Jack Remembers -- Lesson in Fraternization

Some time ago, I wrote a column of how the Army was like a Caste System and I initially did not get any response from the article. I since have received several including the following from Don Wilson, Hartville, MO.

Mr. Hackley, It’s easy for me to understand why you failed to get any response from military people because career military people probably don’t spend their lives resenting the authority of others. However, it seems this country is beginning to be controlled by people who spend too much time envying and resenting the success of others. I spent 3 years in the army from 1962-1965 in Korea and had no difficulty understanding why the military operates like it does. I understood then and I still do. Perhaps you don’t realize that while the officers limit their associations with enlisted men they also limit their association with officers that are junior to them. In a nutshell, when the military is functioning in a war-time situation each person in authority has the responsibility to direct his junior officers, NCO ’s and enlisted men into the face of death. For this reason he can’t allow himself to be influenced by friendship. Failure to do his job could cause the death or injury of numerous people totally unrelated to the “ friendship”. 

Of course, Mr. Wilson is correct. However, to be drafted into the Infantry during the Korean era, we thought, gave us the right to complain, and complain we did. One time we were on maneuvers on a mountain range in northern Hokkaido near Siberia. It was frigid cold with snow on the ground. Our Company went into reserve and the First Sergeant ordered two of us to pitch a tent for the Officers. It was dark, but the supply truck that had thrown off our sleeping bags with no tents also had cots and blankets for the Officers, along with a Yukon stove. It operated from a gas can with a hose dropping gas in to a small metal stove. When we got through, the officers ordered me to have the Mess Sergeant fix them a hot meal. He had not had time to set up a Mess Tent in this base camp and had passed out cans of cold sea rations to the troops. Someone asked how could you respect these officers. It was easy, to not respect them would cost six months in a stockade and 2/3rd of my $30 a month salary.

Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075.