When should military leaders stand up....

[pcfixer]

When should military leaders stand up and say they cannot support direction of the administration?

After discussing what is happening in Syria and what happened in Benghazi, Glenn said that he believes the country could be on a path where the military is put in a position of “just following orders”.

“So what should people in the military do then?” Glenn asked.

Former U.S. Navy SEAL Pete Scobell said, “You know, you have to have principles. You have to stand up for what you believe in. I mean, you take an oath to the Constitution of the United States. You don’t taken an oath to a man. You don’t take an oath to Congress. You take an oath to the Constitution to support and defend it. You have to do what the right thing is every time, and you can’t compromise.”

Lieutenant General Jerry Boykin said, “Harold K. Johnson was the Chief of Staff of the Army, and in his memoirs he said his greatest regret was the day he went to the White House to walk in and lay his stars on Lyndon Johnson’s desk and say I quit, and I’m going to the media because you refused to activate the guard reserve and bring all of America into this unpopular war. He got out of his limo, he had a change of heart, and he went back to his office in the Pentagon. And he said he lived to regret that.”

“Now is the time when there are general officers and admirals that need to walk in and lay their star down and say my country means more than my career. Now’s the time, and that will get people’s attention.”

I wonder is Gen Petraeus or Gen McChrystal would have done this, What would have been the outcome?

[Mustang Man]

"I wonder is Gen Petraeus or Gen McChrystal would have done this, What would have been the outcome?"

Considering these guys had some integrity issues themselves I don't think we'd be hearing much of a peep from them in the first place right now. MOO

[Streck-Fu]

Rare is the general/admiral that is not a politician.

[Mills]

Especially when the majority of our military politicians (leaders) come from Non-Combat Arms Fields. They simply took the right commands, went to the right schools, and stayed the course.

What a shame.

[Box]

Call me crazy...
...but it just caught me as funny that the CSA Johnson "had a change of heart after getting out of his limo."

I understand completely; my feelings of disgust towards my boss alway soften after a nice ride in a limosine.

The context of that situation as it deals with a GO resigning in protest, just tickles the living shit out of me...
...what kind of world would we live in if he had made that ride in an M151 ?




As a bit of added military trivia:
Gen Johnson was also the CSA that created the office of the Sergeant Major of the Army.

[MR2]

When should military leaders stand up.... when the fire is the heaviest!

[pcfixer]

When a leader should stand up? Lead from the front!