"The Need to Soldier" - Part 2

                                                       The Need to Soldier – Part 2*                  8/8/14
                                                                          By
                                                                    Ray Allred

Several months later, with the 82nd still leading the way, the general in the Pentagon whom I had worked for at one time, sent one of his junior staff officers down to inspect the office.  The emphasis was compliance with the edicts of the Jumps-Army system.  I was not at all surprised when this officer told me that he had found several deviations to the approved system that he was going to have to report to that general.  These deviations were generally related to how we supported the combat units through the use of mobile finance teams – something way beyond the robotic thinking on which the system was to operate.

The staff officer reported his finding, and soon after this general officer called me on the phone and told me to get the office in step with “his” approved procedures.  I told him that now that we had control of the pay system, perhaps this would be a good time to make some changes if they would indeed improve the service to the troops.  That answer was not good enough.  He then told me that he was going to have me relieved of my duties with the 82nd immediately.

Armed with the reports published by the Finance Center and underwritten by that general officer’s office, I again paid a visit to the Chief of Staff who by now was beginning to trust what we were doing and the results.  I again walked him through the past eight or nine months, pointing out that we were now according to the general that he would probably be soon hearing from, the best performing finance office in the entire Army.  This was a record that we could all be proud.  The Chief could see where this was going, so he opened the door to the commander’s office and asked if he had a moment for an important and timely issue.

I spent about 20 minutes reviewing the numbers and the origin of the numbers with the Commander and found that he too had been tracking our progress through the reports that I provided the Chief each month.  He complimented me on a job well done and asked, what was the rub?  I spend another 20 minutes explaining how we were using finance support teams to support our combat units, particularly the deployed units.  Our teams in concert with the unit’s PSNCO built the bridge that linked the office to the troops on the ground. We were able to clean up past pay discrepancies and prevent future problems by having daily contact with the troops. Each month, these teams went to work as soon as the pay vouchers hit the office to ensure that each soldier was properly paid.  Should there be something that we missed during the month; local action would be taken to see that the troop was properly paid on payday. 

The commander bought into our program and seemed most pleased with the progress that we had made and to know that pay was no longer as issue for the division.  I never again heard from that general officer in the Pentagon.  We continued to operate and provide the finest finance support available.  Again, thanks to the empowered NCOs and the support from the command group.
In addition to taking on the finance office project, I thought it wise for me to enhance my parachuting skills so I could be a leader in this arena as well.  In order to qualify for senior airborne wings one had to complete the Jump Master course in addition to some other requirements.  This course was held at Fort Bragg and was conducted for the most part during the day light hours.  I could easily attend the course during the day and work the finance office issues in the evenings.  I did just that.  Once completed, I was qualified to perform Jump Master Duties during airborne operations.  This accomplished a couple of things that enhanced the service that the finance office provided.

Conducting off post training operations during this time frame had probably reached its peak.  Each brigade and or battalion would conduct a week to 10-day operation during its training cycle.  Having the opportunity to plan and execute such an operation on unfamiliar terrain was much more beneficial than training there at Fort Bragg because it added real world possibilities and challenges. 

Real world alerts were also common for this division.  The women knew something was up when the men started wearing their camo underwear.  On one such occasion the home telephone rang sometime after midnight.  Only two words were spoken, “Wheels Up”.  After that message sunk in I grabbed my Alert Rooster and made like calls to those on the alert list.  Soon after we marshaled on our pre-positioned equipment and made our way to Green Ramp where the aircraft were standing by.  We then began loading the aircraft.
A few hours later my 70+ year-old Mother, who was living in San Antonio, Texas was watching television when a news flash reported that the 82nd was loading out for the Golan Heights.  I was still busy at Green Ramp loading aircraft when a messenger drove up in a jeep looking for Major Allred.  I identified myself and he informed me that I had a telephone call at the shack.  He gave me a ride so I could answer that call.

When I picked up the phone to my surprise it was my mother.  She said that she had been watching TV and saw where we were being dispatched to the Golan Heights.  My reply was to acknowledge this.  Then she went on to say that she had been on a tour over there last year.  I also acknowledged that and reminded her of the post card she had sent us.  She went on to say that we could not go.   To that I had to respond that I did not think that was a negotiable position.  Then I asked why, she then replied – “Because there are not enough trees for you to hide behind.”  Upon that I thanked her for calling, told her I loved her, excused myself and went back to work.
As I said earlier, we would dispatch a finance team with each battalion size unit to provide support when and where needed.  Generally, an officer, sometime I would participate in these exercises.  Having the ability to earn your transportation by working as a Jump Master on one of the aircraft assisted the participating unit in manning this position.  This was particularly true if the flight was going to be a long one and “in flight rigging procedures” would be employed. 

