“There are two things a combat deployment offers which all of us strongly desire. The first, being purpose. Every morning we woke up and knew why we were there. It is immediate and unavoidable. Although, it is extreme and unpleasant, there is a comfort in that purpose. The second, is simplicity. We have one goal. There are relatively simple rules on how to accomplish it, and we understand that just about everything will go wrong. Pretty simple.”
Adam Fenner, Post-Deployment Wisdom For Those Expecting A Returning Service Member
“Take your time.
Stay away from the easy going.
Never take the same way twice.
Gunny Arndt’s rules for successful reconnaissance; Guadalcanal 1942”
GYSGT Charles C. Arndt
“The one ring road around the airfield is paved, but heavily rutted and potholed. Every few days a street-sweeper makes its way around, polishing the rutted surface with brushes and water.”
Glenn Dean, Soldier / Geek: An Army Science Advisor’s Journal of the War in Afghanistan
“In each succeeding war there is a tendency to proclaim as something new the principles under which it is conducted. Not only those who have never studied or experienced the realities of war, but also professional soldiers frequently fall into the error. But the principles of warfare as I learned them at West Point remain unchanged.”
John J. Pershing, My Experiences in the World War
“[The plane’s captain] reads off some message about how general orders stay in effect until you reach the States, and you’re still considered on duty. So no alcohol.
Well, our CO jumped up and said, “That makes about as much sense as a goddamn football bat. All right, Marines, you’ve got three hours. I hear they serve Guinness.” Oo-fucking-rah.”
Phil Klay, Redeployment
“When I was hired to work at the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO), it was not disclosed to me that the site was being hit by powerful sonic booms from military supersonic aircraft that would shake the buildings. I had noticed that there seemed to be a significant number of staff that were having heart issues and some appeared to have had heart attacks and died prematurely. I later discovered during researching my own heart issues that it was a suspected effect of exposure to sonic booms. Regular exposure to sonic booms from military supersonic jet aircraft is suspected of increasing the incidence of vibroacoustic disease, a thickening of heart tissue which may lead to heart arrhythmia or premature death.”
“While many people call it ‘The Military’, I call it “Corporate Government Cannon Fodder’.”
Steven Magee
“Wars may be started by the failings of humanity
But they are won
By the craft
Of the keen and intelligent minds that fight them”
Brendan Bigney, War What Comes After
