Is Martha McSally a true conservative or passionate feminist? As the GOP candidate opposing Democrat Ron Barber for Arizona’s Congressional District 14 representative, Martha McSally has what appears to be an impressive military record…to non-military voters. To those who have worn the uniform -and particularly those who have been in combat- looking past the political posturing gives grounds for concern as to McSally’s true moral compass
CEOs of Fortune 500 companies have felt for decades that Air Force and Navy pilots make less than optimum corporate executives for several reasons. These pilots live literally and figuratively in a rarified atmosphere in which they are the least of all service members required to interact not only with other human beings but with their own support personnel. Army pilots, on the other hand, being mostly warrant officers maintain a healthy distrust of “annointed” commissioned officers and retain an aggravating penchant for telling inconvenient truths to power that few of todays’ sergeants major dare.
Much ado has been made about McSally’s combat record. From a combat veteran’s point of view anything less than the poster-ized comments from her officer efficiency reports would be an anomaly – and probably grounds for another sexual discrimination lawsuit against the Air Force (again financed by feminist groups). Feminism has been a potent weapon in the military since Colorado Senator Pat Schroeder, et al required the Pentagon to make the military a mirror of society. That hasn’t worked since the dawn of civilization.
It’s time civilians quit fawning over veterans simply because they “served their country.” People join the military for many reasons. In my 22 years of experience spread over five decades (four teaching newly enlisted service members) duty has been replaced by economics, an easier and faster way to receive lifetime retirement and (so far) relatively free health care. This obviously does not include those ground pounders who run to the sound of gun fire
“Combat” is defined differently in the Air Force than by mere lower-paid, rucksack-bearing terrestrials. The last air-to-air combat experienced by any American pilot was when Reagan bombed Libya in the ’80s. Since then even Iranian pilots have had the common sense not to challenge U.S.air superiority. Iraqi pilots either stay in their bunkers or flee to neighboring states.
Combat awards like the Bronze Star have been grossly inflated (by rank) since Grenada. In fact, commanding officers are subjected to unwanted scrutiny if certain awards aren’t given to certain demographics upon mission completion, transfer or end of service.
According to McSally the A-10 is the premier close air support (CAS) aircraft. I confess to an A-10 bias having personally benefited from its capabilities as have all three of my sons. But it is not the best available CAS aircraft in the inventory. Army Attack helicopters and the Air Force’s AC-130 are cheaper to fly, more accurate and can loiter on target longer than an A-10. And a former Air Force J-2 in Afghanistan recommended replacing the A-10 and other tens of millions dollar air-to-air aircraft burning up our defense budget being used for CAS ( much like in Vietnam) with a CAS-perfect, propeller-driven AT-6. Think modernized version of the much acclaimed A1E Sky Raider in Vietnam. That thinking outside the military-industrial box recorded a 9.5 on the Beltway Richter scale and the AT-6 died a quick and quiet death.
McSally’s understandable loyalty to her institution makes her a good lobbyist but not necessarily a politician capable of making hard budget decisions.
How can McSally represent the middle class when she’s never been middle class? Militarily she looks like McCain with different plumbing -except, for a while, McCain was married and had children. Will McSally be Arizona’s Janet Reno?
What makes McSally a conservative? Ask the hard questions: How does she feel about abortion? The Second Amendment? Illegal immigration? Amnesty? Common Core? None of these are addressed on her uniform-waving website. The economy is an issue. But core moral values drive the economy and get Supreme Court justices confirmed.
All in all McSally appears to be a candidate moving left of center with the GOP at best (a la Scott Brown) or an even more Left feminist camouflaged in khaki at worst. She’s a political hermaphrodite. She could be a candidate for either party. She will fit inside the imperial beltway like a velvet glove.
