A Conscientious Objector Salutes A General
Yeah, time goes by and it’s funny how things turn out. Today I’m gonna salute a four-star general. Mark Milley, the retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has had a helluva distinguished military career, holding multiple command and staff positions in six divisions and a special forces group over the last 44 years. He’s led American troops all over the world, including in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even Trump once noted Milley’s “brilliance and fortitude.”
What’s kinda oddball about this Friday ditty where I salute a general is that I was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War. I did what was called alternative service, which was a two-year requirement. I put in 3 years working for the Diocese of Springfield in the rough and tough North End of Springfield, helping Puerto Rican kids learn how to speak English. I gotta say, I always respected my friends who were drafted. I just had a different opinion and a strong point of view against the war.
So back to Milley. He was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs when a drone strike killed the powerful Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. He’s been the target of Iranian assassins ever since, which is why he has had a security detail protecting him. Well, that is until last week when the detail was pulled. Now orders have been given to the Inspector General to do an inquiry into his record. They’re also going to review his rank and may pull a star and demote him. Some of this is because of his comments to troops at a retirement ceremony where he reminded them that they took an oath to the Constitution and not to a king or a queen or a dictator or a tyrant. In the past, Trump has accused Milley of treason and suggested that in another era, he would have been executed. Milley’s portrait that was hanging in the Pentagon also mysteriously disappeared right around January 20. Are you kidding me? This is where we’re at right now. Here’s a guy who stood by the oath and gave his life to the Army and his country and this is how we thank him. It’s like Brian Wilson’s tune says, “I just wasn’t made for these times.” March on, General, march on.
Keep your dukes up.
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