"Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it." -- Malcolm X
6
comments:
Anonymous
said...
I thank you for reminding me of the Stoics. I refer you to a study by James Bond Stockdale, Courage Under Fire: Testing Epictetus's Doctrines in a Laboratory of Human Behavior, published by Stanford's Hoover Institution, an extraordinary recount of how Stockdale used Stoic ethics to survive his imprisonment in Vietnam.
I will call California and ask him to order you a copy of Stockdale's book from the Hoover Institute. And, though I know you have a bit of disdain for "popular" authors, I'm sending you a copy of Tom Wolfe's "A Man in Full" as its characters are greatly influenced by Epictetus and the Stoics (though it seems to me that "Embrace the Suck" and "Seeking the noble in an ignoble world" evidence your understanding and appreciation of such already!)
Epictetus says:"Therefore take the decision right now that you must live as a full-grown man, as a man who is making progress..." You and your men surely are LT. Also remembered that Epictetus has always been best understood by soldiers and in fact used such service as one of the metaphors in his philosophy. I looked it up: Do you not know that life is a soldier's service? One man must keep guard, another go out to reconnoitre, another take the field. It is not possible for all to stay where they are, nor is it better so. But you neglect to fulfill the orders of the general and complain, when some severe order is laid upon you; you do not understand to what a pitiful state you are bringing the army so far as in you lies; you do not see that if all follow your example there will be no one to dig a trench, or raise a palisade, no one to keep night watch or fight in the field, but every one will seem an unserviceable soldier...So too it is in the world; each man's life is a campaign, and a long and varied one. It is for you to play the soldier's part - do everything at the General's bidding, divining his wishes, if it be possible." Sorry for the long post but what a pleasure to read such thoughtful and literate work. Gracias.
An exceptional discussion and I can think of none more vital as you and your Gravediggers experience, as did Malcolm X, your own growth in identity, intellectual and spiritual powers. Make dignity your country and manhood your government as did he and Epictetus. All my best regards.
It is a discussion as timeless as the Greek philosophers and as timely as Malcolm X's call to action and the present political debate. It is as current as yesterday, when a 92 year old man in a small, South Carolina town made his way from his pew to his Church's alter to urge the congregation's rejection of the establishment's submission to fear and dependency. It is as ancient as Ecciesiastes 3:1-8: "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal ... a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to lose and a time to seek; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace."
This website is privately operated and was designed to provide personal information, views and commentary about the author's experiences in Iraq and elsewhere. The images depicted and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author and not those of any agency of the United States Government, expressly including, but not limited to, the Department of Defense and the United States Army.
The purpose of the website is to serve as a means of communication between the author and his family and friends. If it brings a bit of clarity to the American people about Iraq, the nature of soldiering, or war in general, that'd be pretty cool, too.
And no worries, Spooks. The author is not going to shatter the crystal vase that is OPSEC, because his CO proofs everything that is posted. He thinks the author is special, but in a very different way than Momma G thinks the author is special.
LT G's running Army translator
For those of you that don't speak grunting acronym:
Ranks: PVT, PV2- Private PFC- Private First Class SPC- Specialist CPL- Corporal SGT- Sergeant SSG- Staff Sergeant SFC- Sergeant First Class MSG- Master Sergeant 1SG- First Sergant SGM- Sergeant Major CSM- Command Sergeant Major 2LT- Second Lieutenant 1LT- First Lieutenant CPT- Captain MAJ- Major LTC- Lieutenant Colonel COL- Colonel GEN- Stars, stars, and more stars
Acronyms: OPSEC- Operational Security PLT- Platoon OP- Observation Post PL- Platoon Leader PSG- Platoon Sergeant CO- Commanding Officer; Company/Troop Commander FOB - Forward Operating Base AO- Area of operations NCO- Non-commissioned officer; general term for all sergeants' ranks JAM- Jaish al Mahdi AQI- Al-Qaeda in Iraq TOC- Tactical Operations Center IA- Iraqi Army IP- Iraqi Police SOP- Standard Operating Procedure QRF- Quick Reaction Force EOD- Explosive Ordinance Disposal
Military jargon: Jody- The non-military guy who is back home with the military guy's wife/girlfriend. Jody leads a simple, soft life, and vengeance upon him will be swift and merciless. Fobbit - A term used to describe soldiers who never leave the wire, also known as the FOB. Originally used as a derogatory term, it has evolved into a term most often used by fobbits themselves. Terp - Interpreter. General Order No. 1 - The base order for all deployed military personnel in Iraq that bans alcohol use, pornography, and a litany of other vices. Thanks a lot, Vietnam. You had to ruin the fun for everyone. Frago - A fragmentary order; the ever-evolving update and change to mission that serves as the ringmaster to the Army's circus. Charlie Mike- Continue mission. Mikes- Army cool-guy speak for minutes.
