Journalists being a cynical lot, a colleague passed this on to me with this comment: "hmmm … there must be an election coming up …
and Spears’ opponent must be complaining about how he snubs the troops …"
and Spears’ opponent must be complaining about how he snubs the troops …"
{BC-SC—Guard Return,0248}
{Sanford, Spears, and
sheriff’s deputies to welcome SC Guard unit} home
LEXINGTON, S.C. (AP) —
Gov. Mark Sanford, Adjutant General Stan Spears and sheriff’s deputies from
Lexington and Saluda counties plan to gather Friday to celebrate the return of
120 members of a South Carolina National Guard unit from Iraq.
The combat
support engineers of the 122nd Engineer Company based in Saluda are scheduled to
return after spending several days demobilizing at Fort Stewart, Ga., said Col.
Pete Brooks, spokesman for the South Carolina National Guard.
Sanford is
greeting the unit because he met with Guard members during a visit to Iraq in
June, his spokesman Joel Sawyer said.
The last time Sanford came out to
greet a unit was in May 2003, when he took part in the South Carolina Air
National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing return to McEntire Joint National Guard
Base, Sawyer said.
The Saluda-based soldiers worked to clear improvised
explosive devices — one of the most dangerous jobs in the Iraqi
deployments.
Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said his deputies and
deputies from Saluda County will provide an escort at 10 a.m. Friday for the
buses of returning soldiers.
"We all owe a debt of gratitude to the brave
men and women who are serving our nation and defending America’s interests in
the Middle East," Metts said in a statement.
Metts said he hoped people
will line up along U.S. 1 through downtown Lexington and U.S. 378 to the Saluda
County line to show their support for the soldiers.
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As of today there have been 2,260 American servicemen killed in Iraq as a result of hostile action. An additional 500+ have died of non-combat causes. The 2,260 combat deaths equals the number killed in combat during the war of 1812. Another landmark event in the disasterous, Iraq quagmire.
Your dismissal of Glenn Lindman’s candidacy this morning is outrageous. NCO’s are the backbone of the American military. When i served as a commissioned officer in the US Army, I remembered the counsel of my four uncles who all served as NCO’s during WWII, and relied heavily upon the advice of my NCO’s. Also, I would remind you that throughout the history of the American military, NCO’s have received battlefield commissions in recognition of their leadership abilities. Certainly, Glenn Lindman, who has 24 years of honorable service to his country is at least as equally deserving of promotion to the officer ranks as our current governor, who applied for and received a direct commission in the Air Force shortly before announcing his campaign for governor and who has still not fulfilled his obligations under that commission.
Where was Speers when other units came back from GWOT? Where has he been during campaign? He has bullied people in the guard into supporting him and threatened those who did not. He is at best incompetent and at worst dishonest and untruthful. It is time the National Guard and the honorable men and women who serve had a real leader. Glenn Lindman is a fine man and a hero. Stan Speers to my knowledge has never been to a theatre of war.
I beleiev that Mr.Sansbury and Mr. Fisher do not have their facts straight as much as the state is furthering its’ political agenda-appointment of the office. First, Mr. Sansbury correctly points out that the enlisted man is the backbone of the military and will be happy to know the General Spears(ret) was enliested at the beggining of his career and wears the ribbon indicating so on his uniform as well as refers to on his official biography. Second, I do believe General Spears has been in a few combat theatres, more so than just Iraq. And third, today’s article was just another attempt of The State newspaper to sit on the fence and fail to recognize the most qualified, a college graduate, graduate of Command and General Staff College, National Defense University and last and most prestigous a seat on the Reserve Forces Policy Board.
So, in conclusion, you all failed to identify Spears was an enlisted man for 2 years, misstated numerous facts and intentionally omitted others to further either your candidate of choice, or political agendas. Now , rehetoricallly, who is deceiving whom?
The Duke of Borgia was a little off. Granted Spears did enlist in the military. He came in the military when it was important for him to do that to keep from being drafted after college. Second Spears has never been in a combat theatre while in a military uniform. He received his commission when he went to the state OCS program. Worked his way up through the Guard by being a favored person due to where he played football.