Once on the ground, these teams would set up to furnish the funding for whatever the need might be, for example:  to purchase local fruits and vegetables, pay for local transportation, buses, trucks, and automobiles, to arrange for partial pay days should the units set up an R&R site for a mid-week break.  We had to work very closely with the G4 and G5 reps that were doing the purchasing, leasing, renting, etc. which we provided the cash payment.  There was plenty to do to keep the team busy and if they did have some idle time, they could make the rounds to discuss pay issues with the troops, noting any concerns that would later be followed up on.

Taking on these additional responsibilities and having the ability to support the airborne operations made the task of being invited to participate much easier because we were providing manpower that would enhance the training exercise, not just going along for the ride.  This also went a long way toward getting the finance personnel back in step with the soldiering aspects of their primary responsibilities.

In addition, learning new airborne skills really fit well with me.  In fact, the 82nd Parachute Club, like most non-appropriated fund activities was always in the need of administrative and leadership skills to help manage as they negotiated the many rules and regulations governing daily operations.  I found this to be another area in which there was a real tradeoff.  I could furnish these administrative and leadership skills while learning and improving my “free fall parachuting” skills and earning additional ratings.

It was not long after I initiated this support before the 82nd Parachute Team was participating in worldwide competitions.  The team not only participated but hosted regional, national, and international parachuting competitions and events. I was privileged to Captain two Relative Work (RW) teams that won world championships. This team was also a springboard for those wanting to become members of the Army Parachute Team, Golden Knights.

I also found that becoming active in the Fort Bragg Flying Club was most beneficial in the support of free fall parachuting.  While most of the airborne operations were done on post and with the support of Army assets, many were conducted off post where we had to furnish the pilots and funds to pay for the rental aircraft.  Therefore, these two non-appropriated fund activities were a good fit and something that I found to be demanding, challenging, and rewarding.

While all of this was going on, one could not help but be impacted by what the division was going through during this period.  As the fiscal year end was approaching, drastic management actions were taken to ensure that the division did not exceed its funded authority.  Motor pools were closed – no vehicles – jeeps, trucks, tanks, etc. – could leave the motor pool because there were no funds to support the needed fuel.  The same was true for the division aircraft.  None were flying, again, because there were no funds to support the purchase of aviation fuels.  This translated to reduced activities – training and support which impacted readiness and our major mission of being deployable.

I saw these conditions as an opportunity to address these shortfalls, which in my view, was brought about by not properly managing division assets.  Accordingly, I drew on the skills that I had learned while doing my time in the Pentagon, and wrote a staff paper addressing these issues.  The thrust was the need for financial management at the division level.

Since so many -- Chief of Staff, G3, G4, and Support Command Commander were getting so much heat over these issues; they were quick to agree with the thrust of this paper.  Not only was I suggesting that another General Staff position be established, and that the supervision of the functions of the AG and Finance move to be under this newly established position. 

The paper went on to address in broad terms how the resources would be controlled by establishing budgets for each battalion size unit.  Additionally, a recoding and accounting system would also have to be developed to provide feedback related to the execution of these budgets.  I was recommending a staffing level of five for this new office.

The General Staff responded as noted during the coordination phase of this staff paper.  The G1 took exception to move the AG function. The G2 concurred with the paper as written.  The G3 concurred and offered one enlisted billet from their training section.  The G4 concurred and offered one enlisted billet and a supply sergeant from the supply section.  The G5 concurred.  The Support Command Commander concurred and offered one enlisted billet and a maintenance sergeant from the maintenance function.  Accordingly, to establish and man this new function, the division would have to furnish only two additional billets.  To man these five billets, three more people would have to be identified.

A young major who had just branched transferred from infantry to finance reported to duty.  The timing could not have been better because I now had someone that I could turn the finance office over to should I be selected to head up this new General Staff position.  So, I only needed to identify two more personnel in order to have the five recommended positions filled.

After the paper had been fully coordinated, I now had to do a selling job to the Chief of Staff and the Commanding General.  I briefed the Chief first.  That was a breeze.  He wanted this issue solved and for good.  For the next briefing, the two Assistant Division Commanders and the Commanding General plus the Chief of Staff were present in addition to the General Staff, G1 thru G5 and the Support Command Commander.

