I'm a sixteen-year career soldier on my first deployment. I have a comment to make about some of the soldiers I see daily downrange. These soldiers apparently think they are “back on the block” and don't have to adhere to the same standards they do stateside. I am tired of making daily corrections on uniform appearance and military bearing. NCOs, if you are not ready to address these failures, you need to take a good look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are ready to be a leader. Specifically, I'm talking about the new “desert” boots. While it's unfortunate that the Army no longer issues the black boots that require shining, this does not mean that soldiers do not need to maintain their footwear. I've seen soldiers walking around with boots that are not only scuffed, but also have marks on them. Needless to say, this is unacceptable. Soldiers, spend an hour or two a day with a horsehair brush and some suede renewer and TAKE CARE OF YOUR GEAR. Leaders, ensure that boot maintenance takes place daily. It's too important for your soldiers to neglect.
SFC Edward P. Anderson
Camp Buehring, Kuwait
Dear Scars and Gripes,
In today's day and age, we expect that religious intolerance has disappeared in the Army. Sadly, this is only true if you are part of the Christian majority. As a member of the Jedi/Sith religion, my religious preference is not even allowed to be listed on my dog tags. Christians are permitted a cross on their cemetary headstones. Jews have the Star of David. When will the Death Star get the same recognition? Before missions, when the unit gets together for a quick prayer, why must “God” always be mentioned? I tried to lead a prayer one afternoon, but when I invoked the sacred “Mitochlorians”, I was cruelly mocked with laughter and forced from the group. The teasing and torment has contined. While deployed, I keep an inflatable Darth Maul in my can as a shrine. Yesterday, when I returned from the showers, I found that it had been crudely defaced by vandals who had glued my lightsaber to it, fashioning a makeshift phallus. Unfortunately, I was not able to remove the lightsaber without puncturing Darth Maul, and now I cannot kneel before my shrine for fear of injuring my eye. When will this bigotry stop? We demand to be taken seriously.
May the Dark Side Prevail,
SPC Kevin Barnes
Sith Lord
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