tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5194455889148078571.post74152524817660489..comments2023-11-03T08:43:27.897-07:00Comments on The Army 2.0: While I was away...Exnicioshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10435628132713925425noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5194455889148078571.post-56268457376132398732008-03-30T03:11:00.000-07:002008-03-30T03:11:00.000-07:00It should also be noted that Juan Luis (as fine a ...It should also be noted that Juan Luis (as fine a fellow as ever there was if baptismal certificates and bills of lading are to be believed) is sometimes listed as Jean-Louis. <BR/><BR/>So not only was the General discriminating against my heritage, but against multi-culturalism itself! <BR/><BR/>Not cool, General. Not cool.Exnicioshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10435628132713925425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5194455889148078571.post-83596575061491616862008-03-30T03:03:00.000-07:002008-03-30T03:03:00.000-07:00The first record of an Exnicios in what is now the...The first record of an Exnicios in what is now the US is a 1799 baptismal record in the archives of a church just outside of New Orleans. The father of the baptizee is listed as Juan Luis Exnicios, formerly of Germany and your 7th great-grandfather. You could have shaken-up the general by telling him that your (possibly) Hispanic forebearers wouldn't have liked his comment. Would have ruined his day.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01101119277601896128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5194455889148078571.post-21155315897820371272008-03-29T18:09:00.000-07:002008-03-29T18:09:00.000-07:00Andrew your name seems to bring about comments in ...Andrew your name seems to bring about comments in the strangest of situations.<BR/>This week my sister, Mark and I sat in the office of Father Stanley, the Priest who would perform my mother's funeral. We began reviewing with Father Stanley who would be participating in the ceremony; when we told him Lauren's name he suddenly stopped and asked "what sort of name is that?" We then went on to have a ten minute discussion on where the name came from and the different posibilities of what it might at onetime been.DeDehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14236158693503053881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5194455889148078571.post-81557715568525314932008-03-29T14:34:00.000-07:002008-03-29T14:34:00.000-07:00Fair warning, I kinda only skimmed both pieces and...Fair warning, I kinda only skimmed both pieces and my only Army experience was working with a Transportation Battalion in the US. A blog comment also doesn't leave a lot of room for proper discourse. However, as an O4 serving at Headquarters (albeit another service), I'll throw in my $0.02.<BR/><BR/>When I was an O3, I remember frequently hearing the phrase "if only (O3's) ran the (service)...." O3s are eager, willing, much more mature than your O1s, have sufficient experience, and, hopefully, a good head on their shoulders. They have the tactics down. They see problems and want to tackle them right away. And that's what's needed. O3s get a lot done and essentially run the military.<BR/><BR/>Between O3 and O7, reality and discipline set in, especially with a HQ/Pentagon tour. We realize that there's a difference between running operations as an O3 and making things happen at the national level. Our focus shifts from the tactical to the strategic. We see officers trying to make the next grade. We understand the politics of command and the service. We understand that the military is a tool used by those in political power to achieve their objectives. We may not agree with every decision, or whether what we're doing is "just" or even what's "best for America," but it's not our call. Because we're reminded that we still have a duty to comply with lawful orders, whether we agree to them or not. <BR/><BR/>We try our best to make positive changes... we learn to give our "but Sir...." We learn that sometimes we can change the mind of our senior officers, although they may not be able to change the minds of those senior to them.<BR/><BR/>So we gripe in private, but trust me... we gripe. But when it comes down to it, we do our duty. We stand tall and salute and comply with orders, because that's our job. Heard & understood. We carry-out the orders of our seniors as though they were our own, because that's what's required of a leader. We may not like it, but it's required. We won't bitch in public. So long as the orders are lawful and the military is used in accordance with the Constitution, we obey. If we don't, the system breaks down.<BR/><BR/>If we can live with it, or believe we can still make a positive impact, we stay in. If we don't like it, we get out. If we're out and senior enough, we might try to influence the system from the outside.<BR/><BR/>I get why the O3s leave... reality set in. They wanted to make changes that their senior officers wouldn't allow. They didn't like what they were fighting for or like what the country was doing. They wanted something better. So they did the right thing: they served their time as best they could and got out.<BR/><BR/>I get why people blame the Generals for not griping... because the Generals either did it unseen behind closed doors, or they knew, no matter what they said or how hard they tried, their seniors wouldn't listen. So the Generals did the right thing: they served their time as best they could and got out; and once they were no longer in uniform, they exercised their right as civilians to speak out.<BR/><BR/>I get why the aide said what he did... he's power trippin' with the gold rope and doesn't like slackers. But I don't like it... he's an idiot for letting the power go to his head and for stereotyping.<BR/><BR/>As for the way you handled that aide... pure class my friend.<BR/><BR/>Keep up the blogs. Love 'em.Colin C.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02830225746690719706noreply@blogger.com