The New GI Bill

Lot's of references to this subject in connection with the Memorial Day Weekend; Well, unfortunately, no one has analyzed the real problem. Yes, I agree, VA Education benefits should be more generous. BUT, at one point in the 1980's the eminent sociologist Charles Moskos pointed out that our society has created the GI Bill without the GI. How often do you hear a local politicians promise that every one is entitled to a college eduction?

NOT a good idea (Letting everyone go to college). One problem veterans have NOW, too many of the good jobs that don't require a degree have been destroyed over the past generation. I personally know National Guard and Reserve members people who volunteered to return to Iraq because they could not find a decent job that would support their families.

One of my problems with the "Greatest Generation," they all have nice retirements but when they were middle managers, the current corporate trends of shedding the pension plans, shipping the factory to China, or at best, a two tier wage structure, developed and flourished.

Sure, some of our new veterans will benefit from the opportunity for a University Education. But too many of the corporate first line managers and supervisors are the children (or grandchildren) of people who DID NOT SERVE. They haven't got a clue. And are often (actively) disinterested in learning. They graduated HS, went straight to College, and have continued to march up their career ladder.

I speak from PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. I well remember a job interview in 1980 where I was asked why I had not avoided Vietnam by going to college. (Obviously, that was not a successful job interview). It's more subtle, but just as pervasive as the anti-military bias in the Liberal Arts faculties in academia. Find me the Vietnam era equivalent of E. B. Sledge. And the people with that corporate attitude have set the tone and made the majority of corporate hiring decision since then.

Military Service is seen as a separate (and inferior) choice from the Middle Class career path.

There is a growing literature on BOTH these points. Not everyone is capable of college level work, our society needs to work on creating an economy that provides careers (Not just jobs) for people who don't earn degrees. And make sure this job market is open to veterans, a subject for another post.

The really talented and well prepared working class students are already well provided for by our eduction system. It's the middle tier of potential students, for whom Army Reserve or National Guard service was already part of the college process.

The Battle of Algiers

That Movie has become a cult (?) requirement (Available from Netflix!) among officers deploying to Iraq, the first Muslim Urban Insurgency. Well, every now and then my local Public Library buys something interesting, todays book is:

My Battle of Algiers by Ted Morgan. (Smithsonian Books, 2005); Cool stuff, he was a French Officer in Algeria in 1957.

(Got to love these unhelpful blog stuff; The Text editior won't let me underline a book title; I guess I am supposed to provide a link to Amazon or something; But only If I can get paid)

For the audience this blog is aimed at, it doesn't get much better than this, trust me. A "Street Level" westerern Journalist's memoir of the campaign. (After a brief stint of troop duty, he was working PSYOPS/Propaganda). Very well written (He is a journalist), an account of events from a different world, with background information to illuminate events for the non-specialist interested in the subject.

The Battle of Pea Ridge (ACW)

I attended a talk today at the local public library by the head (and until recently only) Park Ranger.

Pea Ridge National Military Park is one of the best preserved American Civil War Battlefields, and unfortunately one of the least visited. It was a well prepared and informative presentation, major changes are underway in the parks presentation.

The Battle should be of particular interest to Wargamers because of the Command and Control problems experienced by the Confederate Army. The kind of thing that when it happens in a game, people complain about. Briefly, the Commander of one wing (half) the Confederate Army moved forward to make a Personal Reconnaissance and was promptly KIA, While his deputy was off leading a cavalry Charge, also promptly KIA. Thus leaving half of the army leaderless and inert for the rest of the day. (No staff paying attention to the succession plan either, and Hebert, the fourth in line was already a POW). When that kind of thing happens in a game, players complain, loudly.

Anyone with an interest in the American Civil War who is passing through the area should consider visiting. What was shocking was that at least half the (local) audience had not visited, possibly never.

Here we go

People keep suggesting I create a blog, this is my first try at this kind of thing. We will add some content and comments later, but something in current events has brought back things I should have started a couple of weeks ago.