I was a bit nervous, but as I started the briefing I could see that the Commander was very much interested in what I had to say.  He had already read the paper and the remarks made by the staff so he was prepared for this presentation.  In addition to the original paper, I had developed several documents that I had envisioned be used as management tools.  Budgets, reports, etc. were explained – all conceptual at this point but on the mark.  As a result the Commander approved the establishment of the Assistant Chief of Staff -- Resource Management – G6 position.  Note:  Later re-designated as Comptroller – G8.

As a side issue, once the finance function was realigned under the G6 I could see no reason that this function should not be aligned like the rest of the Army.  Meaning – the Army is organized into companies, battalions, and brigades.  Much of the groundwork to support this organizational realignment was done during my tour in Viet Nam when we aligned the non-divisional finance offices under the nearest combat division.  This effort got a lot of attention and as a result in 1974 – the 82nd Finance Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division was formally organized and activated.  That was a proud moment for those who served in this arena.  This was part of an Army-wide effort to realign all finance offices along command lines.   

Establishing a G 6 position at division level was a first for the Army. You can bet if the 82nd did something others were sure to follow and they soon did.  As this presentation came to a close, the Commander said something to the effect – since you wrote this paper and have put so much effort in developing this concept, I would guess that you would want this position.  My reply was to the affirmative.  So I got the job.

I found a couple of small offices in the command building that we could use to house this new function.  I was also able to get a newly assigned lieutenant with an accounting background out of the pipeline.  Taking an additional sergeant from the finance office rounded out our staffing – so we were now in business.

Much of the first month was spent developing the tools required to turn these conceptual visions into real world hands on products that we needed to operate.  One of the most challenging was the development of the accounting and tracking system.  We were blessed with the assignment of the G4 representative because he understood both the supply system and automated reporting.  Here my guidance was very simple – we need to provide the battalion S4 with a simplistic set of data that first captured allotted funds by category and also captured the execution of these funds also by those same categories.  Keep it simple!

For example, at month end when the battalion S4 picked up his report he could easily see where he stood by category.  This system had to be a by-product of the existing systems, not a stand-alone accounting system.  Again, when the S4 reviewed his report is was easy to read and understand, plus it only captured real data needed to manage the accounts that his unit was responsible for at that time.

We continued to work on the development and execution of these financial issues until we got it right.  Then I was notified that I had been selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel, below the zone.  Was I ever surprised, but once I realized that I would probably be moved out of the division because of this promotion, I was most saddened by that prospect.  Being a major in the 82nd was an ideal situation for me because I really enjoyed what I was doing, but most importantly, the folks that I was privileged to be working with in the 82nd.

Sure enough, I soon was told that I had been selected to attend the Army War College in Carlisle, PA.  What was the Army War College?  Why was I going there?  What was I to learn that would provide a pay back to the Army?  And many more questions crossed my mind as the reporting date neared.  It was a sad day for me when we left Fort Bragg for that new assignment.  I knew that because of my rank and branch I would never again be assigned to the 82nd.

Once at the Army War College, things became very academic, but not like what I had experienced with the Command and General Staff College.  There were no knuckle drills, but there was time to reflect, think, and pursue current issues impacting the Army.  One such issue was – The All-Volunteer Army that had been implemented two years before I reported to the War College.
In order for the President to escape the heat of drafting young folks to serve in the military, this new concept of having an all-volunteer force was adopted and implemented.  The implementation started with lower priority units and then worked its way up to the higher priority units.  It still had not reached the 82nd prior to my departure, so I knew little of this new policy or its impact.
One of the major programs that the Army War College prided itself on was the guest speaker program.  Each week, we would have two or three general officers or high-ranking civilians address the class and talk about current issues that they were now facing.  If they did not talk about the all-volunteer force, someone in the class would ask a question relating to the progress that was being made and the impact on the services – each service has its own version of this volunteer force. 

To the man, each general or high-ranking civilian would point out or reply that the all-volunteer force was “the greatest thing since sliced bread.”  And then go on to explain that the services now had better trained and most productive professional personnel it had ever had.  This move from the draft not only took the heat off of the President, but not drafting rich kids provided relief for a lot of folks.
Since we were in an academic setting and wanting current issues to study, this was a perfect topic.  I was pulled into a group and asked to provide the financial data for the group as the study was developed.  This I found very interesting.  And as the study gained momentum, this aspect of the study became more and more interesting and important.

In order to get young folks to volunteer for the services, the thought process was that they would have to be compensated much more than a draftee.  In fact, competitive pay rates were developed to the point that a newly enlisted member basic pay was far more than he could have earned in the civilian arena.  Not only were basic pay rates increased dramatically, all other associated pays were receiving these unsupportable increases.  The newly enlisted received these step-up increases and he also received room, board, medical, dental, clothing, etc. support all at no cost to the volunteer.

