The Highlander

Last September I had the opportunity to visit an Air Force Colonel I knew in the Pentagon and was able to see what happens in the respective rings of this amazing structure. One thing is for certain: no other location has the capacity to project power the way the Pentagon does. Two recent occurrences here are important in my view.

First off, under pressure from Congress, the Pentagon last Wednesday released regulations that were well overdue. These authorized unit commanders to reimburse soldiers who purchased protective equipment. Second, Marine General Peter Pace was sworn in as the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The issue of adequate protective equipment was enhanced by the comments of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld when he was speaking to soldiers at a Kuwaiti forward operating base in December 2004, as they were preparing to enter Iraq. An Army Specialist from the Tennessee National Guard asked, "Why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up-armor our vehicles?" Secretary Rumsfeld's response, "As you know, you have to go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you want," sparked widespread criticism.

This brought the issue to the minds of Americans, particularly with the images of fighting in Fallujah during November 2004. I find myself referring to the words of President Eisenhower just days before President Kennedy took office: "This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence economic, political, and even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government." He warned of the military-industrial complex. It is truly a dereliction of duty when we have a $445.5 billion Defense Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2006, yet we have ill-equipped combat forces on the ground in Iraq.

The issue of properly equipping our combat forces for operations involved in the Global War on Terror is a very serious issue. I can only speak from my experience in the Marine Corps. We were taught that the Marine Corps is organized, trained, and equipped to provide a force-in-readiness. I can tell you that when we inserted into both Afghanistan and Pakistan, we did not have Kevlar strike plates in our flak jackets. Such plates are inserted into the jacket and spare lives that would otherwise be taken by bullets or shrapnel. A few weeks into Afghanistan we were given one plate each. The jackets can hold two, one in front and one in back.

I have to commend Senator Christopher Dodd, a Democrat from Connecticut, for his efforts that brought the Pentagon to issue reimbursement regulations for military personnel who purchase equipment in which to protect themselves. The program allows reimbursement for equipment such as combat helmets, ballistic eye protection, hydration systems, and tactical vests, including a variety of body armor. It is disappointing that these regulations come nearly a year after Congress passed legislation that made the reimbursement the law of the land. In spite of a budget of such scope, the Pentagon could not grant the resources to address this issue until now.

On the second point, Marine Corps General Peter Pace has taken command as the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is the first Marine to hold the military's highest uniform position. He replaces outgoing Air Force General Richard Myers who angered Senator John McCain in his final hearing on Capitol Hill by stating that the Iraq struggle is "a complex situation that is not well-understood by folks who fought in Vietnam." Personally, I am glad Senator McCain is in the Senate with his harrowing experience as a POW in Vietnam and that General Pace served as a rifle platoon commander with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines in Vietnam.

I think having a Marine in the highest post will be beneficial (I am biased towards the Corps). I will say that outcomes in the Global War on Terror largely depend on the actions of soldiers and Marines operating on the ground. I believe that the most critical actions come from ground operations in this conflict. According to Mark Burgess of the Center for Defense Information, in Iraq we are, "engaged in a mix of lower-combat, lower-risk peacekeeping and higher-combat, higher-risk peace enforcement." The best lesson for today's operations is General Krulak's three-block war concept.

General Krulak was the Commandant of the Marine Corps from July 1995-June 1999. "In one moment in time, our service members will be feeding and clothing displaced refugees, providing humanitarian assistance. In the next moment, they will be holding two warring tribes apart, conducting peacekeeping operations and, finally, they will be fighting a highly lethal mid-intensity battle, all on the same day, all within three city blocks."

According to General Myers, "Defeating the Iraqi insurgency is as important to the United States as winning World War II was 60 years ago." Significant aspects of this challenge are a result of our mistakes, but this does not reduce the severity of the situation. I think General Pace understands the immense challenges that our forces face on the ground.

He served as the Vice Chairman to General Myers so he understands the workings of "official" Washington. If we are to succeed our leadership must have a greater level of candor when it comes to the precarious situation on the ground. This lack of frankness drove Vietnam Veteran Senator Chuck Hagel, a Nebraska Republican, to say, "The White House is completely disconnected from reality." Although confidence in our leadership in Washington is quite low, I believe General Pace will serve with distinction as the principal military advisor to the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the National Security Council. I believe his experience earning a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" for Valor and the Combat Action Ribbon have forged his character. His mettle will be tested as the highest military officer in the land.

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