I just read Martin Van Creveld's The Age of Airpower. It is an excellent history of airships, airplanes, and helicopters. It walks one from early manned airpower (from the Wrights) to today just after the Iraq surge. I am not ready to give Van Creveld the applause because he believes airpower is on the wane, partially due to David Petraeus' wishing to leave most airpower at home in insurgencies. I think they still have their purpose, especially planes such as the A10.
I am in Tucson, where the A10 has a mainstay, so that may influence it. I have also heard about the A10 being significant for close air support with the infantry. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn about the history of airpower.
Do you believe airpower is less necessary for waging warfare? Respond in the comments section or tweet me @jtarb1 on Twitter.
Showing posts with label Army. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Army. Show all posts
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Monday, November 7, 2016
On the Draft
I feel that the draft is for men. In fact, I feel the combat arms jobs are for men, but that ship has sailed.
When a nation can no longer raise enough military age males to defend itself through volunteer means, the country has already lost as a nation. The nation has lost its ability to continue as a nation due to loss of people who care enough about the nation's will to fight.
I am against any draft for women, and am against any draft at all in general. A nation has already rolled over when it cannot raise men to fight.
I pointed out on this opinion on the old Twitter account (the one I deleted) and had several military officers suggesting the US government would never quit without a draft. I concur, but the US government doesn't always act in a moral manner, either.
When a nation can no longer raise enough military age males to defend itself through volunteer means, the country has already lost as a nation. The nation has lost its ability to continue as a nation due to loss of people who care enough about the nation's will to fight.
I am against any draft for women, and am against any draft at all in general. A nation has already rolled over when it cannot raise men to fight.
I pointed out on this opinion on the old Twitter account (the one I deleted) and had several military officers suggesting the US government would never quit without a draft. I concur, but the US government doesn't always act in a moral manner, either.
Wednesday, October 26, 2016
On 21st century politics
It has come to my attention that voting with the in-crowd has become more important than speaking one's own mind. I never thought about this before I heard that Kim Kardashian was "endorsing" Hillary. First, is she an example? I respect her ability to bring her sex appeal and her relation to Jenner to her own fame. I do not consider her someone to emulate. Second, why does anyone care about the endorsement of a reality TV star? She is not endorsing. She is voting for Hillary, and wants everyone to do the same.
On the other hand, Colin Powell made some serious mistakes during his tenure as SECSTATE. That does not mean that we should not follow his endorsements. He did a great job as CJCS (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs) and was rewarded by W. Just because he party flopped, does not mean anyone else will. The cult of personality is pushed for Kim K and Powell, mainly because they vote with liberal media. First, does anyone want to remember how Powell is called out by the left for his voice in the UN Security Council meetings against Iraq? No one will vote with him on the left. The Right is voting for Trump. The center sways, but besides Neocons, which vastly affected the GOP, no one would vote for Trump because of what Powell says. They use him as reinforcement for their own ideas.
The 43rd President, W, was a neocon. He was mostly a moderate with Hawkish beliefs. The Right are voting for Trump. The Libertarians are not voting for Trump. They are mostly voting for Gary Johnson or writing in Rand Paul. The moderates are going third party (Constitution, Green, Libertarian, McMullin).
Powell, while a great CJCS, won't sway the hard right to vote for Hillary. Kim K won't sway anyone except for people reinforcing their own ideas.
Vote your mind. Don't vote to follow Reality TV stars, which the left only heckles because Trump was one.
On the other hand, Colin Powell made some serious mistakes during his tenure as SECSTATE. That does not mean that we should not follow his endorsements. He did a great job as CJCS (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs) and was rewarded by W. Just because he party flopped, does not mean anyone else will. The cult of personality is pushed for Kim K and Powell, mainly because they vote with liberal media. First, does anyone want to remember how Powell is called out by the left for his voice in the UN Security Council meetings against Iraq? No one will vote with him on the left. The Right is voting for Trump. The center sways, but besides Neocons, which vastly affected the GOP, no one would vote for Trump because of what Powell says. They use him as reinforcement for their own ideas.
