A mid who is doing a paper on IED's wrote to ask me my first-hand take on some stuff. I gave him my unclassified take and told him I would be glad to answer any questions. Here is his email today:
Thank you very much for your last email. It was helpful in understanding what is going on with improvised explosive devices right now. How did you get chosen to join the Army working with IEDs in Iraq as a naval officer? And secondly, what kind of training did you receive prior to being deployed and how in depth was that training?
Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Again, thank you for your time because I know you are very busy over there.
Boy, what do I say to that? I know how I would answer if any of my friends were to ask, but this guy is just a pup. If the truth got out, they'd have to put him on suicide watch and take his shoe-laces away from him. I can just imagine him telling his therapist, as he is rocking back and forth with his thumb in his mouth, "I just about trusted the Navy with my life. If I hadn't decided to write my paper on IED's, and if he hadn't been so forthcoming, that could be me... (interrupted by babbling and drooling)." I am debating whether to just not answer under the motherly if you can't say something nice rule, or to just tell him the "truth" vice the truth. I mean, if I don't recruit the next generation, whose going to be my relief? This is one of those ethical dilemmas that you think can only come in an ethics class.
I faced a similar dilemma when I went to the Academy to teach. How could I recruit these kids to submarines when there was the option of being a pilot AND liking your job? How could I respond when they asked for sea stories? Do I make them up? Do I fudge the truth? Do I tell pilot sea stories and just substitute submarine in for airplane? I really never faced up to that one. I ducked and jibed, pretended I was deaf, told them we didn't have time for such trivialities when there was math to be done... Anything to avoid asking the question. Now I'm faced with a similar situation out here.
I think I will just sit on this one for a while and stare at my left foot to count my blessings.
