Old Generals don’t need to fade away

Today many noticed for the first time we have a war. The Carona virus has claimed more Americans than the 9/11/01 attacks on our country. That is certainly a war, one like no other before. Every war has generals and politicians directing the details of war. Also every war has ex-politicians and ex-generals commenting on what could be done differently.

There is also a fairly large group of ex-military leaders that served at ranks much lower than general that were taught some basic leadership skills. Those skills were taught at Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, NCO Academy, West Point, ROTC or Benning School for Boys for our ex-Army leaders or elsewhere for our able counterparts in the Marine, Coast Guard, Air Force and Navy. Based on the premise that you retain some of those leadership skills, I would suggest to all that now is the time to dust them off and use them.

Since the beginning of warfare retired and ex-military have wished they could join the current war even though they were years or decades too old. Here’s your chance. Nobody is too old to assume a leadership role in this war.

The current war is being fought on two fronts – one with medical heroes using what we have in terms of equipment and medicine. The second front is being fought by private industry heroes retooling their production capabilities to supply the medical heroes with things we do not have or need more of in an unreasonably fast timeframe. Make fun of Mike Lindell if you want, just don’t do it around me. We can use 100 more like him.

The third front of this war is information and discipline and that’s where you retired and ex-military leaders can be the most help. Private industry leaders are welcome to join us as well. Even though you are trapped at home, you can all help with information and discipline. Here’s how.

The information flowing around on TV and the internet can’t all be true since it conflicts with itself so dramatically. Therefore, some or that information is either false, pure propaganda or ill-timed and non-sensical political crap. Your job as leader of your household or extended family or neighborhood is to funnel that information into whatever receptacle it belongs in and to help others focus only on things that stop the spread of Carona virus and minimize infections and deaths.

Discipline has been better than I expected but with 2 weeks more isolation growing into 4, 6 or 8 weeks some people are going to do stupid and inappropriate things — like just taking a break and going to the store or just visiting friends. The military distracts its young people who actually fight the wars with recreation and training. You can do the same.

Training leads to teamwork and teamwork leads to peer pressure and sometimes a buddy system that discourages bad behavior because an individual’s bad behavior would be detrimental to a larger group. You don’t have to train your family in warlike things or even medical things. Train them to be a bobsled team or circus performers or how line chefs work in great restaurants — anything that strengthens the family unit and distracts from bad behavior. Be creative.

Education may be considered a combination of information and discipline and the #1 educational challenge is those young people who believe they are invulnerable to this virus and everything else and decide to go on spring break and bring a disease home that infects Grandma. They certainly need some educating. I don’t think it will be easy, but it is worth trying.

Some day your grandkids will ask — what did you do in the last war? I hope you are able to say you received a battlefield promotion to General for a small group of very important people and you got them safely thru the war.

Rick Schlosser

Peachtree City, Ga.