The 43rd President, W, was a neocon. He was mostly a moderate with Hawkish beliefs. The Right are voting for Trump. The Libertarians are not voting for Trump. They are mostly voting for Gary Johnson or writing in Rand Paul. The moderates are going third party (Constitution, Green, Libertarian, McMullin).
Powell, while a great CJCS, won't sway the hard right to vote for Hillary. Kim K won't sway anyone except for people reinforcing their own ideas.
Vote your mind. Don't vote to follow Reality TV stars, which the left only heckles because Trump was one.
Friday, April 8, 2016
A week over...
So, last week was my seventh year wedding anniversary. My wife and I are going out this weekend. It'll be nice to have a little break again.
Marriage is nice. That does not mean that it is all fun and games. It is hard work.
Even a dream job (Hello, Google!) would suck most of the time. In fact, I heard it said somewhere (?) that most things suck most of the time. I try to scrape by with contentment.
I was good at that in the military, where almost everything sucked most of the time. One can apply "Embrace the suck to mostly everything." Especially when they get a satisfaction out of the feeling of our feet after a 25 mile ruck march.
Marriage is nice. That does not mean that it is all fun and games. It is hard work.
Even a dream job (Hello, Google!) would suck most of the time. In fact, I heard it said somewhere (?) that most things suck most of the time. I try to scrape by with contentment.
I was good at that in the military, where almost everything sucked most of the time. One can apply "Embrace the suck to mostly everything." Especially when they get a satisfaction out of the feeling of our feet after a 25 mile ruck march.
Monday, November 9, 2015
6 Ways to Honor Veterans
1. Don't ask, "Did you kill anyone?"
Don't bring back bad memories.
2. Offer to pay for their check.
If you see a Veteran wearing a unit hat at a restaurant, you can offer to pay for their check. Even if they don't accept your payment, they'll feel honored.
3. Ask them about their service, but see #1.
Ask them about their unit or what they did for the military. It'll likely bring back good memories. Just don't ask about killing people.
4. Offer to buy them a drink, and see #3.
Offer to buy them a drink. Ask about their service. Just don't go to excess with buying them drinks. There are a lot of service members with alcohol or former alcohol-based problems.
5. Find out about the military.
Find out about the service. This will give some common ground to understand when you ask about their service. I have had people ask if the infantry took care of babies. Ugh.
6. Buy them a gift card.
A gift card, even of small denominations, will be a great way to show your appreciation and make sure the business you support is paid for their service, rather than spent on rent (or whatever).
Don't bring back bad memories.
2. Offer to pay for their check.
If you see a Veteran wearing a unit hat at a restaurant, you can offer to pay for their check. Even if they don't accept your payment, they'll feel honored.
3. Ask them about their service, but see #1.
Ask them about their unit or what they did for the military. It'll likely bring back good memories. Just don't ask about killing people.
4. Offer to buy them a drink, and see #3.
Offer to buy them a drink. Ask about their service. Just don't go to excess with buying them drinks. There are a lot of service members with alcohol or former alcohol-based problems.
5. Find out about the military.
Find out about the service. This will give some common ground to understand when you ask about their service. I have had people ask if the infantry took care of babies. Ugh.
6. Buy them a gift card.
A gift card, even of small denominations, will be a great way to show your appreciation and make sure the business you support is paid for their service, rather than spent on rent (or whatever).
Monday, May 18, 2015
On Habits
I sit here this morning thinking about habit. There are very few things better than a well trained mind. I believe I have my emotions generally in check. This took years of meditation and generally getting angry at myself when I blew up or got excited. After this training, I am generally known as the coolest head, if not the most unemotional person around.
Training myself started as a generally religious exercise after finding myself leaning towards the agnostic side. This, of course, occurred as a teenager when I did not find Christianity particularly applicable to my life. I was interested in meditation and self-control but thought that it was something that I did not have much to do with. I began listening to some affirmations or goals on tape. This was just a blank cassette tape and the recording button on my radio/stereo. The problem with my poor recording equipment was that I had no looping equipment. I would simply say my affirmations for a few minutes and record them onto the tape. Then, I would meditate and listen to them.