Of course, in order to attract these young folks and to get them to enlist, there had to be a sign up bonus and a bonus paid to the recruiter. In addition, almost unlimited advertisement dollars were spent on TV, radio, and other media ads that encouraged enlistment.   Coupling those expenditures with the financial support provided professional sports—NASCAR is a good example where the services became sponsors of automobile race cars who advertised by displaying service logos – brought the cost of recruiting, training, and placing an enlisted man or woman in their first permanent assignment to a staggering amount that clearly could not be supported by any previous service budget.  The new army was going to cost an arm and a leg and the longer it was permitted to run, the more expensive it was going to get.

Not only was the cost going to get out of hand, now the focus was going to shift to support female, other minorities, and homosexuals.  Physical fitness requirements had to be reduced, promotion and school selections had to be adjusted to accommodate all service members – quotas were now in and competitive selections were now out.  All and all, the services were breaking new ground for none of this had ever really been addressed before because there was never a need to do so.

Our study group concluded that while we were only into this new all-volunteer force realignment for a short time that the future for such a force had to be short lived.  Coupling the impact on the active forces with the impact on the Reserves and National Guard units – suggested that this program be curtailed immediately. 

While the draft was considered by many to be harsh, it was mostly fair.  While it was used to induct over 650,000 during the Viet Nam years, it was responsive.  And most of all – it was affordable and provided both active and reserve personnel that supported both active and reserve units.  The all-volunteer force did none of these.

Leaving the academic arena behind, I headed out to a low priority deployable division that was experiencing growing pains.  In support of the All-Volunteer Army implementation the Army was cranking so much money into this unit and installation that it could hardly be accurately tracked.  Therefore, the Commander found himself in hot water and needed some professional help.  He somehow made a deal with the Comptroller of the Army (COA) who fingered me as the one to provide that needed extra effort.  After having served with a high priority unit like the 82nd I would have to say that I was disappointed with this lesser assignment, but there was nothing else to do but to give it my all.

Soon after I reported for duty, I called for an inspection of the troops, mess hall, and barracks.  On the scheduled morning, the escort officer met me at the designated time and off we marched to review the troop formation.  As we approached the formation, I asked, why are so many soldiers in civilian clothes?  The reply was, well they are female soldiers who are pregnant and after they have reached the fourth month, they are permitted to wear civilian clothes because the Army did not have a uniform for pregnant soldiers.  Wow!  You could have knocked me over with a feather.  A deployable unit with pregnant soldiers who don’t even have a uniform—Unbelievable!

After we passed in front of the formation we made our way around to the back where I found four or five women, some in uniform and some not, with baby strollers in which they had their babies.  I asked what are all of these doing here?  I was then told that since I wanted a formation at 0700 hours and all personnel present. These soldiers had to bring their babies because the Day Care Center did not open until 0800 hours.  They had no other place to leave their children.  Again, one could have felled me with a feather.

So there I was, in a low priority deployable division with pregnant, single parent women who did not even have a uniform that would fit.  What in the world was our Army coming to?
I then announced that I wanted to see the mess hall or halls. The escort officer then informed me that the Army no longer had mess halls.  They now had consolidated messing facilities.  The facilities fed any soldier that was housed in their assigned area. 

As we approached the front door and control point, I was expecting so see a sharply dressed NCO controlling the traffic flow and inspecting meal cards to ensure that only authorized personnel were being fed.  A female Sp 5 wearing PT shorts and a Tee shirt greeted us.  She was holding a counter which she punched as soldiers walked through the door on their way to one of two mess lines.  One line was for an Army type balanced meal while the other was for a fast food contractor like a Burger King.  I looked behind the counter and could not find any soldiers on KP duty, only civilians performing these duties.  One other thing that I observed that was most disturbing, there was no NCO monitoring the trash cans where the soldier dumped uneaten food as he was turning his tray in for washing.  Soldiers were throwing away good food that should have been eaten rather than discarded.

I was very disappointed as we left to inspect the barracks.  I was again corrected by the escort officer -- We no longer had barracks; we now have enlisted living quarters.  As we approached the first of several buildings where the troops were housed an NCO greeted us.  He had at least 50 keys on a leather throng that was attached to his belt.  When asked about the keys, I was told that each room had it individual key and therefore he had to have one for each room.  The NCO then led us to a room on the first floor that housed three soldiers.  It also had a bath, was neatly presented and very clean.  From the clothing, one could tell these were male quarters.  As we were leaving, I asked to see a room that was two doors down from this room.  The NCO accommodated my request by opening the door and we entered an entirely different world.  These were female quarters, much in disarray and obviously not meant to be inspected.  Then I selected another set of quarters at the top of the three-story building. That room was even worse than the last.

