Major Hackett: Training and working together builds winning teams

Dwayne Hunn

Recently former Iraq deployed Marine Major Paul Hackett, candidate for Congress in Ohio’s District 2, was on an Air America Radio show criticizing parts of our Iraqi military policy. His thematic criticism was that our soldiers were "not training with” the Iraqis, stressing that training and working with the best built the best teams that win the toughest battles.

Another bonus of working together happens when both sides learn from each other. Some American military approaches may not work in Iraq, and both sides grow better from gaining that working realization. A deeper benefit comes from the relationships and respect that builds as Americans work alongside Iraqis.

There is no guarantee that training together means the Iraqi army will be loyal to our military’s training manual or desired policies. We have trained many militaries whose actions have come back to haunt decent Americans who want fair, civil societies spread through the world.

Civil societies spread not merely via our military or militias. Decent societies spread when we send troops who build homes from hovels, enlarge teaching capacities, provide safe water, tend to medical needs, improve crop production, and establish open economic and justice systems, etc. In today’s 21^st century, where we must defeat the spreading enmity that stealthily lurks in a growing number of hateful minds, we need a peaceful army that performs as efficiently as our military.

Build that army with the two citizen-initiated World Service Corps (WSC) proposals now in the offices of at least 15 Republicans and 15 Democrats congressional representative. For the WSC proposals to become law, perhaps fifty cosponsors from both sides of the political aisle are needed. To get that many congressional cosponsors, tens of thousands of Americans must express support for and push their congressional candidates and representatives to pass these productive, cost effective bills.

What would enacting the WSC proposals do?

In this dangerous nuclear and biological era when too much poverty, ignorance, hatred, and warfare exists, the WSC would give one million Americans the volunteer opportunity and incentive to serve their country either at home or abroad. The face of America’s WSC would be the core organizations of Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity, Head Start, Doctors Without Borders, and the Red Cross, plus other organization of similar efficiency. Six years after passing the WSC proposals, one million Americans would be peacefully serving nation and world.

Upon completing two years of service, volunteers would receive tuition payments equivalent to two years of community plus two years of state college, or equivalent contributions to relatives’ education, pay down of educational loans, or deposits to Medical Savings or IRA Accounts. Details at www.worldservicecorps.us.

In 2004, the Pentagon budget showed 1.4 military personnel with a budget of approximately $380 billion. When supplemental war appropriations and off-budgeted costs are added, maintaining each of our military personnel cost taxpayers about a half-million dollars per year. If we do not begin reducing the growing Ugly American image driven by myopic policies, those bloody costs will continue climbing.

At less than one-tenth the cost, we could send an army of peaceful, productive warriors into the frontiers of the 21^st century to deplete terrorist recruitment ranks, change the attitudes of American haters, and engender a saner world. We could build teams that establish infrastructures from which people sustain a better life and freedom of choice.

The red and blue states of America are filled with patriotic Americans aged eighteen through sixty who yearn to serve the nation in this increasingly dangerous time. The WSC offers them an All Star national team.

Let this robust team work for 20 years, and terroristic tendencies fall to a manageable level, fewer malnourished babies die, and global village relationships formed and understandings gained raises the world’s policymaking IQ.

Training and working together makes warriors better fighters of crazed terrorists. Working and learning together makes WSC members better world builders who overcome conditions and ideas that grow terrorisms.

Dwayne Hunn is a former Peace Corps volunteer who has done several Habitat Builds. You can support the citizen initiated proposed WSC legislation and sign the on-line Petition at www.worldservicecorps.us.

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