Dead Men Flying

A “very, very disappointed” Gen. Patrick Brady has slammed the U.S. Army for forgetting the lessons of the legendary “Dust Off” helicopter ambulance program from the Vietnam War.

It was in an interview on “Talk Back with Chuck Wilder,” that Brady, a recipient of the Medal of Honor, explained that bureaucratic changes within the Army are endangering wounded soldiers.

He’s also the author of “Dead Men Flying: Victory in Vietnam.”

Here's the scoop in a tough nutshell:  The Army sends in its dustoff choppers replete with the ridiculous red cross symbol that serves as a SHOOT ME HERE advertizement. The helicopters are also weaponless, because the brass feel that arming a medical transport is contrary to the Geneva and Hague accords, which of courses is blatant nonsense as we are not fighting an enemy army that is signatory to either convention. Marines, on the other hand, dispatch armed to the teeth medevacs that can fight their way in and out of the mission, because the lives of Marines come before the Commander-In-Thief's demands that no Afghan citizen be denied the right to kill American servicemen. And instead of the pilots determining the go or no go, the brass furiously debate the politics of launching.

And, since it is that season once more, military transports are being diverted to ferrying Obama's election campaign which of course employs far more assets than ever. This doesn't effect the medevacs, mind you, just the arrival and departure of troops and supplies from theater in favor of debate and campaign venues.

Priorities.