I wanted the well-trained mind of Luke Skywalker or Obi-Wan Kenobi. The prequels to Star Wars were not out yet, therefore I supplemented my opinions of the Jedi through Star Wars novels. Particularly I read about those that I aspired to be. This method can be used in making oneself more like the Green Berets or other heroes of youth. Incorporate the advice of your heroes, yet avoid idolatry. Your goal is not to make yourself a Green Beret or Theodore Roosevelt, but to copy their habits to make yourself the best possible version of who you are.
Besides meditation and reading for "manliness," I simply began imitating the person I would like to be. "Fake it until you make it." That quote, seemingly useless can make oneself a different person over time. You want to fake being someone like you aspire to be. Goal-setting may lead to the best vision of who you want to be. Proper goal-setting will lead the person to understand who they want to be like. Then, read about that person. Meditate on some aspirations that they have or that you wish to have. This will lead to the best vision of yourself.
Habit-training is very difficult, yet with practice you can become the best version of you ever. I would supplement this habit training with exercise. This will make you more of a gentleman, scholar, or warrior. Or should I say "gentleman, scholar AND warrior?"
My primary changes I would make at this point would be to make myself more of a warrior-philosopher. I have served in the US Army as an infantryman. I felt fear but faked my way through that. I was not the best firearms shot or the most physically fit. I followed orders better than any other and always executed what was asked. Skill problems are different than behavioral problems. While you cannot meditate yourself to better shooting or fitness, you can practice at them until you get there. As far as philosophy, I have been reading on Stoic philosophy from Marcus Aurelius and Seneca. I incorporate other parts of philosophy (particularly neo-reaction philosophy, hence this blog).
I will always be improving myself. A friend of mine after I left the Army told me to always be improving my foxhole. This is not about a foxhole, but about your position. I suspect I will be improving that foxhole until I am dead. I must become what I want to be. This must be done through any means available, like meditation, exercise, hero reading, and other means.
Training myself started as a generally religious exercise after finding myself leaning towards the agnostic side. This, of course, occurred as a teenager when I did not find Christianity particularly applicable to my life. I was interested in meditation and self-control but thought that it was something that I did not have much to do with. I began listening to some affirmations or goals on tape. This was just a blank cassette tape and the recording button on my radio/stereo. The problem with my poor recording equipment was that I had no looping equipment. I would simply say my affirmations for a few minutes and record them onto the tape. Then, I would meditate and listen to them.
I wanted the well-trained mind of Luke Skywalker or Obi-Wan Kenobi. The prequels to Star Wars were not out yet, therefore I supplemented my opinions of the Jedi through Star Wars novels. Particularly I read about those that I aspired to be. This method can be used in making oneself more like the Green Berets or other heroes of youth. Incorporate the advice of your heroes, yet avoid idolatry. Your goal is not to make yourself a Green Beret or Theodore Roosevelt, but to copy their habits to make yourself the best possible version of who you are.
Besides meditation and reading for "manliness," I simply began imitating the person I would like to be. "Fake it until you make it." That quote, seemingly useless can make oneself a different person over time. You want to fake being someone like you aspire to be. Goal-setting may lead to the best vision of who you want to be. Proper goal-setting will lead the person to understand who they want to be like. Then, read about that person. Meditate on some aspirations that they have or that you wish to have. This will lead to the best vision of yourself.
Habit-training is very difficult, yet with practice you can become the best version of you ever. I would supplement this habit training with exercise. This will make you more of a gentleman, scholar, or warrior. Or should I say "gentleman, scholar AND warrior?"
My primary changes I would make at this point would be to make myself more of a warrior-philosopher. I have served in the US Army as an infantryman. I felt fear but faked my way through that. I was not the best firearms shot or the most physically fit. I followed orders better than any other and always executed what was asked. Skill problems are different than behavioral problems. While you cannot meditate yourself to better shooting or fitness, you can practice at them until you get there. As far as philosophy, I have been reading on Stoic philosophy from Marcus Aurelius and Seneca. I incorporate other parts of philosophy (particularly neo-reaction philosophy, hence this blog).
I will always be improving myself. A friend of mine after I left the Army told me to always be improving my foxhole. This is not about a foxhole, but about your position. I suspect I will be improving that foxhole until I am dead. I must become what I want to be. This must be done through any means available, like meditation, exercise, hero reading, and other means.
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