Return to Article: 'Tis the Season (to Honor)
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41436
Well done Bob Brewin! After 30 years of conducting medical and civil affairs missions around the world for the Army, I have to say thank you. And for worldview, a comment: "For those who fight for it, freedom has a taste the protected will never know".
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40632
As to AEmerson saying "service members fly into the states either aboard U.S. Air Force or chartered aircraft", that has not been true in many cases for a few decades. Especially when travelling alone or with several soldiers overseas, commercial airlines are usually used. There are some caveats. Military personnel are supposed to use a passport, and not their military ID anymore, as their travel document and it is highly recommended that one travel overseas in civilian clothes. These caveats are to make it harder for terrorists to identify military members.
As to Worldview being upset seeing people in uniform on such overseas flights there may be some good reasons they are doing so, but I find it amusing he thinks its okay on flights inside the USA considering all the hijacked 9/11 flights were internal USA ones. It appears to me Worldview is just anti military.
As writer Klever noted, under DOD ethics and travel regulations, military personnel are strongly discourgaged from flying in uniform in first class, even if they are paying for it themselves, since it creates an improper perception that tax dollars are being wasted or that they are getting special treatment. That is especially true if the person is a three star general or admiral.
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40084
I can't believe Worldview's attitude, and ignorance. Obviously Worldview never served his country or he would know that service members fly into the states either aboard U.S. Air Force or chartered aircraft then switch to the civilian airlines. It's sad that you should be angered by the sight of someone in your countries uniform. It's sad you feel so threatened Worldview. Maybe you should stop to think what your life would be like if your fellow "uniformed" tavelers were more like you and thought only of themselves. By the way, I've seen plenty of GI's in uniform from other countries flying on our commercial aircraft. I never felt threatened, or angered, and I imagine that they are just as proud to serve their country as our GI's are to server their own. I feel sorry for Worldview, and those like him - I get the impresion that he doesn't appreciate the freedoms he enjoys. He doesn't understand where those freedoms come from, or appreciate the price others paid so he could make such ill-informed comments. He's a man without a country, or should be. Do us all a favor and go live in a country where you feel safer. America - for all Her faults - Love it or Leave it!
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39974
How often do you see soliders from other countries boarding planes in uniform? When flying within America - OK but when it is an international flight - not OK! The rest of the world is not happy about US foreign policy right now. I am angry that these soliders - by wearing their uniforms on board flights - put me and the hundreds of other people on that flight at risk. America is viewed as too aggressive right now and wearing uniforms on planes only provokes people to dislike us more. If you care about your fellow citizen, show some respect and blend in.
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39888
MR Brewin: thanks for recognizing Sgt Matt SIms, and remembering COL Brain Allgood, heroes of the Army medical dept. your willingness ( and ability) to tell the human side of what govt execs do, and your no-nonsense approach, are refreshing and becoming something of a legend at DoD. Thanks for writing with abandon, and- unlike some writers- not about you, but about the people who need govt help and those who help them. The posts you get are proof.
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39864
You can support our soldiers any where in the world by sending them care packages, as I have done for the last 3 years, through AnySoldier.com. USPS flat rate boxes make postage affordable. I sent off package #69 just last week.
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39842
No matter how strung out they maybe they still have time to volunteer in the community, help the disadvantaged. mentor our youth. They are the true meaning of christmas helping their fellow man
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39833
Happy Holidays, Mr. Brewin. Something burped when I tried to comment before. I just wanted you to know that I keep my eyes peeled for your columns, because you are about the best writer I've encountered. You deserve special praise for your September one page description of the ICE2 Follow-on where you captured the essence of an extremely complex program. This Colby College English major salutes you.
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39823
Not even a word about those of us who served on the ramparts of freedom? We may be old now, but were young then and willing to do anything, with little technology to back us up - an M1 was not very sophisticated.
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39815
God bless you, Bob. As a draftee, I served in Vietnam and - like most of my buddies - got little thanks at the time from anyone, but will always remember that someone gave up his first class seat to a very young and lonely E-5 (me), who was flying home to Chicago after being discharged at Oakland Army Depot in mid-December 1967. Our troops deserve the best this nation can offer.
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39809
Well said. Thank you.
Your readers may want to know that servicemembers in uniform are actually prohibited from sitting in uniform in First Class due to the issue of the appearance of impropriety or "excessive" Government spending (BTW, some servicemembers may not know this). However, what you may want to do is to wait until the soldier is seated and most people have boarded. Then the appearance issue becomes moot and those on the plane will really know the reason.
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