A historical about-face: A look at Nam

The Vietnam War is one of the most romanticized and retold armed conflicts in the previous century. Set in the tense Cold War era, its circumstances have provided the subject for many movies, books, and studies created then until today. It remains as a solid example of how the intervention of superpowers can exacerbate and blow a dispute beyond its rightful boundaries.

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In the 1950s, communist forces, led by nationalist leader Ho Chi Minh, defeated the French colonial powers in Vietnam, leading to the formation of the National Liberation Front (NLF) or the Viet Cong. This divided Vietnam into two, with the north controlled by the communist NLF, and the south controlled by a separate government.

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South Vietnam received military aid from the United States. U.S. support increased as the Viet Cong’s power grew. Gripped by tension from the Cold War, the U.S. regarded the NLF as an antecedent to the proliferation of communism in Vietnam and in Asia as a whole.

In August of 1964, several torpedo boats allegedly attacked the U.S.S. Maddox, then on an intelligent mission in the Gulf of Tonkin. A severely disputed second attack by the U.S. resulted to several air strikes on naval bases in North Vietnam, officially sparking the start of U.S. involvement in the conflict. Before the year ended, the U.S. had sent over 23,000 military advisers to Vietnam.

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In 1965, 100,000 American soldiers were sent to Vietnam, reinforced by troops from the Philippines, Korea, New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand. The Viet Cong put up an effective resistance, utilizing the cover of rainforests and the familiar terrain to their advantage. The conflict raged on for years, its results uncertain.

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In 1968, then President Lyndon Johnson faced backlash from the American public due to thousands of U.S. casualties. When he came to power, President Richard Nixon quickly searched for an exit from the war. By 1973, the U.S. had withdrawn more than 500,000 soldiers from Vietnam.

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American support for South Vietnam left with the former’s withdrawal of its troops, leading the latter to crumble. Saigon was occupied by North Vietnamese forces in 1975 and was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. Refugees who opposed the communists fled by boat and went to neighboring territories. All in all, the war left around 3 million dead, 58,000 of them American soldiers.

Retired Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney has served in a number of war zones in his more than three decades of military service. This Facebook page contains links and updates on him.

A look at war, its boons and its banes

War is an ever-present aspect of humanity, proven in part by the existence of a war deity in almost any culture. Whole civilizations rose and fell beneath the clash of blades; rulers reigned and were dethroned amid volleys of projectiles. War is loathed for its many apparent evils, yet it persists across various parts of the globe in varying intensities.

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Of all the banes of war, its close association to death is perhaps the most hated of all. War involves bloody and violent battles that leave many dead—warrior or not. It also brings with it many other killers—diseases, famines, and crimes, among other things. At times, these killers persist even after the war is long over.

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War brings about chaos. Organized communities may be thrown into anarchy by the loss of a centralized power, leading to lawlessness and loss of life and property. In some instances, war can cause damage so severe it causes a reversal or shift in those who occupy particular social classes.

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However, war also has its boons, though these tend to depend on a person’s point of view and who the winning side is. Some wars result to peace, and some lead to movements that raise the status of a previously undermined sector in society. Some wars have helped unite a nation just as some have helped in breaking it apart. Some wars leave involved parties ruined, while some build them up. World War II, for example, made the U.S. the most powerful country in the world today.

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The possibility of war will always loom over humanity, and even a minor event can trigger conflict. But as long as it’s possible, it is better to avoid the war and the destruction it brings.

Retired Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney had firsthand experience in battle, having served the military for more than 30 years. This Facebook page holds updates about him.

REPOST: Former troops say time has come for women in combat units

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Author: Chelsea J. Carter and Steve Almasy, CNN

Reposted from: cnn.com

In this article, the Department of Defense is expected make a change in its policy to allow women to participate in combat.

CNN) -- For women who have already seen combat, it is a decision that is well overdue. But for the skeptics, it is a setback that will damage the military.

The Pentagon's reported decision to lift the ban on women in combat units will take time to put into effect, but many former service members are lauding reports the Defense Department will make the change soon.

"We have an all-volunteer force, and I think that this opens up a pool of folks who could serve in these positions," said Rep. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran who lost both legs and the use of one arm when her helicopter crew was shot down in 2004. "Any time that we've opened up our military to performance-based service ... we've benefited as a military. This is good for the nation."

The new policy will be implemented over the next three years and some units may apply for exemption, a senior defense official told CNN.

Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat, said the military should open up every unit to women and see if they can complete the required training. "If the women can't meet the standards, they don't get to graduate from the program."

Julie Weckerlein, who served 9 1/2 years in the Air Force and did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, thinks the change reflects the military catching up with the times.

Some women have already gone on patrols with ground troops, helping to talk with female civilians in Afghanistan. Some submarine crews have added female officers. Women also serve as military police officers.

Women supporting supply missions have been drawn into battle in Iraq and Afghanistan, where there are no physical front lines.

Now, Weckerlein said, "people will be able to serve in the career fields they are qualified for, and that they won't be turned away because of their gender."

Weckerlein went to Iraq in May 2007 as part of then-President George W. Bush's "surge policy" to put more troops on the ground.

"The first death I experienced was a woman, within the first few weeks I was in Iraq," she said.

It was June 25, 2007, and she was at an outpost in Nasir Lafitah when it came under mortar fire. In the attack, Army Staff Sgt. Trista Moretti of South Plainfield, New Jersey, was killed. Moretti, 27, was assigned to a support battalion.

Days later, Weckerlein came under mortar fire again. This time, her comrade -- a cameraman -- was injured.

Even though her deployment orders said Qatar, she spent weeks the summer of 2007 shuttling between bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Like many women in the military, Weckerlein didn't get the additional combat training because she was in what was considered a support role.

"I really want to stress there was no bitterness. It was a reflection of the times, and I feel like we are now getting with the times," she said. "I see this as a positive thing."

Not everyone agrees.

Rep. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, has said he doesn't think women are physically capable of combat duty.

"To have women serving in infantry ... could impair the mission essential task of those units, and that's been proven in study after study," he told radio host Laura Ingraham earlier this month. "It's nature -- upper body strength and physical movements and speed and endurance and so forth."

Jonn Lilyea, one of the founders of the military blog "This Ain't Hell," wrote that he thought it was an "ill-considered decision."

Lilyea, a former sergeant who fought in Desert Storm, wrote he was opposed to women in combat units, not because women are a distraction but because he thinks the Army and other services will be required to accept more women than are qualified or can be trained.

"If we're doing this to make the military better, fine, but if we're doing it just to beat our collective chest and show how just we are, then that's how a lot of body bags are going to get filled," he wrote.

Kayla Williams, author of the memoir, "Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army," said she thought most of the enlisted men would accept women into combat units.

"They will do their jobs, they will be profession, perhaps a few will be disgruntled," she said. "Troops grumble, that's what we do, but many of them have already served along with women."

Williams, who saw combat while with the 101st Airborne, said she thought some branches of the military would ask for exceptions to the policy, and that was hard to argue with.

"Let's take this step and let women keep proving what they have already proved before," she said.

Sgt. 1st Class Stephanie Cazares with the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, Texas, said it was impossible to know what, if any, changes it would mean for women in the military.

"It's not just put females in combat (specialities) and let's call it a day," she said.

A number of issues, including safety regulations and cohabitation, will need to be addressed, she said.

Army Staff Sgt. Stacey Zinda said that, like Cazares, she wasn't surprised by the news.

Troops have speculated about the issue for a while, but Zinda, who is a career counselor, said she has yet to have a female soldier approach her about joining a combat unit.

Frank Kearney, a former lieutenant general of the US Army, would like to hear your thoughts on this report. This Facebook page gives his perspective on women in combat.

Countering the terrors

Counterterrorism may sound terrorizing sometimes, summoning images of captors, captives, brick rooms in sepia overtones, and waterboarding. Counterterrorism is far from being tucked safe in bed at night, for it requires military, intelligence, and plans resembling a war’s.

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In effect, it may have dehumanized its defence. It’s justifying acting as terrorist of terrorists on the moral premise of self-protection. The argument, however, is invalid.

Suspects of terrorism, according to an institution that promotes human rights and fundamental freedom in countering terrorism, may not be secretly or indefinitely detained. Stripped to the basics, it’s about adhering to human rights as recognized by international laws. A public court hearing of terrorism cases must be in order.

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Even ordinary criminal courts can unravel networking plots and lock up scores of terrorists and more in prison. This is because suspected terrorists must go through investigation, prosecution, and conviction to maintain the integrity of counterterrorism. Rather than secrecy and torture, the due process of law will help victims and families of terrorism embrace the most felt source of justice by allowing them to witness the trial and prosecution of the suspects.

