Morales: Return to service
COMBAT OUTPOST CASHE, Iraq
I am a Yale graduate deployed on a 15-month tour to Iraq, where I lead over 700 soldiers. I have spent three of the last five years in Iraq. Like many deployed units, my soldiers and I work to secure the populace, transition and train Iraqi Security Forces, build civil capacity and economic development, and work tirelessly in a dangerous, complex and tough environment.
As a leader, I must draw upon my ability to work with others, think and ultimately make decisions that are ethical, sound and appropriate to the totality of the situation. Every day...
Rich, with all due respect, I would not want to see my kids fight a senseless oil war thousands of miles from my doorstep (or any war for that matter). I would not want to send my kids to Yale as a step to join the armed forces. I am not really sure the armed forces of any country need the great thinkers that you speak of... Let's instead bring the troops home - make love, not war!
Like Rich wrote, enlistment in the military is optional - so SOMer, if your kids want to join the fight, it is their choice not yours. I wouldn't mind seeing more Yalies in the military because 1) we need good minds in all areas of government service and 2) we should not let political agendas restrict options for Yale students
I'm with Spoiled Liberal. Did you read the article? Yale would not be a "step to join the armed forces;" the opportunity to do so would simply exist again. I think it's a great idea, and a great article.
Five years after I graduated from Yale I joined a law firm that was populated by ex-military menk, some of whom had been ground soldiers in Vietnam. I spent many hours in anti-war activism, my new colleagues knew this and never expressed resentment toward me for it. One of my friends among them told me he felt that part of the blame for the My Lai atrocity was that the best and brightest of America's youth avoided service in Vietnam. His theory was that Callie was a substandard officer who the military had to put there because it didn't have enough good men. It was a gross oversimplification but the idea did stick with me a bit.
Having ROTC on campus does not force anyone to join but would open Yale to men and women who have the desire to serve militarily and the smarts to get into and succeed at Yale. It would enhance Yale and the military in my view.
Thanks for your article Rich and thanks to for your service.
SOMer,
While you sit comfortably at home with your nice framed degree from the Yale School of Management, sectors of society which you would have nothing to do with put their lives on the line to defend everything we cherish.
How dare you critique a war and then say we don't need good minds to fight them? Haven't the last 8 years taught us that we can't have inexperienced Yalies sending our troops around the world without knowing at all what they are doing?
Oh nevermind, I get it, we'll just make love and not war!
Come on.
Ben
Please know that the views presented are only my thoughts and perspective on Iraq, the military, and Yale's role in service to the nation and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Defense or the United States Army.
Should you want to discuss or just say hello, richmorales@aya.yale.edu.