Peace statements, hymns and insults

From a Defence Mailing list email. The ADF is hosting military pilgrims from around the world attending World Youth Day 08 (WYD08).

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) and foreign military pilgrims will hold a ceremony including a reading of a statement of peace and singing hymns on the Sydney Opera House steps to thank their NSW hosts for World Youth Day 08.

Seems a contradiction in terms to me but never mind….things do change. Moving right along I note academics still hold us in high regard; THE Australian Defence Force is planning to open the nation’s army, navy and air force bases to high school work experience students in a bid to arrest the crisis in recruitment. All well and good – at least it’s a plan but besides people panicking that a young man or woman should be exposed to, or actually use a weapon, academics apparently think so little of the military culture that the writer drops this little quote.

The program is also likely to be opposed by some education professionals on grounds that military culture is incompatible with the higher ideals of learning that high school teachers are expected to instil.

I can almost guarantee that I spent more time study tertiary level languages, logistics and management than the reporter, and for that matter, most high school teachers, ever will, but I’m a product of the military culture and whereas my higher ideals of learning had to include the pragmatic with the academic, what would I know – I’m just a dumb soldier! I might add, I haven’t always been convinced that an arts degree is compatible with higher ideals of learning as the academics might suggest, but I’ve never thrown gratuitous insults at the young grads I’ve had working for me. Statements of peace, singing hymns and insults from academics. Ned Kelly, you were right…..such is life – but I will reserve the right to feel insulted for myself and the current batch of ADF members.