What Not to Wear: Military Edition |
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| By: Jim White Monday October 5, 2009 11:22 am | |
When General McChrystal was called to meet President Obama on Air Force One last week, he wore fatigues. In contrast, when General Petraeus appeared with President Bush, he was in full dress uniform.
Here is the official White House photo of the meeting last week:
Here is an official US Army photo of General Petraeus with President Bush and Ambassador Crocker at the White House:
Why does General McChrystal disrespect President Obama?
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11 Comments
Just as a general D.C. thing, where there are fair numbers of soldiers running around town: I don’t like seeing them in combat uniforms. That it is disrespectful to the civilian population to be dressed for war in places and circumstances where they are not.
In fact, I am somewhat surprised to learn they still have dress uniform, since I never see it.
Fatigues for the meeting on Air Force One, which may have been on short notice, are appropriate to me. The Oval Office is a different matter. Looking at Gen. McChrystal’s facial expression, I read he is being dressed down by a president who is not happy about his speeches and political maneuvering to get his way per the discussion going on in your excellent Sunday post.
Well, I did find this from the Oval Office where he is in a dress uniform, but I’ve also seen notes that he did wear his dress uniform to give the talk in London that landed him in hot water in the first place, so he did have a dress uniform with him if the report is correct.
Here’s the link to Jim’s “fine Sunday post”.
Jim and RMPatriot, here’s the link to a preview of Chapter One of a PBS, Frontline program scheduled for Oct 13, 2009, entitled “Obama’s War” [this segment is in Afghanistan]. It is a video with an embed line.
I’m still thinking about it – like ‘why now’? What is it trying to sell the public? I’d appreciate both of your opinions, and maybe a diary, Jim? That would alert everyone here to watch and state their viewpoints.
Comments are still open over at Siun’s fine McChrystal diary; just in case anyone missed it.
Appropriate uniform is a matter of circumstances.
I don’t like McChrystal, but I don’t think he was out of line.
I speak as a former U.S. Army officer.
Uniform of the Day is prescribed by the local brass. Generals wear whatever they want. McChrystal wants to wear fatigues, he wears fatigues. Depending on what sort of stickler for protocol President Obama is, McChrystal may have lost himself some brownie points.
Note that Obama is wearing a tie, I’m sure the suit coat is nearby. It’s possible that McChrystal was sending the President a nonverbal message by being in the ACU, though I’m not sure what the message was. “You’ve called me away from my troops, and I’ll be dressed as they are,” is one. “You aren’t important enough for me to get into my greens or blues,” is another. The first message might be understandable, although McChrystal should have things squared away well enough that he can be away for 48 hours without things turning FUBAR. Oh wait, things are already FUBAR.
Well, it looks like those who know more about the military say I’m wrong on the uniform question, but that won’t stop me going after this war criminal for what he has done.
They are both wolves in sheep clothing. People forget that Patreaus was incharge of training the Iraqie forces while all the bad was going on in Iraq. They made Him a General and listened to His surge stratigy. That stratigy was to pass out the fools in this Countries money like candy, to pasify the Iraqies. That’s why the surge worked not the extra troops. The suckers in this Country are so dumb they can’t understand that. McChrystal didn’t do much better in Iraq, but He to was bragged up, made a General and put in charge of Afghanistan. These guys are boobs, if they were any good we would be winning wars, not praying we can find a way to win something.
Yes, but wasn’t Obama flying over hostile territory, like Copenhagen, at the time? If McChrystal was in theater, wearing fatigues would be appropriate. Outside of theater, no way. There is a reason it is called a dress uniform. It’s for formal occasions. And if meeting your Commander in Chief doesn’t qualify, I don’t know what does.
Sitting close together, bodies leaning toward each other, no furnishings in between, and neither man formally dressed in an official White House photo released to the public.