Check Fire, Friendlies In The Area

Yesterday, I related my conversation with a Sargeant in the Pentagon. This was no ordinary Sargeant, he was posted to the office of the Sargeant Major of the Army. His duties made him a close assistant to the highest ranking non commissioned officer in the entire US Army.

There is a saying "Officer's may command the Army, but it's the NCO's that run things."

What troubles me was the reply I received to my question regarding Lakin/Obama-


"Sir thank you for your opinion but as for this enlisted man, I execute my orders and drive on".


Argue if you will the military side.

Ours is not to question why,
Ours but to do and die.

Onward rode the six hundred.
Into the valley of Death.

or

Befehl ist Befehl", orders are orders

I'm afraid that won't get the job done, militarily or constitutionally. An unlawful order is never to be followed period. Is Obama President? There was a swearing in and an election.

If you're a Cannon Cocker and while executing an order for a fire mission onto a grid coordinate, you get the following radio transmission--CHECK FIRE, CHECK FIRE. FRIENDLIES IN THE AREA- do you continue sending shells thinking "I ain't falling for that old trick," or do you cease fire and question your orders? The Army calls it verification. Isn't this what Lt Col Lakin is doing, along with Major Cook, and a bold handful of others?

During the largest land battle ever fought in the history of the United States Army, orders were questioned by the lowest private up and thank God they were.

December 18,1944 was the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge. Hitler ordered a few hundred German soldiers wearing US combat uniforms parachuted into our rear areas. Their mission was to create panic and sow confusion behind our front line. The GI's eventually uncovered these "imposters" (upon capture they were executed by firing squad as spies)but not until almost every private in the US army present was questioning every order giver, regardless of rank, to assure themselves their leaders were on the up and up. This was a case where the privates took command, they used their brain, and questioned their orders. Their personal survival was at stake, and by extension so was their nation's survival.

Initiative and situational awareness. Exercised in the highest traditions of the military.

Is there a difference in today's situation and that of 12/18/44. None.

Half a league, half a league
Onward rode the six hundred.

Half a klick, half a klick
Onward drove the 640,000 of the United States Army.

"Sir thank you for your opinion but as for this enlisted man, I execute my orders and drive on".

Can we get a little situational awareness here?

Steve