Where I Stand: Media pinning as painful as blood pinning for military

Wednesday, Feb. 5, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

I WAS RATHER AMUSED when a Marine general told a reporter that the "blood pinning" film shown on national television shocked him. If he is in touch with his troops, the only shock he experienced was to see it on television. That had to be a big shock for him and his troops.

Maybe he was shocked because some of his troops got carried away with grinding the wings into the chests of recent paratroop graduates. There's no doubt that the film gave viewers good reason to believe that several of the pinners were completely out of control. If anything, it displayed a lack of military discipline. Not a good show, to say the least.

But for a general officer to act shocked that "blood pinning" even takes place in combat units is a bit difficult for some of us to believe. This practice, although seldom indulged in with the same ferocity and meanness displayed on the television film, has been going on in different military units for many years. I have to believe it has become more prevalent during long periods of peace, when almost immediate combat isn't awaiting the troops following their training.

One letter writer tells us that his Expert Infantry Badge was pinned to him. I can assure him that, when we received our Combat Infantry Badges, there was no thought of driving the staples into our own chests or the chests of our fellow riflemen. We had already seen and experienced enough blood and pain handed out by the enemy without inflicting it on each other.

Pardon me if I don't join in some of the demands made by editorial writers crying out about the "blood pinning" they saw on national television. I'm sure the military leaders, both those shocked and not shocked, will take proper action to stop such excesses. What the nation viewed shouldn't be repeated and probably won't be in disciplined units.

Having already made note that hazing probably becomes more prevalent in elite combat units during times of peace, I might add that so does continual press and civilian criticism of the military. Almost weekly, some big expose or critical comment about the military is fed the public by media. It becomes almost a game to write something critical of the people wearing military uniforms. At the same time, we are cutting back on military expenditures but using our troops to perform dangerous tasks over the world.

When it hits the fan in a big way and our politicians and editorial writers dive for cover, attitudes change. Suddenly, the troops become "our boys" who are sacrificing for us. That young man wearing those parachute wings suddenly represents all of us and rises to a new stature in our eyes. Sure, now he's needed, and the critics are all hoping he gets the job done before they or their children have to face the fire.

Our military forces are going through changes even greater than they have during other times of peace. Nitpicking about an admiral's ribbons or making a drill instructor's job almost impossible in a politically correct society doesn't do much good for anybody.

The decision by CNN and NBC to show the film was correct. It gave all Americans some insight into an unacceptable type of hazing in a military unit. Our reactions to the film were, as they should have been, negative. Now, let's back off and let the shocked generals and not-shocked sergeants make some necessary changes. In the meantime, recognition of the many positive functions of our U.S. military and their accomplishments would provide a more balanced view of our troops for all Americans.

So, let's practice what we preach.

Eighteen months have passed since I witnessed the arrival of the first Unmanned Aerial Vehicle at Nellis Air Force Base. That was the day the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron was also reactivated.

Last week, several Nevadans watched the bird fly at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field. The Predator was most impressive as it flew over the nearby mountains, sending back a perfect view of all its cameras scanned below.

Lt. Col. Steve Hampton and his more than 200 men and women are a very special squadron, dedicated to be the "Eyes of the Warrior." Thirty-four members of the unit are at Taszar Air Base, Hungary, where their birds are the eyes of Operation Joint Guard in the former Yugoslavia.

All of us were impressed with the performance of the Predator, as it flew under the control of the pilot on the ground. The clarity of the pictures, operation of the UAV and its smooth return to the base were fascinating.

Even more impressive than the Predator is the high quality of the men and women who are the 11th Recon Squadron. Bright, dedicated and highly skilled are but a few of the descriptions that fit the people who are the "Eyes of the Warrior."

Brig. Gen. T. Michael Moseley and Hampton made certain that the visitors to Indian Springs had the opportunity to talk with any and all members of the 11th. Both men knew they were showing us the real strength of this special military operation.