Miscellaneous: Anu al-Verona- The nom de plume for our current location in Iraq. Ali Baba - General Aranglish term for thief and villain. Dear John letter- A tradition as long as warfare itself: the physical manifestation of every soldier's worst fears. They vary in form and are sometimes riddled with excuses and rationalizations, but all essentially say the same thing: "Hey G.I., while you're at war, I got other things going on, because I'm not willing to put my life on hold for you. Loyalty is better served as a puzzle answer on Wheel of Fortune." Bitterness is a common emergence post-Dear John.
6 comments:
I thank you for reminding me of the Stoics. I refer you to a study by James Bond Stockdale, Courage Under Fire: Testing Epictetus's Doctrines in a Laboratory of Human Behavior, published by Stanford's Hoover Institution, an extraordinary recount of how Stockdale used Stoic ethics to survive his imprisonment in Vietnam.
Dear Son:
I will call California and ask him to order you a copy of Stockdale's book from the Hoover Institute. And, though I know you have a bit of disdain for "popular" authors, I'm sending you a copy of Tom Wolfe's "A Man in Full" as its characters are greatly influenced by Epictetus and the Stoics (though it seems to me that "Embrace the Suck" and "Seeking the noble in an ignoble world" evidence your understanding and appreciation of such already!)
With great pride and respect and love,
Epictetus says:"Therefore take the decision right now that you must live as a full-grown man, as a man who is making progress..." You and your men surely are LT. Also remembered that Epictetus has always been best understood by soldiers and in fact used such service as one of the metaphors in his philosophy. I looked it up: Do you not know that life is a soldier's service? One man must keep guard, another go out to reconnoitre, another take the field. It is not possible for all to stay where they are, nor is it better so. But you neglect to fulfill the orders of the general and complain, when some severe order is laid upon you; you do not understand to what a pitiful state you are bringing the army so far as in you lies; you do not see that if all follow your example there will be no one to dig a trench, or raise a palisade, no one to keep night watch or fight in the field, but every one will seem an unserviceable soldier...So too it is in the world; each man's life is a campaign, and a long and varied one. It is for you to play the soldier's part - do everything at the General's bidding, divining his wishes, if it be possible." Sorry for the long post but what a pleasure to read such thoughtful and literate work. Gracias.
An exceptional discussion and I can think of none more vital as you and your Gravediggers experience, as did Malcolm X, your own growth in identity, intellectual and spiritual powers. Make dignity your country and manhood your government as did he and Epictetus. All my best regards.
I need to go back to school. I related the quote to the Nevada caucus. But it works there too. Thanks Lt G.
It is a discussion as timeless as the Greek philosophers and as timely as Malcolm X's call to action and the present political debate. It is as current as yesterday, when a 92 year old man in a small, South Carolina town made his way from his pew to his Church's alter to urge the congregation's rejection of the establishment's submission to fear and dependency. It is as ancient as Ecciesiastes 3:1-8: "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun. A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal ... a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance ... a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to lose and a time to seek; a time to rend and a time to sew; a time to keep silent and a time to speak; a time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace."
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