Without A Vision...A People Perish, Part II--The US Military

The introduction and Part I of my series, Without A Vision...A People Perish, address in considerable detail how, during the course of the past fifty years, America has strayed from its original vision as stipulated in both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Part II will address how the American military has succumbed to the same scenario as well. Please read very carefully the following two Soldier's Creeds of the U.S. Army. The first one is the original pre-2003 version of the creed while the second one is the current version used by the Army. The comparisons are most astounding to say the least:

Pre-2003 U.S. Soldier's Creed

* I am an American Soldier.
* I am a member of the United States Army-a protector of the greatest nation on earth.
* Because I am proud of the uniform I wear, I will always act in ways creditable to the military service and the nation it is sworn to guard.
* I am proud of my organization. I will do all I can to make it the finest unit in the Army.
* I will be loyal to those under whom I serve. I will do my full part to carry out orders and instructions given to me or my unit.
* As a soldier, I realize that I am a member of a time-honored profession-that I am doing my share to keep alive the principles of freedom for which my country stands.
* No matter what the situation I am in, I will never do anything for pleasure, profit, or personal safety, which will disgrace my uniform, my unit, or my country.
*I will use every means I have, even beyond the line of duty, to restrain my Army comrades from actions disgraceful to themselves and the uniform.
* I am proud of my country and its flag.
* I will try to make the people of this nation proud of the service I represent, for I am an American Soldier.

Post-2003 U.S. Soldier's Creed

* I am an American Soldier.
* I am a Warrior and a member of a team.
* I serve the people of the United States, and live the Army Values.
* I will always place the mission first.
* I will never accept defeat.
* I will never quit.
* I will  never leave a fallen comrade.
* I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills.
* I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.
* I am an expert and I am a professional.
* I stand ready to deploy, engage, and destroy, the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.
* I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.
* I am an American Soldier.

The first version is obviously much more profound and patriotic. The creed places an emphasis not only upon the duties and responsibilities of the soldier, but it is embedded with devout love for country, love for traditional values, morals, and the freedoms our Republic was founded upon. The soldier is dedicated to not only protecting the American people, but the Constitutional rights and principles that we are all guaranteed. The soldier places this duty and devotion above himself and everything else. Service to oneself for selfish pleasure, profit, and personal safely is not tolerated. It is abundantly clear in this particular creed that a soldier's sacrifice for country, the American people, and the Constitution reign supreme.

The second version, while still admirable to a degree, is a watered down, sterile, politically correct version with much less emphasis being placed upon love of country, its traditions, its principles, its morality, etc., and this creed reads more like a field manual of a soldier's rules of engagement on the battlefield, albeit more general in nature.

In my book, The Sissification of America: A Fifty-Year Decline in American Exceptionalism, chapter six which is titled, Cinderella Family, states the following: " We all had a good laugh in 2004 when the now retired conservative US Democratic Senator Zell Miller of Georgia questioned the conventioneers attending the Republican Convention in New York City as to whether or not Democrats within his own party would want our armed forces to fight future wars with spit balls. At the time, the line was quite humorous as Miller mocked members of his own political party, especially presidential candidate  John Kerry of Massachusetts. But you know what? With the way events are currently unraveling in America, I am no longer laughing!" Indeed my fellow Americans, Senator Miller had the federal government pegged.

On Wednesday, July 17, 2013, there appeared an article written by reporter Annie Z. Yu of The Washington Times. Here are a couple of brief excerpts: "Some conservatives say that the American military is not giving a fair shake to soldiers, sailors and Marines who want to practice their faith and express their beliefs more openly."....."The Family Research Council documented a range of events in the military-such as one in which an Air Force officer was told to remove a Bible from his desk."

We have all read accounts of military chaplains voicing concerns about the hostility the Pentagon is showing toward the men and women in uniform whereby their free speech and freedom of religion rights are under vicious, politically correct assault. Attacks upon Christianity are rampant, not only in society in general, but in the military as well. Under the Obama administration, funding cuts are impacting the Armed Forces to the extent that our nation's very security is at risk. Politically correct decisions are being instituted whereby women are now being given full access to Special Operation Forces such as the Navy Seals, etc. that could undermine the effectiveness of future missions under their direct control.  Sexual assaults upon both men and women in uniform are not only numbering in the thousands each year and causing scandals of epic proportions, but are significantly contributing to the lowering of morale within the ranks. Friends of mine who are currently serving in the Marines and the Army are disheartened as they have confided in me over dinner and a couple of beers that the military forces are not what they used to be, and they are looking forward to the day when they can leave the military because they are becoming fed up. Our veterans are having their benefits cut, and they are not being given the necessary care they desperately need upon return home in order to handle PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and other crippling conditions visited upon them while putting life and limb at serious risk on the battlefield. Suicide rates with veterans are on the rise. Recruitment of new personnel is significantly down because of funding cuts as well as the reduction of education programs such as the GI Bill. Retired military officers and generals are openly voicing concerns and disgust with what is currently happening to our Armed Forces. Many members of the VFW are up in arms as to what is currently transpiring in the military and the way both active duty servicemen and veterans are being treated. Need I go on?

But here is the rub. Our military is the last patriotic line of defense for America, yet it too is in serious decline. We are in dire trouble as a country. Americans need to wake the hell up and replace Democrats in Congress, who are directly responsible for all of this mess, with conservative Congressmen and senators in 2014, and we must elect a conservative president in 2016 or the country as we know it is doomed. This is no exaggeration, and I am not being an alarmist. Our original, noble, and sacred vision for our nation has all but disappeared as if that original vision could be described as one that is attempting to herd a bunch of cats who are wandering aimlessly about the country. We are at a defining moment in history. I encourage everyone to view my video book trailer on this website if you haven't seen it already. My book, The Sissification of America, is now on sale in print as well as on Kindle. Buy it, read it, and become proactive citizens before it is too late Patriots. When all is said and done, we need to acknowledge the fact that we are all American Soldiers.