Granted he touched all of the right schools, he made the right meetings and stoked the right fires but to say he is a leader of soldiers. Wrong. The Platoon Sgt and 1SG of companies run them. As a Warrant Officer with 29 years in the SC National Guard I will support Glen Lindman because having met him and hearing him talk I think that he will be a good change needed to put integrity back into the National Guard that has not been in this leadership in the past 8 years.
David Parnell is laughable, what pending draft was there in 1959? The final blow is that Spears is college educated and was really a Federally recognized General officer. He has always been with the enlisted men. That sure is the necessary ingredidiuents or milestones one must meet to command in the military. Mr. Parnell should simply put up the qualifications to be a General Officer in today’s military.
Please feel free to put up those qualifications Mr. Parnell. Fail not, I will, as I believe a college degree is required, quess Mr. Lindman should have stayed and completed Limestone. Heck, you can’t even be the editor of the editorial page at a marginal newspaper without a college degree. Mr. Parnell we must walk before we run, I think even Wu Chi’ would agree that a prudent leader is well versed in the organization of an army so has to know his area of command. I am sure the platoon leaders such as the enlisted man, Lindman, have done an excellent job i n leading his platoon. But how many SFCs lead Brigades? There is a hierarchy and comparitively speaking I am sure Lindman is a great platoon leader but leader en masse is in question, and educational qualification to be a General Officer nonexistent. Now suppose you tell me of your experience and C&GS school?
Mr. Parnell,
What equivalent education does the disquished SFC have as compared to General Spears?
It always amazes me how Spears cronies hide behind their fake identities. I can only think of two reasons. 1. You are a full time crony Guard member and specifically not allowed to actively participate in any activity connected to a political campaign by DoD regulations, which makes this an integrity issue. Or 2. you are just plain gutless. What is your personal issue? Are you afraid of losing your meal ticket, whoever you are?
This should not get personal. This is an election, not an argument. Please do not bring discredit to the South Carolina National Guard by allowing it to become one. I don’t want that and I am pretty sure that MG Spears would not want that. After this election is over, no matter how it turns out, life goes on in the Guard and people have to work together. Although it does make a compelling argument for appointed versus elected and the need to get politics out of the Guard. Please be civil. Every one is entitled to an opinion.
Dear Mr. Kight,
I find it amazing that you make unsupported assumptions such as the fact that I am a DoD employee which is very untrue. Further, your assumption is that I am a coward for using a pseudonym is telling of your understanding of this country’s history where both pseudonyms and elected militia leaders were commonly practiced. May I suggest a college history class on the origins of America to enlighten your perspective.
Next, while Mr. Lindman has called for a cease on personal attacks it is my understanding that he has employed deception in the form of outright lies by stating that Spears has a private jet, and spent all summer at Clarks Hill commuting by helicopter. So, indeed I guess you could say that his cause for “taking the high road” is only after he has told editorial boards of false information. Hence, the call is a little late or rather the cowardice route of hitting and running.
Once again, may I prescribe a college curriculum as verification of facts before stating them is part of the “critical thinking process” that is required of leaders and people of character.
While we are on the subject of elected versus appointed I have a aquestion. How many adjutant General’s have been in troble for shaking down their troops for their respective Commander In Chief-the Governor that appointed them? At least one appointed TAG in an adjoining state was indicted for drug smuggling after getting his appointment
for flying the Governor around during his campaign, can you all name the agjoining state and the other Generals. How come the State newspaper does not print that story. Now you know why we don’t believe the State, its a matter of critical thinking skills versus just jumping on the bandwagon.
Looks like a wipe out is coming.
http://www.fox21.com/Global/story.asp?S=5557405&nav=2KPp
The polls I have seen indicate Spears at 54% with Lindman at 14% with balance undecided. Over 800 people were polled, I guess it is time to minimize the damage and reconcile.
LOL, did you ever have the slightest doubt that Spears would win in a walk?
