Major hat tip to Suki Wolf for the tip...
When I first heard of the firing of Colonel Merna, my first thought was what the fuck just happened.
The guy is hardcore, rock solid and looks out for his men.
After the tip that SW sent me, I fear for the Marine Corps and wonder if it will ever be the same. This from the MilitaryCorruption blog...
I thought I had a raging hatred for Amos.
Well the above is true but Military Corruption takes it to another level! Still though, I was simply pissed and didn't want to shake the trees to find out the real reason why this happened.
Not anymore.
If this is true then you're about to see unit cohesion, the relationships between the leaders and their men...all take a back seat to saving their career.
If this is true then the Marine Corps is in a death spiral that will take a generation to fix.
I'll get the real deal on this and let you know.
UPDATE: I've reached the sad conclusion that a whisper campaign has been launched against Colonel Merna. Let me state this plainly and clearly. Colonel Merna is a fine Marine Corps officer that represents the best of the Marine Corps. If (and I say this with a huge dose of I don't give a fuck) he had an "oh shit" moment, then how could that turn into a career ender? It shouldn't and if we consider the track record of the person that happens to be sitting in the Commandant's chair then his "alleged" mistake is extremely minor. Amos has a command environment that is alienating everyone but the freaks, females and misfits of the Marine Corps. Hate me if you like but I don't care.
When I first heard of the firing of Colonel Merna, my first thought was what the fuck just happened.
The guy is hardcore, rock solid and looks out for his men.
After the tip that SW sent me, I fear for the Marine Corps and wonder if it will ever be the same. This from the MilitaryCorruption blog...
"At a party thrown by his headquarters staff, Merna, who was a bit tipsy, told one of his staff officers he 'acted gay.'I thought I was politically incorrect.
"Turns out, " one of our confidential informants reported, "the (deleted) is a homosexual, and reported the unforgiveable crime (of being annoyed by the truth) to the commanding general - who, in full PC-mode - fired Merna."
I thought I had a raging hatred for Amos.
Well the above is true but Military Corruption takes it to another level! Still though, I was simply pissed and didn't want to shake the trees to find out the real reason why this happened.
Not anymore.
If this is true then you're about to see unit cohesion, the relationships between the leaders and their men...all take a back seat to saving their career.
If this is true then the Marine Corps is in a death spiral that will take a generation to fix.
I'll get the real deal on this and let you know.
UPDATE: I've reached the sad conclusion that a whisper campaign has been launched against Colonel Merna. Let me state this plainly and clearly. Colonel Merna is a fine Marine Corps officer that represents the best of the Marine Corps. If (and I say this with a huge dose of I don't give a fuck) he had an "oh shit" moment, then how could that turn into a career ender? It shouldn't and if we consider the track record of the person that happens to be sitting in the Commandant's chair then his "alleged" mistake is extremely minor. Amos has a command environment that is alienating everyone but the freaks, females and misfits of the Marine Corps. Hate me if you like but I don't care.
More was said than that.
ReplyDeleteNO! you don't get to do that. either share with the class. but to simply put up a cryptic comment that says only "more was said than that?" dude! really? come on!
DeleteThe Colonel accepted responsibility for creating a hostile environment for homosexual men under his command, something that damages unit cohesion. After an investigation the General didn't believe Merna was able to command effectively.
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't fired for a single comment, while subjecting fellow officers to homophobic abuse is wrong a single incident isn't something someone like him should of been fired for. That Military Corruption blog has just glossed over the whole issue to fit it's agenda,
There are homosexual officers and men, and in a war the Taliban or whoever you are fighting aren't going to care if they kill a straight or gay marine. Units need to be able to stick together if they want to survive.
sorry Scot, but fuck that website with the quote you listed. unless you were there then you don't know.
Deleteand thats the point.
you're going through a song and dance about homosexuals in the military but you're ignoring all of the HETEROSEXUALS! it might be cool in communist Europe, sorry i mean the EU to be forced to comply with assinine laws but we're talking about the UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS.
if you think calling someone a faggot in that environment is out of bounds then i have to question whether you have the guts to take careful aim, pull the trigger and keep shooting until you take a human life.
the point is simple. THESE MOTHERFUCKERS NEED TO MAN THE FUCK UP, STOP ACTING LIKE A BUNCH OF LITTLE BITCHES AND DROP THIS POLITICALLY CORRECT BULLSHIT.
once you lose leaders like Colonel Merna you won't get them back.
people are watching and soon the only people joining will be pressie little butt boys that want to fuck each other instead of fucking up the enemy.
