Random Thoughts From NTC

- Unleash the creative potential of American Soldiers and they can achieve the impossible. Hamstring them with stupid rules, thoughtless crap, and trying to cram seven days of work into three with no incentive kills morale and motivation.

- Why are "American Interests" in the most inhospitable 3rd world cesspools?

- Politicians, policy, and some senior leaders are absolutely failing the average Soldier. The force is not breaking. I would argue that it is broken. Yet, it soldiers on.

- Just because the daily list of jobs is done, DO NOT make new tasks up just because "the CSM/CDR does not want Soldiers just lying around." They are in so many meetings a day, they are out of touch with what is really being achieved. They are going to focus on what has not been achieved anyway.

- The desert starts to get hot this time of year. I am just glad I am not training here in August. It feels like you are two feet from Hell.

- Every place changes. There have been changes since I left NTC back in July of 2010. Yet, some things do not change. There are still civilians working here that I worked with that will probably never leave. 

- We are not properly training soldiers. Yet, they say "we are ready to go!" I know Soldiers who have spent more time in the last year in classes about sexual harassment than training to actually do the jobs they signed up for.

- Pray and assist the families of military folks. They have the real hard jobs of the military.

Another Little to No Posting Warning.

So, I leave for the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, California tomorrow. This is the first time for me to be on the training unit side. I spent nearly 4 1/2 years there as permanent party. I have to say that I am not looking forward to the time spent away from family.

I know that there will be a lot of changes in the world while I will be out of communication. I am really looking forward to seeing what new products and ideas will put forth.

So, unless I can post from phone, there will be no new posts for about a month. Please continue to visit the blogs on my blog roll. I know that many of them could use your support and readership.

I really appreciate YOUR visits and readership.

'Til next time.

A Very Interesting Piece Of Kit: A Collaborative Work From Max Velocity and UW Gear.

First things first: Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. The impact on your children's lives will ripple far beyond your own lifetime.

Now to the article.

LINK to the original article and video link from Max Velocity's Blog.





Pictures from the article.

The rig is a collaboration between Max Velocity and UW Gear.

The video is worth the time as well. There is also discussion here.

BLUF: I like the ability to switch between making this a 5.56 or 7.62 rig just by changing out the magazine inserts. 5 magazine capacity for the 7.62 insert, or a 6 magazine capacity for the 5.56 insert. Yet, all of the other pockets remain the same.

UW Gear is made here in America by hand. They do have a bit of lead time for their products, but I have yet to hear of any negative comments about their workmanship. Max Velocity brings an authentic touch of a guy who has been there and done that. Granted, it will not be everyone's piece of cake, yet, I think the idea has a lot of merit.

I have been looking at the Haley Strategic chest rig for some time now. But, I am quite taken with this design and its capabilities. Max Velocity has stated that he will be publishing an update very soon about the rig.

I based my battle belt design off ideas that Max Velocity had shared a couple of years ago. There are a lot of people out there with different ideas of what gear should look like. You have to decide what works best for you.

Anger.

Right now there is so much anger and frustration in my reactions to what I am seeing and experiencing both in my professional life and in my worldly observational life that it is spilling over into my personal and family life.

Professional life: In my 13 years in the military I have never experience such disregard for the soldiers in a unit. Honestly it has become breathtaking in regards to the lack of planning and consideration by "leaders." Morale in the unit is absolutely below ground level. We already spend way too much time at work. Then, when there is a unit function, those who chose not to purchase a ticket to said function, especially those who would prefer to spend just a few more hours with their families are labeled as "disloyal." Disloyal?

Michael Shaara wrote in the book Killer Angels “There's nothing so much like a god on earth as a General on a battlefield.” I would contend that the same attitude can and will exist at lower levels of command. In many respects, the military system is extremely feudal in its day to day function. Please do not misunderstand me, there are plenty of good men and women in the military today. It has been my pleasure, honor, and privilege to serve alongside some of them. But there are more and more moments where all of that good is completely and utterly drowned out by the sheer stupidity of it all. I try to maintain a sense of humor ("We have gone from ludicrous to PLAID!"), but even that does little to help. 

Here are two things I would love to see in my lifetime: 1) A 4-star general walk into the Oval Office and lay his stars down on the desk and say "No more sir." Then walk out to the bank of microphones and lay it out for the American public. 2) For a majority of an unit to form up unexpectedly outside of their higher headquarters, the senior member walk in to the lobby and request to see the Inspector General. The American public needs to understand that THEIR military is by and large broken. There are many reasons for this and the guilty parties are too numerous to list here.

Observational life: I am tired of the normalcy bias that is running rampant throughout this country. I was going to say society or culture, but that would be redundant. I am tired of the average person not realizing that this great experiment is circling the drain and just about to drop in. The freedoms and liberties that we take for granted are being regulated out of existence by unelected bureaucrats that are not accountable to no one. I am tired of the unrecognized and unanswered treason against and betrayal of the people who still work and try to make a proper life in this country. 

And it goes on.

+++++

So all of this stuff begins to spill over and affect my personal and family life. It affects my personal relationships. It colors my faith experience. All of this is a big problem. 

I am not seeking the perfect life. 

I seek the life were I can raise and educate my children free from government intrusion and cultural political correctness. I seek the life where I can earn and keep my money as I see fit. I seek even more. I understand that many would consider this a pipe dream. That may be so. 

It will always be another source of anger. 

If I let it.