Welcome CJCS to Operation Yellow Elephant

Marine General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, says that Rep. John Murtha (D-PA)'s statement that he would not enlist in the military today is hurting military recruiting. Pace praised the congressman's record but criticized his remarks.

"When a respected leader like Mr. Murtha, who has spent 37 extremely honorable years as a Marine, ... has served the country extremely well in the Congress of the United States, when a respected individual like that says what he said, and 18- and 19-year-olds look to their leadership to determine how they are expected to act, they can get the wrong message," Pace said.

"That's damaging to recruiting," Pace said. "It's damaging to morale of the troops who are deployed, and it's damaging to the morale of their families who believe in what they are doing to serve this country."

Well, General Pace, I had no idea that a single minority party Congressman is now considered the "leadership" of the 18- and 19-year-olds of our great nation. Whatever happened to the President and the Vice President? Aren't they supposed to be our nation's "leadership?" [Well, OK, Murtha trumps them on "leadership" because Cheney never served and President Bush, at minumum, never deployed.] Why won't they lead, and influence America's 18- and 19-year-olds to consider volunteering for military service?

Sir, even the official January 5 Pentagon press release reporting your remarks urges such influencers to encourage young people to serve in the military. Unlike President Bush's June 28 speech at Fort Bragg, you've even acknowledged that military service is worthwhile for those who plan other careers eventually.

What about the Senate and the House of Representatives, which are controlled by the President's party? Please re-read your Constitution before identifying the "leadership" of our country before impressionable 18- and 19-year-olds, much less the current Administration. [Unless they included "leadership" in your talking points, which shows that they don't have any.]

Here's a recruiting tip: Jenna's beau Henry Hager. And his father, John Hager.