That’s the way this system works. That’s why he likes it. He is AG until he decides to retire…
No, I never doubted it or your lack of objectivity on the issue. In fact, I think I have proven that you are not an objective journalist and your paper has carried a political agenda since the 1980’s on the matter.
Why not objectively look at the issues I presented that the Adjutant General merely becomes a political funding arm and instrument of one man(Governor) rather than the representative of many by the use of sovereignty? The right to vote should never be taken from the people. I further support public elections of Judges and other issues that the public should be able to vote on.
Further, how about continuity in leadership, and other positive aspects of issue, you never printed. Also, there are the negative examples of the appointive process presented by others.
Thanks, I think you have violated your “objectivity” and taken a political position, enough said on the matter and you once again confirmed my suspicions that you merely carry an agenda, that may or may not be in the best interest of the state.
Stan Spears has never seen a day of combat in his life. He is retired, both from the National Guard, and from his fulltime position as Adjutant General. He allows his “staff” of hand-picked “yes-men” to run the organization, who usually have selfish motives to further their own standing in his eyes. The most qualified, capable and effective officers and senior NCO’s are passed over for senior level promotions in that they tell the truth and don’t gloss over facts. The governor and legislature are too cowardly to accept the fact that this “constitutional” officer should be appointed, not elected. The general public has no idea whether the Adjutant General is effective or not.
Mr. Cricket,
Promotion boards pick who is promoted not i ndividuals and follow strict DoD guidelines. I believe the “people of SC” can tell who is effective and who is not, please quit insulting their intelligence and trying to disenfranchise them from their voice being heard.
In fact, many years ago the Inspector General was elected then abolished, now their is talk of bringing that office back, which I support.
Further, I doubt very seriously you have the necessary security clearance to know whether or not General Spears had been shot at or not,or what theatre of operations he has been to in his career nor would I divulge if I did.
The General assembly decides what amendment to the Constitution is presented to the Governor and then voted on by the people. So, as for this election the issue is moot. Which brings me to the earlier posts that Spears is much more qualified by virtue of education than Lindman.Not disrespecting NCO’s but as stated before there is a great difference between managing a platoon versus a budget and thousands of men, and I agree that the worker bees, the NCOs deserve great credit, but so do the men that have led them to be so qualified.
I will join and estimated 2/3’s of South Carolinians in voting for Spears. Look at the new Chinooks, the possibility of the F-35 and I think SC can see who Washington and National Guard Bureau is impressed with as a leader. Of course I am not taking away fromn our Congressionbal representation , but then again, continuity has advantages on many levels both State and Federal.
I am very disappointed in how my letter to the editor ran in the paper today. First and foremost, factual info was edited out, specifically info concerning Traid Consultants being called in to do a survey concerning racism, sexism, etc. The public has a right to know the facts; the Guard is a public agency. Spears chose to keep this info locked up tight, he, and apparently now the “State” (because you never did a follow up from a previous article you ran concerning prejudice in the Guard), feel it should continue to not be public knowledge. I feel several important sentences were left out; also I’m curious why you did not include my rank, my years of service, and my retirement status under my name. I think doing that would give much more credibility to my letter. I do believe Glenn Lindman, by far, would serve the soldiers of South Carolina, the state, and country much more honorably that Spears has done in his last 12 years. I’m sorry the “State” doesn’t feel the same way and can’t make up its mind about who would better serve in this position. Just another tidbit….current M-Day or traditional generals in the Guard, with 30 years of service (39 days a year, this is less than any schools they attended) actually only serve 1170 days in the military, equating to 3.21 years of active duty service; compare this to Glenn Lindman’s time in service. One last thing, rank doesn’t make a soldier commited, competent, or give him character. If you’re a great manager of people, places, and things you will be a good leader. Oh, and by the way, Spears was my first commander in the Guard and I know alot about him and his cronies.
Posted by: Donna Barber | Oct 28, 2006 8:10:27 AM
Another use of false statistics and lies disseminated by the anti-Spears faction. Nothing that has not been foiled before. How many hours has Spears worked during the last 11.75?
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