Generation “Lack of Respect”

Many people have been asking me for my opinion regarding the following. Here it is:

I am disgusted at the reprehensible and intolerable actions of some of my brothers- and sisters-in-arms who are also fellow ceremonial guardsmen. Have I ever done stupid things? Yes, and all actions have some sort of consequence of which I had to endure as part of learning and growing. What do I think should happen? Letters of reprimand, unfavorable information file, reflection of their actions on performance reports and possibly non-judicial punishment.

“I was young and Dumb”
Over the past week the US Air Force, the League of Families and all POWs/MIAs was slapped in the face by the posting of this now-three-year-old picture of a Senior Airman “tonguing” the POW/MIA silhouette. The Airman is now a Staff Sergeant and made the statement that there are much more important things with which to be concerned and that everyone needs to get over it. Sorry, Airman, but your actions have consequences and you will need to suffer those consequences as your picture, no matter how old, is a national disgrace. You can read about it here.

“Somebody’s getting a jacked up flag”
In 2000, Congress authorized some type of military honors for all veterans of the military, no matter how long they served. Across the nation, US Army National Guard members join honor guard units and travel their state rendering military honors for our veterans. Each of these units has a training program to keep standards as high as possible. And then there is Wisconsin.

One Wisconsin National Guard Soldier decided to post about how cold it was and make some “funny” statements about an upcoming ceremony. Not only that, but apparently, as part of each graduation ceremony, all of the Soldiers of Wisconsin’s National Guard Honor Guard pose in front of a casket (that is pointing the wrong direction, mind you) presumably for a professional picture, but also a “fun” and entirely inappropriate picture. The “fun” picture made it to the internet. You can read more about it here.

 

UPDATE: 25 Feb 14

“KEEP ALL YOUR ‘THATS SO DISRESPECTFUL/HOWRUDE/ETC.’ COMMENTS TO YOURSELF”
A Soldier stationed in Colorado decided that at 1700 (5pm) she did not need to exit her vehicle to render a salute to the flag as the National Anthem rang out over the Ft. Carson. No, she decided to hide in her car, take a picture of herself and then pot it on her Instagram account. Which, consequently, helped her gain immediate infamy while Ft. Carson was inundated with angry complaints. You can read more about it here.

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