For Our U.S. Military "Friendly Fire" Is Anything But
"Friendly Fire" – Another Military Oxymoron
Reminds me of "military intelligence," jokingly referred to by combat troops as a contradiction in terms due to the wide-spread perception of mass confusion and the ineptness of our military leaders. It is a vast machine, our military, and one that sometimes gets a bad rap, especially when they are second guessed by civilians. Remember the term, "hurry up and wait?" It was invented by the military.
Somehow the job gets done, but at a heavy price, especially when someone dies because they didn't get "the word.". Or how about "military justice" another famous military oxymoron where verdicts are passed down, based not on guilt or innocence, but for reasons the brass refer to as "for the good of the service." Yeah, whatever.
There Is Nothing Friendly About "Friendly Fire"
Military justice also plays a big part in the way incidents of "friendly fire" are processed through the military machine. If there is a possibility that the circumstances have the potential to embarrass the service, lies will be told and judgments made, again, "for the good of the service." In most cases junior officers are thrown to the dogs because they are expendable and a dime a dozen, those "responsible" are found, blame is assigned, guilt established, judgments made, case closed. However, when someone with a little celebrity status comes along and gets killed, like Pat Tillman, everything changes.
Under the heat of the spotlight the brass has to aim way higher than lieutenants. They are going to have to fry some big boys to keep their public relations intact and those sacrificed will understand that giving up their career "is for the good of the service." After all, some time later when the heat dies down all will be forgiven and the record corrected. It's a fact of life about the military that people like Kevin Tillman are just discovering. I ask you, is there anything "friendly" about losing a brother?
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