SGT Major Sounds Off

[trof]

"This is a recent letter written by the Command Sergeant Major of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) to Senator Warner explaining why he is retiring earlier than planned. It is a sobering and articulate accounting of the state of our military. This letter was forwarded with the idea that one must understand a problem in order to fix it. I agree that this retiring CSM's thoughts are very much worth considering. It is also published here due to the fact that it very astutely and genuinely describes a situation that I have heard repeated time and time again in recent months, both from the U.S. special operations community and the conventional military."

http://www.hackworth.com/

If you're not familiar with "Hack", he has an interesting website. Among other things, he wrote the book for jungle, guerilla warfare in Viet Nam. He is not a left winger, by any stretch. He is a vocal critic of the current DOD leadership, from Rumsfeld on down. He has called Rummy an "asshole". Guy doesn't pull his punches.

[chaumont58]

1. This retirement letter was in DU a few days ago

and one poster said it was six years old. I did a half-hearted google search to see if I could verify that, but gave up soon. If it is six years old, it puts a different light on it.

[patdem]

2. I am afraid you might be correct, Reimer retired in June 1999

This is the name mentioned in the letter to Warner regarding 'Joint Chiefs of Staff'.


Remarks as delivered by Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen at the retirement ceremony of U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Dennis Reimer

Retirement Ceremony of U.S. Army Chief of Staff General Dennis Reimer
Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, Fort Myer, Virginia, June 21, 1999



http://www.dod.gov/speeches/1999/s19990621-secdef.html

[IndianaGreen]

3. Reimer was replaced by Shinseki

You are right, this letter can be no later than 1999 and it has become another internet myth that should be debunked!