After I returned to my office, I must have sat there for an hour or so trying to decide how to best tackle all the problems that I had discovered.  My first decision was to report what I had found to the Chief of Staff and to feel him out about these issues.  I did this and he too expressed his disappointment with the status of this division.  By this time the All-Volunteer Army had only been implemented for three years. This division was one of the first to be converted to this new concept and it clearly showed the strain of this ill thought out and poorly executed conversion.
Under these new rules and configurations the NCOs simply lost control of the troops.  Without early formations, mess halls and barracks they could no longer closely monitor the activities of their troops.  Thus, they no longer could take corrective action before things got out of hand.  The results of this loss of control and support are clearly being reflected in the following categories: AWOL, Desertion, Pregnancy, Suicides, Criminal Activities, Drug Violations, etc.  Those are all indicators of trouble within the ranks.

All I could think of at that time was of the many senior military and civilians who addressed the War College class that I was in and when they were asked about the All Voluntary Army – their response was “It is better than sliced bread.”  Now I realized that they were just singing the Army song.  They either had little or no knowledge of what was going on or they were more at ease supporting the Army’s position rather than to give an honest answer to that question.

Many thought the services were moving in the wrong direction and found it hard to agree with the changes that were now being dictated to shore up a process that was doomed from the beginning.  Only politics and those who walk those lines and play those games could hold something so out of place and dysfunctional together for the long term.  The wasted assets were beginning to mount up and take their toll on other essential programs that are so badly needed to support the type of defense this country needs.

Of course, being opposed to the all-volunteer concept was a career killer and I realized that.  I also realized that it would take some time before those in charge would come to the same conclusion that many had already reached, they would.  I also felt that once fully understood, it would take even more time to correct the process, but if our services were going to endure, they would.  Therefore, there was no reason to delay the bad news.  The sooner they realized we were headed in the wrong direction the sooner corrective action could be taken.

Accordingly I took the best channel available to me to communicate my concerns to higher headquarters – the budget process.  Accompanying each budget, execution, and review submission was a “Narrative” in which the Commander had the opportunity to address command issues.  During these budget exercises I would solicit comments from the staff to be included in the Narrative. Using this input I would then prepare a draft Narrative and submit it to the CG for approval.  While he would often strike a word here and there he usually left the facts alone or perhaps embellish those he felt most comfortable.  We had three budget drills a year and each provided the CG an opportunity to express his concerns in writing.

One of the budget submissions caught the eye on someone in our next higher headquarters.  In fact, I got a call informing me that a brigadier from that headquarters would be paying us a visit to evaluate some of the concerns expressed in our latest submission.  This was good news because the person that was to make this official visit was someone who I knew, respected, and trusted. 
Once the official arrangements were made, I suggested he crank in some time at the end of his official visit, a couple of days leave, to fish the best bass lake in our part of the country.  I knew he would enjoy that as much as I would, since I would be taking him. 

He arrived a week or so later and we followed his itinerary which included a visit with the CG, ADC and Chief of Staff.  Then we visited several units in the field and in garrison.  We also toured a couple of the consolidated messes and enlisted living quarters and the only Day Care Center on post. We tried to show him a realistic picture on which we based our remarks and concerns. 
After his official visit was complete, he remarked that he was satisfied that he had the opportunity to see things as there really were.  He too seemed disappointed in how much this division had been impacted by the all-volunteer force and the way it was being executed.

He wound up his official visit on a Friday afternoon.  The next morning we were off to the lake for some serious fishing.  He departed Sunday afternoon.  As we were saying our goodbyes, he noted to me that he agreed with our observations and he was going to do what he could to support our positions.  I really felt good about the way this visit was conducted and the findings.
After another below the zone promotion, branch asked me where I wanted to next serve, a question that was easily answered – Fort Bragg and with an airborne unit.  As a payback for my recent efforts and the obvious results, I was routed to Fort Bragg and XVII Airborne Corps via the University of Virginia where I attended the Advance Management Course. This course was really an MBA refresher that I found most informative and challenging.

I was elated to get back to Fort Bragg and again enjoy the airborne atmosphere.  To again work for a former Chief of Staff and ADC-O of the 82nd was a breath of fresh air.  I was also elated to note that the All-Volunteer Army implementation had been somewhat constrained at Fort Bragg.  On one side of the installation there was the Corps Support Command that was heavily impacted by this volunteer force and flooded with female soldiers.  On the other side were the XVIII ABN Corp, 82nd Div, 5th SF Group, and Delta that showed little signs of degradation that could be tied to this new volunteer force.  I guess the reason for this would be because those who served in the airborne units had to first volunteer for an airborne assignment and then complete one or more demanding qualification courses – which truly separated the men from the boys and girls, but even that was changing.

