Presidents Need to Visit the Troops

[daftandbarmy]

Yup  :nod:

Presidents Need to Visit the Troops


It’s how commanders in chief show soldiers they’re not forgotten.

And yet presidents need to visit the troops—it is a vital thing to do. Part of this is simply good leadership, because despite the cynics, most of the grunts want to see their president. For one thing, a president is, by definition, a celebrity, and the troops love celebrities—television or film stars, singers, you name it. They want the selfies and the signatures, and they get a kick out of watching the president serve Thanksgiving dinner or mug with a sweating, oil-stained mechanic. In that respect, they do not differ from their contemporaries in the civilian world.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/12/trump-needs-visit-troops/576973/

 

[Journeyman]

I'm not sure why you left out the introduction, which from my experience, says it all.

Battlefield tourism  is the sour term occasionally used by soldiers when some group of distinguished visitors shows up in the deserts of Iraq or the mountains of Afghanistan. From the soldiers’ point of view, the itinerant pundits or officials are a nuisance. They require special care and handling, they ask dumb questions, they take up the time of harried commanders and sleep-deprived intelligence briefers, and they really don’t get what this enterprise is all about. The visitors will probably go back and brag about their time under fire when they have just been lounging around a safe forward operating base—but if they do force their way to a place where bombs go off or snipers shoot, they can be a real menace to others as well as themselves.

And it wasn't just celebrities or politicians, it's the Staff Annoyance Visits from military chair-warmers trying to rack up 32  days in-theatre, to qualify for bling.

A pox on the lot of 'em!   


[Unless this is some back-door effort to get Trump killed off...which, like the hand-wringing (gleeful or fearful) about the Dems having sufficient strength to impeach Trump, is the very last thing anyone should hope for -- Pence becoming President ...by any means!  Not discussing further, as I try  to avoid the recurring train-wreck that is US Politics threads] 

 

[OldSolduer]

The President or PM/GG should be dropping in to say hello etc. The “military tourists “  ie a bunch of officers -need to stay home.

 

[tomahawk6]

Historically previous Presidents have visited the troops at least for a photo op, this year at Christmas might be a good time for Trump to stop in at Afghanistan. But he could also send the VP or Mattis out to visit the troops.

 

[FJAG]

Historically previous Presidents have visited the troops at least for a photo op, this year at Christmas might be a good time for Trump to stop in at Afghanistan. But he could also send the VP or Mattis out to visit the troops.

The VP and Mattis should certainly get out there and do that. (and I'm sure Mattis has already done so several times.)

On the other hand, if there is a perception that Trump is "sending them in his place" then he deserves to be roundly criticized for not doing his job. If he can go to all the political rallies that he attends and the weekly golf trips he could easily make it down to Fort Bragg and meet XVIII Airborne Corps or JSOC or head over to MacDill and visit CENTCOM to meet some of the folks.

:subbies:

 

[Haggis]

Trump prides himself on being savvy on military matters and talks to his generals all the time.  Maybe they're telling him to "stay home"?

 

[tomahawk6]

2019 is election time so expect to see Trump among the troops. He has done pretty well in that regard in his tenure.

 

[mariomike]

They want the selfies and the signatures, and they get a kick out of watching the president serve Thanksgiving dinner or mug with a sweating, oil-stained mechanic.

He gave them a telephone call from Mar-a-Lago.
https://www.google.com/search?ei=RmkEXKXYMoOAtQXPoaDQCg&q=+troops+thanksgiving+trump&oq=+troops+thanksgiving+trump&gs_l=psy-ab.12...16582.22162..23470...0.0..0.88.250.3......0....1j2..gws-wiz.......0j0i7i30j0i30j0i8i30j0i22i30.j_74i5fBgsQ

That's the next best thing.

Interesting quote about "Battlefield tourism" in Reply #1.