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Counterterrorism, if it’s true to its pledge, must not go blind in its pursuit of justice.

Retired General Frank Kearney specializes in counterterrorism, structure, and military policy. Visit this Facebook page to catch updates on his programs and projects.

A Soldier's Perspective: INFINITE PROGRESS

A Soldier's Perspective is one of the most visited military blogs in the Web today.  In this post, blogger CJ Grisham chronicles part of his progress in  recovering from PTSD, one of the most common conditions afflicting war veterans.  This is a good read as it allows one a glimpse into what former soldiers go through after their service.

I met with my social worker today for a counseling session and to give him a sense of where I am. We came to a few conclusions that I want to share. He helped me understand why I made a few decisions that I made in seeking out another deployment.

As many of you know, part of my PTSD comes from an artillery strike in the early days of the war in 2003. The Iraqis were able to walk artillery in on us by virtue of our convoy stalled on a high road and unable to turn around expeditiously. As such, I had the pleasure of basically having to sit there and hope it didn’t hit me. It did.

Throughout the war, numerous explosions and detonations occurred near me that led to my symptoms. RPGs whizzed literally inches from my head. 7.62 AK rounds cracked the surrounding air, violently shoving their way towards their target. The sounds of war are unmistakable. If you’ve never experienced it, the closest thing to reality that I’ve seen are the opening scenes to Saving Private Ryan. To fully gain perspective, though, you’ll need a good surround sound system. You probably also shouldn’t live in a townhouse. Turn that sucker up just enough to make it uncomfortable and you’ll get an idea.

Anyway, I had explained to Doc one of the reasons I wanted to deploy was to, I think, gain some closure. I felt like I needed to come back and experience combat again in order to deal with the experiences of last time. My initial intention was do what I’m currently doing and eventually weasel my way back into the fight. By fight, I don’t necessarily mean actually having to pull the trigger, but to just be able to walk the streets and conduct my normal mission.

Even without coming under fire, my job can be a stressful one because it involves walking through the neighborhoods and speaking to people that may or may not want to kill me. There is a heightened sense of attention to detail out there. Every day is a thrill and Doc said that many folks with PTSD want to relive that as a way to overcome their anxiety issues.

It made perfect sense, even though I may not have recognized it. In order to cope with getting shot at, blown up, and barely surviving I had to get shot at, nearly blown up, and fight for my life. Turns out, I came to the right place anyway.

In the first few nights here, I heard the sounds of combat I came to expect from my experience. Bombs exploding, A-10s rocking the Gatling, and jets streaking across the sky. The first few weeks weeks were rough.

Kandahar is the birthplace of the Taliban so it made sense to me that there would be sustained and heavy combat around me. Turns out that our living area is near a major range where AC-130 gunships, A-10s and other aviation assets sight in their weapons. Controlled detonations also occurred on this range.

The sounds I thought were combat were coming from a range, not a real threat. But, before I recognized that, I was able to learn to process the sounds of combat and put my anxiety control methods to work that I had learned over the past two years. I no longer grab my rifle with the expectation of a phone call to man the perimeter – though I’m always ready.

Another good thing about living on Kandahar – if it can be called that – are all the indirect fire attacks we have here. The Taliban are good at lobbing 107mm mortars and rockets at us. But a 107mm mortar has a much different sound than a 155mm artillery shell. But, the explosions that I’ve been near when they landed (not unsafely near) also added to my recovery.

I don’t know if that makes sense or not, but it does. The Lord has a funny way of helping us. Initially, I was complaining at having to be stuck at KAF for my entire deployment. However, it turns out that being here has actually been quite therapeutic. I’ve been able to face the very things that have chased me since 2003 and resolve them in my head.

Doc explained that what I’m experiencing professionals call “prolonged exposure therapy.” Many hospitals are using this method to treat Soldiers with PTSD across the country. Since many Soldiers have already left military service, they don’t exactly have the opportunity that I have to come back and face those experiences. So, programs have been created using scenarios in virtual realities to approach those same trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and situations that may have been avoided due to the distress they cause.

Another treatment is called “cognitive processing therapy.” In essence, this type of therapy helps you to understand and cope with those feelings and thoughts that won’t seem to go away. It provides an alternative rational for dealing with what are essentially irrational thoughts. One of the problems of PTSD is the feeling that threats are everywhere. CPT helps to train your brain that these threats don’t exist and how to handle those feelings when they pop up.

