?You can?t and shouldn?t eliminate the spiritual component in the military,? said Bruce L. Fister, a retired Air Force general who is executive director of the Officers? Christian Fellowship, which is active on 200 bases worldwide.
General, I realize that for most of your later career you had subordinates who wouldn’t dream of disagreeing with you, but I’m afraid I ain’t one of them. There is no reason why “spirituality” should be a component in the military. I don’t want the platoon leader leading his/her soldiers into a crossfire and suggesting “it’s God’s will” when they’re all killed. I want the platoon leader to think about avoiding enfilading fire in the first place. Otherwise you get tragedies like The Charge of the Light Brigade.
Was there a man dismay’d?
Not tho’ the soldier knew
Someone had blunder’d:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.