 
In order for soldiers to qualify for airborne training they had to pass an elevated physical fitness test.  Because only a very limited number of females could do so, the required physical fitness test was greatly modified by reducing the number of repetitions per exercise or even in some cases changing the exercises. They also found it necessary to modify the amount of time allowed to complete the required run.  Perhaps the distance was also modified.  All and all, the female soldiers were being tested at a level that was about half as much as their male counterpart. Somehow, that just didn’t seem right.

After four career-fulfilling years at Fort Bragg, we were ordered to Germany and another headquarters assignment.  Again I would be working with a former CG of the 82nd, perfect. While there were many challenging issues with which I became involved, the one that again put me on the outside was my non-support of a financial management system that was being developed for all tactical units, battalion and above. Several of us who had operated financial management systems at division level were summoned to Fort Myer to take a look at this system that had been developed by the folks in the Pentagon and or their contractors. We were then given an opportunity to evaluate and critique the system.

The group as a whole found that this new system was far too sophisticated and demanding to be easily executed by battalion S4s.  Like the Army’s accounting system it was overly complicated and required cost codes with as many as 20 digits.  This system needed to be simplified and cleaned up before it could be implemented, something the folks in the Pentagon did not want to hear, but they did and from me and others as well – the group report was non supportive. 

Usually when I went on a TDY trip, I would take along some athletic gear that would keep me occupied after duty hours and on weekends if I had some free time.  On this trip I slipped my tennis racket in my clothing bag along with a few balls, shoes, shorts, etc.  One night after we were dismissed from the workshop, I decided to hit the tennis court.  I was there by myself hitting balls against the “bang board” when the general that I had paid his travel pay in $20 bills to walked up and asked if I would like to hit a few.  As I said earlier, he did become the Chief of Staff of the Army. He had recently retired and was in the process of moving out of his government quarters and transitioning to a retired life style.

As we were hitting balls back and forth, my mind wondered back to my experience with this general and his wife at the Hail and Farewell celebration at Fort Bragg.  So when the general suggested that we had warmed up enough and he would like to play a set or two, I agreed.  Never before have I ever embarrassed anyone on a tennis court as I did that man.  I beat him the best I could and it was pronounced.  After the match we shook hands and my departing word was “Airborne.”  Am sure he never tied that incident at Fort Bragg to the beating that he got that day, but I did.
After I returned to Germany, I along with others that attended the workshop at Fort Myer and had the opportunity to evaluate the Pentagon’s proposed financial management system for tactical units received a letter thanking us for our participation, etc.  Among other things, their goal of implementing this system within the next 30 days was noted.  I knew that there was no way they could rewrite, align, test, and implement with the next six months, much less than 30 days.  In view this pronouncement I felt that the findings documented during the recent workshop were not shared with the senior folks or those with the authority to pull or modify this implementation schedule. 

To make sure that the COA knew exactly how I felt about the system that he was sponsoring, I wrote an article entitled, “A Chartreuse Edsel”.   Am sure those involved latched on to this title, Chartreuse – a bright green/yellowish color that was a fad, but faded fast.  The Edsel was a high end Ford sedan named after one of the Ford sons that failed miserably at the market place costing Ford Motor Company millions of dollars.  That was the thrust of this paper but in terms that referred to the proposed financial system that we had just evaluated.  The system as is was a no-go.
I really do not know how much of an impact that article had on the implementation of the Pentagon proposed system, but I do know that it was not implemented in the near future as planned.  Perhaps this was not a very smart move on my part, but one that I thought was necessary and as it turned out, an effective one.

Something that I forgot to mention earlier -- As we were packing in preparation for our move to Germany I promised my wife, Lenore, that I was not going to continue doing any free fall parachuting on this tour so I was leaving all of my equipment – parachutes, jump boots & suits, etc. in storage.  I know she was pleased with this decision.

Upon arrival in Germany and while waiting for quarters we stayed in the Officer Transit Quarters that were across the street from the Officers Club in Patrick Henry Village. We were still there on the 4th of July when the Club celebrated that date.  As part of that celebration, the parachute team from Vicenza, Italy put on a demonstration jump there at the Officers Club.  There were eight jumpers.  As they were landing the announcer was identifying each jumper by name and rank.  We did not know a couple of them because they had never been part of the Bragg family.  For the rest, it was like old home week.

