“Go For Broke” in Balikatan 2012 (original post May 9, 2012)

The 100^th Battalion, 442^nd Infantry has as their unit patch the torch of liberty. Thomas Jefferson, our 3^rd President, famously said that “the tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants”. Now, more than ever, the most decorated battalion in United States Army, of which two of its companies call American Samoa home, needs such patriots to replenish her ranks.

Many consider the infantry the last military occupation of choice and in many ways that is understandable. The physical endurance and mental resolve that one must summon in order to complete the training and perform on the job can intimidate even the most daring amongst us. Moreover, being on the front lines quickly brings into focus the sobering reality that “to serve” means that you may have to pay the ultimate sacrifice for your fellow countryman’s freedoms.

But the greatest obstacle that I see keeping our citizens from making such an honorable commitment is an unfounded stigma. Because the Army doesn’t require infantry applicants to score high on the ASVAB, many take that to mean that the intelligence of your standard-issued grunt or the skill set he obtains from his craft is anything but inspirational – let alone useful to pursuing a career outside of the military.   

I have just had the honor of serving with our brothers and sisters from 100^th Battalion during the annual Balikatan war games in the Philippines, held this year from 16 to 27 April. What I witnessed out there was the exact opposite of any misconception one may have of the Infantry. Our men and women (in Bravo, Charlie and 740^th companies) made us proud with their perseverance, commitment to duty, honor, character, courage and wit. 

In each phase of the exercise’s planning and execution and at every echelon of leadership, I was proud to see Samoans stand their ground, being decisive, respectfully ask questions and lead from the front as well follow with loyalty.

It was a visual confirmation that everything that we do in the Army comes down to one mission: readying boots on the ground with rifles in hand to fight and win this nation’s wars. No future technology or advanced weaponry can ever serve as adequate substitution for our Infantrymen. That’s just the bottom line.

If folks out there believe that rocks can do this mission or that the skills and experience one acquires from fulfilling this mission cannot translate into a private sector career, they are truly mistaken.

I got to watch our boys execute the highest doctrinal form of the decision making process in the Army (MDMP) in order to accomplish their mission – and the infantry does the MDMP perhaps more frequently and with more consequence than any other branch. I was blessed to see our infantry commanders and non-commissioned officers translate concepts on paper to actual movements on the ground using their troop leading procedures. Our Soldiers questioned their leaders until the concept of operations was crystal clear and/or refined. And after a long night’s mission, they fought through exhaustion, broken ankles and hairline fractures in order to get through their after action reviews with their uniforms soaked in sweat and boots caked in mud. Then they consolidated their gear, reorganized before pushing through another long night of maneuvers.  

Presidents were born of the infantry. CEOs throughout the country have their roots in and owe their success to the infantry. So do many legislators, lawyers, law enforcement officers, business owners and many other folks in all walks of life. After Balikatan, I now realize why.

We also have many successful citizens and leaders of our own in our great territory who have now retired as Infantrymen and pursued careers in other fields. We don’t have to look beyond our shores for role models who serve as testaments to what a commitment to the Infantry can mean for our volunteers.

As we continue to remember and honor all of Samoa’s sons and daughters who have made the ultimate sacrifice, let us never forget that freedom is not free. That the cause of liberty is worthy of our best and brightest and all that we can give in her defense.

When our boys arrived, formed up and marched in cadence with Samoan verses as the wind carried their tunes throughout the camp, one could not help but hear a whisper, “the Samoans are here”. Our Philippine Army counterparts were as impressed with their physical size as they were with their spiritual hearts, full of our culture carried all the way from home.

They have done an outstanding job, from our cooks to supply sergeants to our grunts. They should be proud of themselves for a job well done.

God Bless America and American Samoa!

“GO FOR BROKE!”

Fa'aSamoa vs US Constitution (original post February 18, 2012)

When Governor Togiola went on board the Costa Deliziosa, he described Samoa as a war faring country. In Malama Meleisea’s Lagaga, the author notes an old proverb which says “E tala tau Toga ae tala tofi Samoa” (Tongan traditions are those of war whereas those of Samoa are about divisions). That saying more accurately describes the history of our proud country as it does today’s politics.

In many ways, our traditional political system did hundreds of years ago what the US Constitution only began to envision when it was adopted in 1787. In terms of governance, the fa’asamoa ensured matters were elaborated, not decided in the Fono. Also, a paramount chief was only but one voice amongst all the heads (matai) of families in a nu’u. We were all about “checks and balances” before anyone even had the chance to coin the term.

The US Constitution and our founding fathers also did not see the purpose of government to act efficiently. The Constitution’s many mechanics were meant to slow down the decision-making process to ensure all sectors of society had input. Consider a majority-based house, state-appointed Senators (until the 17^th amendment), a President and a Judiciary before laws can be made and upheld.

Liberalism’s curse is to deprive us of that great heritage. In the progressive’s view, a government’s level of sophistication depends on its effectiveness or its ability and efficiency to act. Deliberation and following protocol is secondary at best, if at all a concern compared to addressing whatever issue may be at hand.

Despite their disdain for corporations, that is exactly what and how liberals want government to function. They want to streamline the process, cut out the delays in order to meet a deadline. That is contrary to the Constitution, whose primary function is to keep power in check. If an action is held up because the US Senate cannot muster the necessary 60 votes to override a filibuster, then wait it must.

But liberalism has long looked down on our traditions as well as that of the Constitution because of their “inefficiencies”, if you will. Progressives continually long for strong executives to tame the natural disparities of the market and discipline dissenting voices into political obedience.   

We have a lot to be proud of in the development of our political culture as of late from the petitions to the protests. But we have a choice to make. A political system designed to elaborate and debate the issues and require everyone’s input is not meant to manage enterprises such as our hospital, energy, telecommunication, the shipyard, etc. as corporations are meant to.

It’s Not About the Money (original post November 20, 2010)

Capitalism, or a belief in free markets, is not simply about the money, believe it or not. A friend of mine once ridiculed the thousands of fans he saw in attendance at a WWE wrestling match on TV for “wasting their money”. Knowing how religious my friend was, I quipped that they were just as wasteful as the millions of people who attend church every Sunday.

I might as well have been struck by lighting for making that comparison as I never heard the end of it from my church-going buddy (in not so religious terms at times, I might add).  The point I wanted to make to him, though, was that what he considers “wasteful”, another person considers valuable. And what he considers valuable – his church – someone may consider as only adding deadweight to an already dying economy.

The idea is that, in a free market, my friend can’t impose his value judgment on those thousands of WWE fans or vice versa. Neither should the government, whether by dictatorship or majority rule.

We have long heard people explain the things that they do that don’t instantly appear economical with phrases like, “It’s not about the money” or “It makes me feel like I’m a part of something”.

While the glamorous life of a Wall Street exec or a rap star may seem like the epitome of living here on God’s green earth, many people are content and happy with their place in this world – as long as that place (whether it be job, house, the car they drive or whatever) was of their own choosing and efforts.