Homefires: The NY Times meets U.S. servicemembers

The New York Times blog, Homefires, features thoughts and perspectives from recently returned warriors, all extremely well written, usually by junior officers and provoking a wide variety of [moderated] comments that are worth reading.

While we would prefer that all New York Times readers, especially those of the elite classes, personally knew enlisted servicemembers or junior officers, this is the next best thing. OYE's principal theme, that if more influential Americans personally knew someone wearing the uniform, our national civilian political leadership would be more careful in sending them into harm's way, and would ensure that they had everything they needed once there, comes through.

We appreciate the New York Times reaching out in this manner.

Here's the link: Homefires.

Bonus:

Take a look at Comment 30 on this week's Homefires. Since it'll soon be deleted, we're repeating it in full. Enjoy!

30. Sic Semper Tyrannis
Atlanta, GA
February 7, 2010
3:22 p.m.

To Our Dear Military Friends:

As an international investment banker enjoying my latest 8 figure bonus, I just wanted to congratulate our volunteer army for being the most cost-effective means of portfolio enhancement since the Reagan tax cuts. My friends at the polo club and I are amazed at how many Americans will risk their lives for so little return, but ce'st la guerre. Just throwing out the words freedom, threat and democracy in the national media and you people line up to kill foreigners thousands of miles away. You give life and sometimes liberty so we can pursue our happiness of globalizing markets, gobbling up resources and captivating cheap labor The sense of honor and patriotism our media consultants have manufactured for you is SO much cheaper than paying you what you're worth and giving you adequate resources when you return. We are certainly not going to look that gift horse in the mouth, and appreciate your are there to eliminate financial obstacles, diversify our portfolios and guarantee a lucrative return on our arms investments. However, any attempts to organize or unionize will result in the military being outsourced to Mexico.

BTW; my peers and I are having some problems with government of Myanmar. You may want to unpack those jungle fatigues and stock up on quinine after we hand down our decision to the state department.

OYE Comment:

We trust that our readers will recognize the above as satire [i.e., not serious]; The New York Times clearly did not. This is an example of the ongoing need for our civilian society to know more about our military and the Americans who serve us in it.