Good Training

A few years back -- well..., more than just a few actually; but that's not important right now -- the Colonel, in his post-active duty attempt to re-integrate into civilian society (a miserable failure; but that's not important right now, either) was at dinner with some senior executives from a large legacy truck manufacturer whose name will be go unmentioned...

...but, the company's initials are International Truck and Engine Corporation...

The year was 2007.  The ineptly executed and horribly misnamed Global War on Terrorism was in its infancy and the question posed to the military professional at the table was:

"Colonel, how long will this war last?"

The Colonel replied, "What war?"     

The others looked at the Colonel as if he was more than a quart low, so he clarified.

"Look, gentlemen, America ain't 'at war'.  Small portions of our military are at war, but the rest of America isn't any more involved in the 'war effort' than they are in this weekend's NFL games."

The puzzled looks across the table spurred the Colonel on (as if he really needs a reason to pontificate), "You guys know the history of your company, right?  How many civilian vehicles did y'all make in 1943 and 1944?"

There was a quick conference begun opposite the Colonel, and he waved them back to attention, extending a hand with thumb and index finger connected in a circle, "The answer is zero. Your company, and nearly every other company in America, was retooled to build war material.  Your company had as much to do with winning World War Two as any military organization.  When your company goes back to that kind of war footing, then, and only then, can you say 'We are at war'."   

In International's defense, they soon after joined the war effort in a minor but not insignificant way, adapting their medium truck line to build Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles.  Their trucks saved lives.

But, their MRAP line was only a minor sideshow to their continuing civilian truck effort.

It strikes the Colonel this morning, as he watches news of American corporations coming on line to provide "war material" for the current war on the Chicom Virus, that this is good training for what will almost certainly be far more serious threats to the security of the citizens of our Republic in the near future.

A big war is coming.  On this there is not a doubt in the Colonel's military mind.  The current threat from COVID19, while indeed serious, will pale to insignificance in comparison.  

So, we Americans should look at this crisis as good training.

It's good training for the kinds of personal sacrifices that will need to made in the coming war.  There are very few Americans still alive who know -- they made incredible sacrifices in the first half of the last century; sacrifices that make a couple of weeks cooped up with the kiddos look like free passes for life at Disney World.

It's good training for our government -- local, state, and federal.  Hopefully those in government are learning how to focus on the truly important things for which a government exists -- public safety and business-supporting infrastructure.

It's good training for American corporations.  This should be a wake-up call that off-shoring for short-term profit risks complete loss of business when those off-shore countries shut down for reasons nefarious and not.

It's good training for our teenage youth.  Idiotic spring break examples to the contrary, the vast majority of our young people have had their eyes opened to the fact that it ain't all about just them.  They are beginning to see that their actions have consequences not just for them, but for others.

It's good training for our churches and other benevolent organizations.  If you don't understand how, then you need to join one.

It's good training for the Colonel.  It's breaking him out of his self-imposed shell and making him really think about things large and small for the first time in a long time.

Be well, America, and keep training.