I am re-posting this as I want to make as sure as possible that it is seen by as many as possible: Critical Thinking and Veteran Voting The ability to scrutinize is the reason I put this up for perusal. As Enlisted we had about zip ability to scrutinize and comment. NCOs were given a little more latitude and ear by Officers, but we really learned to edit our input to appear as much as agreement as possible. In these two categories of status we were expected and trained to follow order with as little analysis as possible. In a military setting the Chain of Command and Obedience to Orders is an historically proven necessity. No matter what rank we were all endowed with the ability to refuse an Unlawful Order and most of us avoided that mine field as it was fraught with Catch 22s of its own. I have come to believe that the adherence to this code when we enter the Voting Booth, irrespective of Rank, Active, Reserve, Discharged or Retired presents the potential for significant impairment of, or lack of, application of self-developed Critical Thinking Skills. Thus there are those among us who will cast a vote for a Candidate who has a history of voting against the best interests of oneself or the Veteran Collective. I further believe that it is each Veterans responsibility to find our path to developing a well-honed skill set of Critical Thinking Skills. This Skill Set Development Ability is provided to each and every one of us Honorably Discharged in the form of the G.I. Educational Benefits Package. This is where we are able to transform ourselves from “Obeyers” to “Independent Thinkers”. We are taught this skill to a minimalist degree while serving, but only enough to critically think within our own immediate MOS parameters. There is a complete lack in the Enlisted and NCO Ranks of the Military striving to develop a set of Globally Adaptable Critical Thinking Skills. And due to this deficit we violate the first rule of personal behavior taught in the Military: “Don’t Shoot Yourself in the Foot”. The approaching Mid-Term Elections are an opportunity for each of us to evaluate our Federal Senators and House Representatives history of voting in the interest of Veterans and Veteran Family Issues. That is most likely a total of two people to research as to their voting record and that can be simply done. The link for access to all Congressional Voting Records is really quite simple and can be accessed through this link: https://govtrack.us/. There we are each endowed with the ability to receive via email the Voting Record or our Congressional Representatives. I suggest not voting for Congressional Representatives who repeatedly shoot you in the foot.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Mar 2014 11:21:40 +0000
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