BOG!
A dozen years ago when I served as an Operations Officer on a Special Operations Staff I was always miffed by a comment my Commander usually made about how we need to get ‘Boots on the Ground’, in any particular operation or engagement. I derided the term ‘Boots on the Ground’ as I found it condescending and was repulsed by the idea of placing people in harm’s way for the sake of having a presence, rather than serving a genuine need. However, he was a Colonel, I was not. (Boots on the ground Opinion Commentary)
These days the term ‘Boots on the Ground’ is widely used by media pundits as they ‘knowingly’ pontificate that they have all the solutions to every crises. “We need to have ‘Boots on the Ground’ in Syria…or ‘without “Boots on the Ground’ we’ll never be effective!” What on earth do they think they know about conducting military operations or managing battle space? Well, apparently enough to present themselves in front of millions of people and claim that because “My Special Forces friends (as opposed to my drinking buddies…oh wait, probably the same) that recently returned from (name your hot spot) told me…” I guess that makes you expert enough these days to know how to employ the instruments of national power.
Foot Apparel = Soldier?
Here’s what’s really irksome. The term ‘Boots on the Ground’ characterizes professional, trained warriors as foot apparel – a Boot! It’s something the fashionable pick-up in a used clothing store to fill out their ‘Urban Attire’ for a bohemian night out on the town. In 31 years of commissioned service, I never, not once, heard a Soldier call themselves or their buddies a ‘boot’. It’s not a term of endearment nor is it a visually appealing image to use in place of a trained professional. As I recall, in movies the term ‘Boot’ was disparagingly used to describe an untrained novice while attending ‘Boot-Camp’ (Initial Entry Basic Training).
Don’t’ mistake me, I too appreciate a good boot. I understand the importance of outfitting Soldiers with the proper footwear that will hold up under rigorous conditions and protect the vital appendages from the elements. Never more was the need for better footwear apparent the day I was almost re-cycled from Ranger school because my severe case of trench foot caused chunks of flesh to rub off my feet and the ‘RIs’ feared I couldn’t keep up. A good set of sturdy, water wicking boots would have come in very handy back then.
However, I’m not a boot and nor are my former fellow Soldiers. Boots on the ground solves nothing; it’s merely denotes a presence and the term does not serve as an adequate simile for our fellow Americans who place themselves in harm’s way to achieve our nation’s strategic objectives. The simile doesn’t work, nor does just being on the ground! What works to attain results are dedicated men and women accomplishing incredibly difficult tasks due to their hard training, perseverance, focus and good leadership.
‘My Special Forces Friends…..’
By the way, News Reporter (or is that Media Personality?), just because your ‘Special Forces’ friends, recently returned from the provinces, tells you how to solve the world’s problems doesn’t mean they actually have a clue as to what their talking about. They may be extremely talented in their application of the individual tactical skills that enable their unit to accomplish their SF Mission (DA, FID, SR, UW and CT) but it does not mean they know how to run a war designed to achieve very complex objectives.
I actually had real Special Forces friends (not the news reporter’s type) and though many of them were great guys and incredibly gifted warriors and killers, some of them were not the arbiters of good sense and judgment. They knew little more about the really big picture than I did. Wearing the coveted SF Tab does mean you are a Stud, it however, does not necessarily make one a National Policy and Strategic Security expert. I served in a few Special Operations and Airborne units but it wasn’t until I served as a senior staff officer in conventional units that I began to develop a rudimentary understanding of how our nation applies the military instrument of national power to achieve it’s strategic objectives.
Really?
Please be honest, do you think some guy (friend?) who passes himself off as a SF stud, is going to give you informed solutions to the complex issues facing our nation, even if he knew. Why wouldn’t he, you ask? Because you’re a reporter! He may pass along opinions and conjecture, but do you think he’ll pass national secrets to you; the real keys to the crown jewels? So, acting on TV like you’re ‘in the know’ because a self acclaimed SF warrior was chatting you up in the pub as a prelude to getting into your skirt, has got to stop! It’s self-aggrandizing and it’s not becoming. Your pontificating only fools the foolish. Please, no more ‘Boots on the Ground’ or ‘my SF friends told me…..’. Just shut up and report the news!
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