As we were visiting with them, they started telling me about a jump they were organizing in September.  This jump or “boogie” as some would say was to take place in Mannheim Germany, just a short drive from where we were in Heidelberg.  I was told that they would be jumping from a CH 47 helicopter, a Chinook or “Hook” as some would say, and an ideal jump aircraft.  This high altitude jump, the maximum altitude without oxygen assistance was 12,000 feet, mass exit or “gaggle”.  That is the kind of jump all skydivers look forward to making.

It all sounded great, but I had to turn down the invitation.  I told them that I had left my gear in storage, but this did not keep them from offering to outfit me so I could participate.  I never changed my mind, so on that fatal day I was not on board that aircraft when it crashed taking the lives of three crewmembers and over 30 free fall parachutists.  Transmission failure caused the two blades to strike was blamed for this crash.  When the strike occurred, the aircraft’s altitude was only 600 feet so there was no time for any of the jumpers to react before the aircraft hit the ground and catching on fire.

For the next two and a half years we enjoyed Europe, the kids loved it.  Our family sport had always been skiing, so we capitalized on the many opportunities to participate in France, Germany, Austria, and Italy.  The work went well, but we were ready to come home when that time came.  By then our older daughter was in her second year at the University of Texas in Austin and we were most anxious to get her back in the fold.  My mother who was living in San Antonio had recently had a stroke and was not doing well so I pressed for an assignment at Fort Sam Houston, which I got and remained there until my retirement.

Upon retirement, I joined the financial services industry, earned professional designations – Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Charter Life Underwriter (CLU) -- and started my own practice.  I worked another 22 years before again retiring and selling my practice.  The decision to retire and sell was based on a recent diagnosis of a form of cancer that has no known cure, but it is treatable.  The cancer of blood and bone is known as Multiple Myeloma.

Now about all I do is to enjoy the kids and eight grand kids.  We love to hunt, fish, and travel – it is a joy getting all 16 family members together and to admire just how well they are all doing. It is currently Turkey season in Texas.  Just this past week, I had the opportunity to hunt with two of the grandkids as they collected their handsome Tom turkeys. 

About five years ago, for a birthday present, the kids created a website for me and posted some of the published articles that I have written over the past several years.  Most articles are about hunting or fishing and were published in magazines with that interest.  One of the major hunting magazines in South Africa and one here in this country have been good about publishing them.  Other articles have also been published in other outdoor magazines and newsletters.  Should anyone have any interest in such articles, some can be found at www.Rayallred.com.

Harkening back to the All-Volunteer Army issue -- The current Army Chief of Staff has been an avid supporter of the volunteer Army.  I ask myself, is that position real or political?  More recently he has had to come to grips with “sequestration as the law of the land.” For FY 15 the Army budget amounts to $120 billion, with a shortfall of $12.7 billion.  The seven-year impact of this guidance is roughly a loss of 150,000 soldiers, 687 aircraft, a 46% reduction in Brigade Combat Teams and a loss of about 20,000 Reserve personnel.

I again ask myself, are these reductions necessary?  If we continue to refuse to acknowledge that the volunteer Army is too costly, these reductions are probably necessary.  However, there is a better way but it is going to take a lot of backbone and support to make it happen. I don’t know that our soldier/politician leaders have the desire, will, or are brave enough to take on this challenge.  Remember, all general officers on active duty today are a product of the volunteer force.  Therefore, they would have little interest in addressing change – “Just Keep Kicking The Can Down The Road” as has been done for so many years now would be the easy out.

Now is time to realign our thinking re All-Volunteer Force.  Here we would return to days of responsibility and duty.  I truly believe that it is the responsibility of every able American to serve this country for at least a two-year period.  It is really a duty. This service does not have to be in the armed forces but many would serve there.  For those who served in the armed forces they would also have a four or six year reserve commitment.  Those who would elect to serve in another branch of government, Postal Service of example, would spend three years with no reserve commitment following.

As part of this service those drafted or inducted would be single and not allowed to marry before reaching the grade of E 6.  No homosexuals would be allowed to serve in the armed forces, but would serve in other branches of the government.  Pay and allowances would be adjusted downward to the affordability level for this group.