It depends who you listen to, if that blog was correct then I'd agree that firing him/forcing him to resign/whatever is an overreaction.
DeleteBut if the other sources are to be believed and the Colonel's views and actions were causing friction within the unit and this is impairing his ability to command the unit then he should go.
Anything that impairs the ability of a commander to lead his unit is unacceptable, if Merna is unable to stop his homophobia from getting in the way of his duty then he is unfit for command.
Scot, is basically correct, a couple 0369 types also have said that the MEU CE had a piss poor command climate on top of all the other items, the staff mandatory fun "incident" was just the tipping point. Outing another officer as being gay in front of fellow officers and SNCOs is not ever going to end well, especially when that officer is good at his/her job and respected within the MEU.
DeleteBULLSHIT.
Deletewere you there?
for the first time i'm really starting to question your bonafides.....
from Stripes:
ReplyDeleteMerna’s resignation was accepted by Lt. Gen. John Wissler, commander of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. Merna has been in command of the 31st MEU since June 1, 2012.
“Merna, a combat veteran and a widely respected leader, recognized his incompatibility to continue leading the 31st MEU, accepted responsibility and accountability for his actions, and immediately tendered a letter requesting termination of his command authority and responsibility,” the statement said.
my comment:
Merna wasn't fired, he quit. He "tendered a letter requesting termination of his command authority."
Marines don't usually quit for petty reasons, do they. (Or they never quit?)
This is disgusting. While China is busy preparing for the looming war, the marines are busy worrying about hostile work environments. Like a tumor consuming a body, Political Correctness is slowly destroyed the United States. As an American Taiwanese, I wonder how with the transformation of the armed forces from a fighting force to an agent of social activism, the military can be expected to win a war with China.
ReplyDeleteNobody, nobody, could make me sign a letter accepting responsibility and accountability for my actions and requesting termination of my command authority and responsibility if I hadn't done anything really disgusting and against good order and discipline in my organization. I believe Col Merna wouldn't either, based on what I've seen of his record and his unit's recent performance.
ReplyDeleteWhen we take our last breath on this earth, the only important thing we leave is our reputation. Merna, like you and me, and being a Marine with a record like his, wouldn't sell that valuable possession -- his reputation -- cheaply, for Amos or anyone.
So I must conclude that he screwed up, and then took his medicine like a man, signing that letter. He didn't press the matter. It wasn't let's go UCMJ, let's go IG. He signed the letter.
None of us is perfect, and we all have our weaknesses. Normally it doesn't matter, but when commanding an MEU it does matter. Merna understands that. He signed the letter.
i'll accept the idea of an oh shit moment, but i won't accept the idea that Marines like Colonel Merna need to have their careers yanked for one. have you seriously looked at Amos' record? the guy has been the subject of more investigations than the mafia! yet we're suppose to hold the guy in high regard? bullshit!
Deleteits not taking your medicine and moving on. its about a lot more than that. ZERO DEFICIT has reared its ugly head and that will make everyone gun shy.
tell me something.
after this would you go to any command function and have even one drink? would you hang out with fellow officers and just shoot the shit safe in the knowledge that it won't be held against you?
i wouldn't.
i'd hunker down and do my best to survive the inferno. then i'd get out of the gun club and head to the rest of the world. i mean seriously why not? there is no difference between the Marine COrps and the rest of the world now!
I do agree that it shouldn't end a career, people did a lot worse and still turned out to be excellent commanders (Admiral Nimitz ran the USS Decatur aground and was court martialed for it, U.S. Grant was an alcoholic who was not known for being a successful soldier). I DO think he should have kept his mouth shut, especially in today's day and age, when its ok (apparently?) for officers to go whine to the media if they are offended (its not, but the exposure protects them unfortunately). I think he knew that if this went to the media and/or went to an IG it wouldn't have ended well. Never have worked with him so I can only comment on what I have heard from people in the MEU.
DeleteIf you thought the "Zero Defect" Marine Corps of the 90's was bad, you ain't seen nothin yet!!
ReplyDeleteThis is going to be the ZDMC on steroids!!!