Timothy Birdnow

The Navy is eliminating an old traditional punishment. Confinement with reduced rations aka bread and water are now a thing of history.

Yes, the old penalty for misconduct has sailed into the sunset, along with flogging, irons, and such other wonderful maritime traditions.

I suppose they consider us too "civilized" in these modern times to use corporal discipline. And yet dietary manipulation was used on Al Qae4da terrorists at Gitmo to great advantage. Is it perhaps not better to limit a disobedient and surly shipman's caloric intake (sometimes referred to as a diet) than place a mark on his permanent record - as is the modern disciplinary tool? Some people are incorrigible, and do not respond to marks on their record but do respond to restrictions that can be felt and seen.

It's all part of the modern therapeutic culture. I suppose they'll send the unruly swabbies to the ship's counselor to get in touch with their inner child or whatnot.

The purpose of the navy is ultimately to kill people and break things. How does a kinder, gentler navy accomplish that mission? To be a warrior you must think like a warrior. If we want janitors and porters we can just send these people to take the jobs "Americans just won't do". But if we expect them to fight in a war - and with both Russia and China rushing headlong to build massive military engines and saying war with the U.S. is inevitable - we need soldiers and sailors who aren't going to fold at the first deprivation. I think we need more discipline shipside, not less.

A big war will knock this stupidity out of us. Sadly, a lot of people will die in the process.

So say goodbye to this old practice.

I guess they'll have to change the song "put him in the scuppers with a hornpipe on him" to "put him on report and make him sign a demerit card".

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at 03:10 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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