Home » Film & TV » Military Movies » An Axe To Grind - Page 2

An Axe To Grind - Page 2

© John Lovett

Another problem I have with this collective whining is the seeming dislike of any new technology. If anything new comes down the way, the troops, as exemplified in the articles, declare that the new technology does not work. It breaks down all the time. Too complicated to use. Etc. I am sure that some cavalry trooper handed a brand spanking new Model 1869 Springfield said the same thing. I have worked and continue to consult for the aerospace industry; and while mistakes are made in design and manufacture, the origin of most of these mistakes can be traced back to the original U.S. Government specification. Rather than, as some of the individuals write, a gross conspiracy from the defense industries to cheat the government and kill troops. The people I have worked with and continue to work with are professionals and do the best job they can. They do not deliberately go out of their way to design things so complicated they are unworkable. They do not create cutting edge technology items because they want to play with toys at the detriment of the soldier having to use the item.

While I do not have the long list of qualifications, awards, and experience COL Hackworth does, I spent my time serving Uncle Sam and encountered some of the same problems the writers did. I survived and, much to the chagrin of some people, flourished. There are problems in the current leadership of the military. There are problems with veteran affairs. Whining about the problems will not make them go away. Write your Congressman/Senator. Write the President/Vice President. Write rational, thought out articles. Keep the whining and sophistry to a minimum.

Anyway, that's my axe to grind.

The copyright of the article An Axe To Grind - Page 2 in Military Movies is owned by John Lovett. Permission to republish An Axe To Grind - Page 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.