 

[daftandbarmy]

I'm not sure why you left out the introduction, which from my experience, says it all.
And it wasn't just celebrities or politicians, it's the Staff Annoyance Visits from military chair-warmers trying to rack up 32  days in-theatre, to qualify for bling.

A pox on the lot of 'em!   


[Unless this is some back-door effort to get Trump killed off...which, like the hand-wringing (gleeful or fearful) about the Dems having sufficient strength to impeach Trump, is the very last thing anyone should hope for -- Pence becoming President ...by any means!  Not discussing further, as I try  to avoid the recurring train-wreck that is US Politics threads] 

At the Company level I enjoyed receiving BFTs at the 'frontline FOB'.

Whenever possible, I would substitute them in for a soldier scheduled to head out on a local town patrol ... 'here, take my flak jacket, chest rig and rifle'.

Funny, after awhile, the numbers of BFTs tended to drop off...  ;D

 

[mariomike]

the troops love celebrities—television or film stars, singers, you name it.

Pretty hard to top Bob Hope when he brought Raquel Welch to entertain the military in Vietnam for Christmas 1967. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDlBIqRPX_c

 

[FJAG]

Pretty hard to top Bob Hope when he brought Raquel Welch to entertain the military in Vietnam for Christmas 1967. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDlBIqRPX_c

Joey Heatherton!!

Video link below:

https://youtu.be/wU3l9bpDtnM

:subbies:

 

[blacktriangle]

At the Company level I enjoyed receiving BFTs at the 'frontline FOB'.

Whenever possible, I would substitute them in for a soldier scheduled to head out on a local town patrol ... 'here, take my flak jacket, chest rig and rifle'.

Funny, after awhile, the numbers of BFTs tended to drop off...  ;D

Awesome!  ;D

 

[daftandbarmy]

Awesome!  ;D

Yes, it was.

Even better, we had a Gung Ho Asst Adjt on one of my tours (a female) who was always down doing patrols with us at 'ground zero'. Unarmed, because the policy was that female troops and police would not be armed as they were considered 'non combatants (like a 1000lb IED can tell the difference, right?).

I finally started sending copies of our patrol program to her directly, copy the Adjt, Ops O and CO, to try and shame the rest of them into joining us occasionally, which they did not (because they were careerist cowards hiding behind the 'I'm so busy' excuse, IMHO).

 

[tomahawk6]

Its important for staff officers in a combat zone to try and get a feel for what the troops are dealing with.Flip side I remember when I served in Korea Staff officers would schedule trips to the DMZ so as to qualify for combat pay,which I think is/was abhorrent. A Colonel or BG for example gets paid pretty well so why does he need an extra $200 ? Its unnecessary and it creates
an undue burden on the troops being visited,as the VIP's needed security.

 

[Jarnhamar]

Garbage sweeps as far as the eye can see.

Rearranging piles of sandbags to look neater.

Rearranging piles of scrap wood to look like organized piles of scrap wood.

Raking stones in stone parking lots.

Days off lost it they coincide with a visit because you have to appear busy 24/7




Always a pleasure when visitors visit  ;D

 

[daftandbarmy]

Garbage sweeps as far as the eye can see.

Rearranging piles of sandbags to look neater.

Rearranging piles of scrap wood to look like organized piles of scrap wood.

Raking stones in stone parking lots.

Days off lost it they coincide with a visit because you have to appear busy 24/7




Always a pleasure when visitors visit  ;D

For the win!  :nod:

 

[Jarnhamar]

Basically this


https://youtu.be/cIICzY0wsEg

;D

 

[tomahawk6]

Don't PM's have a political need to be seen with the Forces ?

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Don't PM's have a political need to be seen with the Forces ?

:rofl:

Thanks, T6! I needed a good laugh!

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Don't PM's have a political need to be seen with the Forces ?

Thanks for that. We tend to forget our own transgressions while pointing out the fault in others. Especially, when we really have nothing to crow about or anyone smart enough to compete.