Navy Will Hire Civilians As Chiefs And Captains Out Of Boot Camp

Daniel-Historical accuracy has never been Hollywood's strong suit. However, I do see your point-There's no shortage of examples of "citizen soldiers" who did what was needed, and often went well beyond expectations...all without the benefit of "traditional" paths. My primary concern is with implementing these changes to the NCO ranks. Chamberlain may have been a brilliant natural tactician...but I'd bet just about anything he had some old Dog-Face on the line who had stormed Chapultapec. Shaw, while a hero by anyone's estimation, actually made (or at least was compelled to make by orders) some tragic errors-I'd say his men followed him into hell on earth simply out of total loyalty, rather than respect for his abilities. Jones was a professional mercenary-I'd wager his gunner's mate was RN and his crew full of "pressed men" looking for pay-back. Bottom line, if we've reached a point where we have uniformed personnel who are not, by any definition, "warriors"...then ok, it comes down to the task at hand. Personally, I think if that's the case, then just call them civilian contractors.

I follow, I realize, truly, the circumstances merely seemed analogous in terms of the point I was seeking to make about expediency, however, I of course entirely agree, especially about the whole civ contractor aspect. Interestingly, what occurs to me is that, given that premise, the merchant seamen of ww2 granted vet benefits struck me as an interesting dichotomy by contrast with the whole use of blackwater/xe as a contractor, at least from a purely historical standpoint, that is. I of course realize the eras involved are entirely different, certainly, however, I just found the comparison between the two groups from the civ contractor standpoint as being of interest, that's all I'm seeking to point out, of course. I understand your point also about Shaw, I merely mention him as hed been a citizen soldier, as opposed to a West point grad. Then, too, if one looks at the whole band of brothers story, and the story of , e.g., Maj Richard winters, they too were citizen soldiers inmnay instances in the 506th of the 101st, though I gather many of their officers like Maj winters were army OCS trained. I just found that ideologically similar, as well as historically, in my mind, to the story of Col Shaw, in terms of purely the citizen soldier aspect, that's all I was thinking of, honest.

No disagreement here, Daniel.

As regards those "Blackwater" guys...as I understand it, most if not all are former SPEC OPS and let's be honest-They get compensated well for what they do. I don't think once you pick up a weapon for the pay only, that the same rules apply.

I follow, the merchant marine guys of ww2 were obviously part of an earlier era historically, as I'd mentioned, I think. Corporate entities as contractors in the present era likely wouldn't be allowed the same type of vet benefits, I'd expect, for that reason. I was just always struck by the historical analogy between merchant marine vets from ww2, and privateers or merchant s3amem from earlier waras and or eras. The thing is, the same way Rickenbacker was involved in adapting the airlines, I'd read, for ww2, the same analogously clearly happened with major shipping corporations during that period, almost, if you will, a type of application of the "eminent domain" concept. However, unlike a municipality or governmental entity assuming control of a property for the public good, which such cooperation, as also with, as I'd read in ww2, of cooperation by the press during ww2 (fascinating story as an aside), during ww2, the eminent domain was duemto a public exigency, if you will, analogous to the emancipation proclamation and ignoring the deed Scott decision by the supreme Court under chief justice Taney by Lincoln, suspending habeas corpus, I think, exiling one of the congressmen from Ohio as a Confederate sympathizer, all chronicled in the Ken Burns civil war PBS special, the famous video series, etc. I just find very interesting that the present military era has clearly given rise to markedly different governmental and or international entities that have, in many ways, completely upended older heretofore standardized military dogma and the entities historically attendant on that dogma, if you will. Perhaps that's a function of societal evolution, I've considered that aspect as well, I'd be most eafer to know your thoughts, whenever might be convenient, I hope that was of interest, many thanks.

It happens the other way as well-The Indiana NG offered me E-6.

Probably not !!