Quote:
Originally posted by docetboy
Unfortunately, when I enter active duty, I won't have the option of deciding what orders are political and what are not. Because I will have to obey ALL orders the same, regardless of where they came from. If not, I will be subject to Court Martial under Article 92 of the Uniformed Code of Military Justice - which specifically reads
“Any person subject to this chapter who—
(1) violates or fails to obey any lawful general order or regulation;
(2) having knowledge of any other lawful order issued by a member of the armed forces, which it is his duty to obey, fails to obey the order; or
(3) is derelict in the performance of his duties; shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.”
and carries the maximum sentence of a Dishonerable Discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and two years confinement.
It's easy for a civilian to judge if an order is a politically motivated one or not, but when a soldier in the field recieves an order, it's motivation is the least of his worries. He has to carry it out just the same, and his life depends on his faith in that order.
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I completely agree with you on this... A stong chain of command and discipline is abosolutely important to both your survival but also of your buddies. I'm just saying that it is possible to question/think about the motivations or reasons behind a mission (overall mission staement or goal), but at the same time perform to best of your ability as a soldier.....
I'm not saying you sit there with a thumb up your ass wondering if every command in the field is political or not (though you should consider lawful/un-lawful). Orders in the field should be followed through on a near-instinict level, because delay means death. What I meant was the "big picture", the Why? I disagreed with the original reasoning behind the war, that doesn't mean I disagree with the current mission to help the Iraqis nor the people taking on this mission. I believe a stable and free Iraq is vital to the security of the region, just as a stable and free Afghanistan is..... that is why I support the men and women stuggling to make it happen.