A Final Thought on Arkin’s Mercenaries, Maybe.

John Donovan aka The Armorer pens an excellent reply to Mr. Arkin’s claim that our current troops are receiving obscene amenities in the war on terror and that because they are well cared for he can willingly call them mercenaries. Let’s remind everyone out there just what it is that Mr. Arkin said, courtesy of Mr. Donovan:

So, we pay the soldiers a decent wage, take care of their families, provide them with housing and medical care and vast social support systems and ship obscene amenities into the war zone for them, we support them in every possible way, and their attitude is that we should in addition roll over and play dead, defer to the military and the generals and let them fight their war, and give up our rights and responsibilities to speak up because they are above society?

I hadn’t thought much more about that statement other than the fact that he just didn’t truly understand the nature of the military support system, Mr. Arkin should be forgiven, after all it’s not like he’s the Washington Post’s expert on Military Affairs.

But back to Mr. Donovan, he reminds us that these so called obscene amenities that Mr. Arkin is so upset about receive must be the improved housing and medical coverage, which still isn’t better than mine that I purchase through my provider; and the penchant to find Burger King, Pizza Hut and Subway in theatre. But there is one problem with Mr. Arkin’s claims that must be addressed; those Obscene Amenities aren’t being paid for with your tax money.

I'm sure that Arkin has in mind the Great Ameriki Souk, AAFES. The Army and Air Force Exchange Service, and NEX, the Navy Exchange. And the MWR services (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) that the profit from AAFES operations funds. With NAF money.

NAF. Now there is an interesting term not tossed about much in the press.

Non-Appropriated Funds. The significance of Non-Appropriated means that Congress does NOT authorize the expenditure of those funds. They are not appropriated. They do not come from the Treasury. They are not Bill Arkin's tax dollars. They aren't my tax dollars. They aren't your tax dollars.

But they are my dollars. They are the dollars of anyone who is authorized to use the PX/BX, the Post Exchange/Base Exchange. The military's in-house J.C.Penney / Sears / Target. Or, who pays to use the MWR facilities, like the swimming pools, stables, golf courses, movie theaters, arts and crafts shops, auto craft shops, etc.

They are self-supporting. And the money comes from - us. The soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, coast guardsmen, commissioned Public Health Service and NOAA personnel, active, Reserve, and retired, and our associated families, who are authorized to use those facilities.

So those obscene amenities that my fellow brothers and sisters in uniform seem to be wallowing in, come not from the Citizenry’s taxes but rather from those same folks who use them, what a novel concept Mr. Arkin, is this somehow akin to the wonderful benefits you receive from your employer. Of course not, you don’t pay for the privilege of having a those benefits, they are given to you to attract you and other’s like you to the company, after all the journalism business is incredibly cut-throat isn’t it. I guess that makes you a mercenary doesn’t it. Funny how that works out, you and those you malign aren’t that different, except for the fact that the members of the US Military do what they do not out of sense of who will pay me more, but rather because they believe in a set of values that are centered around Honor, Duty and Country.

Mr. Arkin you have shown us that the media and those on the left do not appreciate in the slightest what it is that the US Military provides you on a daily basis. As a former member of the US Armed Forces you should know better, and perhaps you do and if that is true then you have sold your soul and have become that which you so despise; a mercenary at its most base level.