Through both types of therapy, I’ve come to recognize nearly instantly when I wake up to a perceived attack every time I hear an explosion that the most likely cause is training. I usually take a few minutes to make sure and listen for any alarms. If none are sounded, I’m able to convince myself that there is no threat and actually fall back asleep.

This progress didn’t happen overnight. It’s taken me nearly two years (and about 60 rocket attacks since arriving in theater). I still get anxious during a rocket attack, but that is a natural reaction. I also understand that my life is in the hands of God. If it’s my time, it’s my time. I can’t shoot a rocket out of the sky and I can’t redirect its path. So, I have to do whatever I can to stay alive.

Another good thing I’ve done is that I recently fired Doctor Grisham. He’s the guy that keeps telling me it’s okay to stop taking my anxiety medications. My other Doc made the suggestion and I took his advice. I even had his “license” revoked so he doesn’t try practicing his destructive medicine on others. The medications have helped to regulate my moods, especially anger and frustration. And contrary to some ignorant people’s ignorant ramblings, this anger and frustration doesn’t make me violent.

On Thursday, I will restart group therapy as well. This is a necessity that I sorely needed in Ft. Hood, but never found. Not only do I need the camaraderie that comes with meeting with fellow veterans that have faced similar experiences that I have, but I think it’s the responsibility of survivors to share their stories and methods of success with others still struggling. That is one reason why I’m working on a proposal to develop a new program within the Army that focuses on using survivors to help the struggling. I also refuse to allow certain individuals to affect me emotionally, personally, mentally, or professionally in spite of their best failing efforts.

The bottom line is that progress is again being made. I’m dedicated to getting better and being there for my family. I think the military is doing it right with the programs available in theater to assure this progress for me and so many others. We’ve learned something over the years.

Lt. General Frank Kearney: Becoming beacons of hope for the nation's warriors

While he has long since left the battlefields, Lt. General Frank Kearney still remembers how difficult it is to be a soldier. While the work is noble and filled with purpose, it cannot be denied that the risks soldiers face each day and the separation from their loved ones can be hard to bear alone. These are just some of the reasons why it is important for the people back at the homeland to take some time to show their support in any way they can.

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Soldiers risk their lives and face difficult tasks for more than just their families. They do it for the whole nation and this is why veterans like Lt. General Frank Kearney hope that more people would sign up for or donate to organizations that support the soldiers in deployment and those who are coming home.

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There are many ways to help out and it is easy to find an organization that resonates with a person’s desire to help. General Kearney himself is a part of some organizations such as the Team Read White and Blue, which is for the rehabilitation of veterans, and he actively supports the Wounded Warrior Project, which aids injured soldiers and encourages them throughout their recovery process.

In supporting the nation’s troops, honoring them through stickers and t-shirts is not enough. What these brave souls need is to know that they have a whole nation back at home waiting for them and are willing to lend them a hand if and when they need it.

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Get more updates on Lt. General Frank Kearney by following this Twitter page.

Striking without bullets: Frank Kearney and military combatives

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In order to accomplish their duty as the country’s protectors, soldiers like Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney are trained in various aspects of combat. They are conditioned to become efficient killing machines, and are trained in using a large array of weapons that includes their own bodies.


In combat, there are instances when weapons are nowhere close. In cases like this, soldiers defend themselves or launch a counterattack by using the only arsenal they have left. They make good use of their bodies, converting their fists, elbows, knees, feet, and even their heads into instruments of pain and submission, with the intention of disarming or crippling the enemy. At times, hitting the right spot with the right technique can even result to a kill.

 

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Like Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney, anyone looking to pass military school must undergo a rigorous training in combatives or hand-to-hand combat techniques. For practical reasons, the U.S. military places greater emphasis on weapon use, but learning weaponless combat remains an essential aspect of any soldier’s training.


Currently, the military uses modern combatives developed by Matt Larsen, who in 2001 established the United States Army Combatives School at Fort Benning. New soldiers typically begin their hand-to-hand combat training during the first few parts of their Initial Military Training, around the time they receive their rifle. They are taught basic options upon encountering a resisting opponent, and are expected to be able to take part in competitive bouts using the basic rules upon their graduation.

 

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The gun remains as one of the best self-defense measures. Even Bruce Lee carries one. But when the going gets tough, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for a brawl, especially if your job puts you on the battlefield.


For more information about Lt. Gen. Frank Kearney, go to this Facebook page.