making candies, cookies, fruit cake, and reviewing or lists to Santa.  We never got everything on our list, but she always insured that we had at least one gift from our list, two if there was a surplus of cash, and of course school clothes for the remainder of the school year.  She made it possible and we never felt disappointed because we did not get everything we wanted.  We got much more than she realized she was giving us.  We established Christmas traditions that are still practiced in our home today. 

  

 

May 18, 2002

First Visit To Friends Home ~ Meryl Wolford