Posted on Oct 17, 2015
How will the Delay of the Drawdown in Afghanistan affect the Morale of our Men and Women in Uniform?
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Where there ever be a time that our Men and Women in Uniform will SERVE strictly in Garrison?
Morale
Afghanistan
Warfare
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 14
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SPC Andrew Griffin here is my answer to your question about a garrison Army. My son has been for about 2 years. IMO if he would would retire at 20 years, he might have five years of a peace time Army.
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Capt Seid Waddell
SGM Steve Wettstein, SPC Andrew Griffin, I served during Viet Nam, and so I have no first-hand experience with a peace time military, but I have heard lots of stories from those that did. Painting rocks, knee deep in chicken s**t, getting smoked for petty stuff.
The best officers I served under were WWII vintage, where the mission was the only thing that counted - everything else was trivial BS. Those that came up the ranks during peace time after Korea and before Viet Nam were a real mixed bag.
I was glad to have served during war time and would have loved to have made it a career, but they called the war off and we faced a steep RIF.
The best officers I served under were WWII vintage, where the mission was the only thing that counted - everything else was trivial BS. Those that came up the ranks during peace time after Korea and before Viet Nam were a real mixed bag.
I was glad to have served during war time and would have loved to have made it a career, but they called the war off and we faced a steep RIF.
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I think what really needs to be looked at it how we approach conflict in the first place. If our objective is clear, executing the mission and leaving is fine but when ambiguous then it will take longer. We never left Germany or Japan after WWII but our intent was to defeat them and ensure that it didn't happen again. If our sole purpose is a punishment strategy, them we punish and depart. Morale? If the fight is just and understood, then morale probably isn't and won't be an issue.
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1SG Charles Hunter
Agreed. Make the mission clear and unambiguous and provide the resources needed to accomplish said mission. And don't change it halfway through. As to "nation building," that's what comes AFTER the military mission is complete.
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MSgt Dave Burke
We, as a nation, must return to the attitude not seen since WWII. Fight to WIN as quickly as possible. Bring back the draft, get up a force of about 2,000,000 ground troops and an adequate naval and air forces and attack to kill! Sen the enemy back to the stone age and then we would not have to fight them again for a generation or two. Ever since WWII the thinking has been not to win but to cool off tensions. Want peace in the middle east? A million man force could start in Israel and kill everything they meet as they spread east, north, and south from there. Bring on another Patton and McArthur to lead the charge!
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SFC Michael Hasbun
War is how we justify our existence. No war= No war budget. If the generals have to choose between Soldiers pay and flat screen TV's for all the offices, well, it's a good time to be a TV manufacturer..
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SPC Andrew Griffin Sooner or later we will withdraw, but the "Long War" doesn't seem like it will end anytime soon.
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Intriguing question coming from an E-4 (not bashing). It's our duty to stay until the mission is complete. Unfortunately, we don't decide that. This is an all volunteer force.
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SPC Andrew Griffin
I'm an E-4 with a lot of EXPERIENCE! Its not what ON my CHEST its whats IN Chest! Cool?
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SMSgt (Join to see)
SPC Andrew Griffin - I don't doubt your experience. As a Spec in the Army you are charged to be technically competent for your task and purpose. I'm sure some moral will tank however; we are still a volunteer force and that is what I am driving at. If service members morale drops to a pint of no return it may be time to find something else career wise. Ya we're cool.
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SPC Andrew Griffin I believe it has the ability to be very destructive to moral. We fought, bled and cried there and now we are going to stay in order to help save some jack balls. Enough is enough there. But the mission goes on.
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I actually don't think this will decrease morale. Morale of a lot of people who have served in Afghanistan has previously been low because they felt we were abandoning the cause they fought for. I think this is the right move, and hopefully will help stabilization, especially long-term.
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Some aren't going to be happy with it, and I might be one of them, BUT my job is to do what is asked of me by those appointed over me. I might not understand or agree with the task or mission, but I will complete the mission and afterwards ask why. The troops need this mentality ingrained in them or they'll look for reasons to question orders and not complete the mission fully which will only hurt them and the cause. In time historians will make the call of whether or not this was the right call... no one still serving has that right yet. Do your job; protect your left and rights, and those inside of that. Bring your troops and yourself home and the rest will sort itself out.
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The delay in drawdown In Afghanistan will effect the moral of the troops negatively. As much as troops are to follow orders at what point does their trust in the benefits of their sacrifice come to fruition, and with no end it sight that can put a huge psychological stressor on the troops. SPC Andrew Grffin I would be interested in the negative effects this moral of the immediate family of the men and woman in the uniform.
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SPC Andrew Griffin
I think it would affect them negatively too! We have been there going on 14 years now!
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I have Soldiers who are choosing to ETS because of a lack of deployments. I think the end of the GWOT will decrease morale if anything.
As far as a strictly Garrison environment goes, I doubt there will be any prolonged period without conflict of some sort. Let's look at the last 75 years.
WWII 1941-45
Korean War 1951-53
Viet Nam War 1955-75
Grenada 1983
Panama 1989-1990
Operation Desert Storm/Shield 1991
Bosnia Intervention 1992-2004
Kosovo Intervention 1998-1999
OEF 2001
OEF 2003
Chances are this pattern will continue into the foreseeable future. The world is probably the least stable its been in the last 25 years.
As far as a strictly Garrison environment goes, I doubt there will be any prolonged period without conflict of some sort. Let's look at the last 75 years.
WWII 1941-45
Korean War 1951-53
Viet Nam War 1955-75
Grenada 1983
Panama 1989-1990
Operation Desert Storm/Shield 1991
Bosnia Intervention 1992-2004
Kosovo Intervention 1998-1999
OEF 2001
OEF 2003
Chances are this pattern will continue into the foreseeable future. The world is probably the least stable its been in the last 25 years.
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