If one were to cost out this total realignment they would be quick to realize that the Army’s FY 15 shortfall of $12.7 billion could be easily made up by this realignment.  There would no longer be a need for many of the expenses incurred to get young folks to enlist.  There would no longer be dependent care expenses for the lower grades because only singles would serve for a short two year period then they would transition to reserve units and back to a civilian lifestyle.  There would no longer be lower enlisted folks marrying each other “convenient marriages” so they could avoid living on post.  There would no longer be single parents serving on active duty. And finally, women can serve in the military as well as anywhere else.  One only has to point to the Army Nurse Corps to find the perfect model to accommodate this service.  I believe this realignment is necessary and the smart thing to do.

Since I am no longer involved and have not been for many years, I can only read about these issues with a heavy heart and only hope that someday those folks in the Pentagon will come to the same conclusion that our War College Study Group did over 37 years ago and put all of our services back on track.  There have been too many social experiments put on our badly needed military.  They deserve better.

Yes, I have been blessed and am most thankful for the opportunities that I was provided along the way.  The folks that I met and served with in the military are always on my mind, particularly those at Fort Bragg and the 82nd.  Those experiences I will never forget and always cherish.  My hat is off to the many NCOs that made my military journey a complete and rewarding one.
Once I read the following story which is about the elaborate planning and preparations that were being made for the D Day invasion of Europe, I could not help but think just how true this is and of the many men who served with pride in airborne units.  I sometimes think that the reply made by the shortest man in the outfit could have very well been applied to me.

As the story goes – The Commander of the European Theater of Operations was concerned that the long lead time necessary to mass the many ships, airplanes, tanks, artillery, troops and etc. needed for this D Day operation was impacting on the readiness of the troop units who had little to do during this period.  To address his concerns, he instructed his staff to deploy to the field and inspect the major units that have been in this holding pattern for a several months.

The Commanders were notified that a staff representative was being dispatched to inspect their unit for the purpose to evaluate the readiness of each of these units.  One Airborne Division Commander after being notified of this impending inspection decided that since they had little to do in preparation of this visit they would size the entire division, which they did.  The taller ones were on the left and the shorter ones on the right.  This alignment went through the entire division.  So the tallest, biggest, and strongest troop was at the head of this formation and the shortest and smallest troop was at the right rear.

The officer charged to make this inspection was not airborne qualified nor had he ever served with any airborne unit or troop.  In fact, he was a rather small man in stature who may have carried a chip on his soldier for never having been affiliated with the airborne community.

On the day of the inspection, the inspecting officer arrived to find the entire division sized.  The troops were in full battle gear to include parachutes and weapons.  The troops stood in open ranks formation so the inspecting officer could easily inspect each troop should he choose to do so.

The inspecting officer and the Division Commander approached the first member of the formation who was a huge man fully dressed for combat. He had also applied charcoal to his face and hands to break up his features.  He looked more than combat ready.  Here the inspecting officer paused in front of this towering troop and posed the following question.  Are you afraid to parachute from an airplane?  To this the troop replied, No Sir, Airborne!

As the story goes, the inspecting officer and the Division Commander walked the ranks of the entire division.  Every once in a while they would stop and the inspecting officer would ask a troop the same question, to which he would get the same answer --- No Sir, Airborne!
And finally, as they approached the last troop in the formation – a very short, but broadly built troop who was also dressed for combat to the point that one could only see his eyes and some facial features because the rest of his body was covered with either parachutes, equipment, or his weapon.  So again the inspecting officer asked the same question, but this time got a different answer.
The exchange went something like this…. Are you afraid to parachute from an airplane?  The troop replied, Yes Sir, Airborne!  The inspecting officer now feeling that he has now some gratitude, then said why do you do it?  The troop replied, because I want to be with those who do.

With that exchange the inspection was over.  They were ready and as the record reflects, the 82nd Airborne Division accomplished every assigned mission on D Day and the follow on missions on schedule.

Airborne!!!!!!

*Note:  These random unabridged notes capture significant events that took place during the time period best defined by the early years of 1930s thru the1980s.  They are my reflections on the experiences, both good and bad, and how we soldiered during those years.  I have avoided using proper names, dates and unit designations so I would not offend anyone.  The documented events are as accurate as my memory can recall them.  This light read is intended to be just that, a memory jogger for the old and an inspiration for the young as they march through their careers with one goal in mind – To Always Be a Soldier.
**This finance office was located in the southern part of Viet Nam, the Mekong Delta.  I saw firsthand what the defoliant spraying of various chemicals – Agents Orange and White specifically – did to the surrounding areas.  They were barren.  What I did not detect was the impact on those that had to work and live in these highly sprayed areas.  It was not until years later that LTC John Kent started to become effected by those agents.  John and I had several fishing trips together during the following years.  It was during these trips that I witnessed his physical deterioration. First it was his internal organs, then his sight.  He was indeed a great soldier who gave it all.