On LTC Vindman and the “Interagency,” but Mostly on Vindman

 

You can read Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman’s opening statement for his 29 October Congressional testimony here. First on Vindman, then the Interagency, then more on Vindman.

Full disclosure: I hate the fact that Vindman is in my cohort. He has to be junior to me, but he’s a Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) in the United States Army. Way to go, pogue, you just put all your LTC brethren in the position of no trust from POTUS.

This is Vindman, in uniform, appearing for his testimony:

He’s wearing the crossed rifles of the Infantry (why is the sky blue? Because God loves the infantry). As a taxpayer, do you feel a little cheated seeing an Infantryman that looks so…doughy? I’d like to see him do his PT test (shocking hint: I’m pretty sure he cheats).

In the six pages of his opening statement, Vindman mentioned “the interagency” three times.

Let me tell you about the interagency; During my time as an LTC, I worked with CIA, FBI, HSI, CPB, DOJ, NSA and others. We made some beautiful music together. Know what one of our primary guiding principles was? No matter how awesome or juicy our joint endeavors were, keep our planned operations, actions, or activities out of the Beltway (I-495) for as long as we could. As soon as the hacks in “the swamp” got their hands on what we were doing, protecting the country and doing good works would fall by the wayside. Immediately, the leadership of the “Interagency” would give primacy to equities and rice bowls. Yeah. No.

This philosophy was across the board. All of us worker bees were focused on doing the work, getting the job done, and protecting the country.  I always despised the Army guys that went to DC, wore suits for duty, and got themselves off doing the interagency Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.

From Vindman’s statement:  I have dedicated my entire professional life to the United States of America. For more than two decades, it has been my honor to serve as an officer in the United States Army. As an infantry officer, I served multiple overseas tours, including South Korea and Germany, and a deployment to Iraq for combat operations. In Iraq, I was wounded in an IED attack and awarded a Purple Heart.

Mongo’s retort:  Wait, you were commissioned in 1998, you’re still on active duty, and you’ve got one combat tour under your belt? One? Sorry about the getting wounded and all, but this smells like ticket-punching to me. Also, nowhere online could I find what billet he was filling; would bet pretty heavily that it was a staff job, though. Vindman doesn’t strike me as the type of guy with a fire in his belly to lead Infantry studs into close combat.

From Vindman’s statement:  Before recounting my recollection of various events under investigation, I want to clarify a few issues. I am appearing today voluntarily pursuant to a subpoena and will answer all questions to the best of my recollection.

Mongo’s retort: Uh, no, stud. There had been no vote on any kind of impeachment inquiry when you testified. So there was no authorization for any committee in Congress to issue a subpoena. So you received a request to testify and acquiesced; if you receive an actual subpoena, you’re appearing whether it’s voluntary or not.

From Vindman’s statement: As an active duty military officer, the command structure is extremely important to me. On many occasions, I have been told I should express my views and share my concerns with my chain of command and proper authorities.

Mongo’s retort: Oookay. What military officer in your chain of command green-lighted you showing up and testifying at Congress’s request?

From Vinman’s statement: I stated to Amb. Sondland that his statements were inappropriate, that the request to investigate Biden and his son had nothing to do with national security, and that such investigations were not something the NSC was going to get involved in or push.

Mongo’s retort: [record skkrriiiitch] You what!? Know what the equivalent military rank of an US Ambassador is? Four-star general. So not only is your testimony insubordinate to the Commander-in-Chief and most likely your local chain of command, but your testimony itself highlights your insubordination. Lieutenant Colonels don’t generate policy, they implement it, Lard-o. And your boss, Dr. Hill, was on her way in, apparently. You know what a military professional does? He goes through his boss to articulate any misgivings about what a policymaker says, and the boss deals with it.

This guy is a self-important weasel. Military personnel like him are one of the myriad reasons that I never took an assignment in the beltway.

He’s testifying again today.

Bet you that if he hasn’t already dropped his retirement paperwork, it’ll be in by Christmas.

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  1. JimGoneWild Coolidge
    JimGoneWild
    @JimGoneWild

    I dropped about a dozen mortar rounds but never witnessed them landing.  Too far. That was in Germany. The squads were short staffed so 11B’s got to try it out.  Our mortar platoon in the 82nd had HP41C hand held calculators with a trajectory package.  I never saw them in action but that was very advanced for anyone let alone an army mortar platoon.  In both my infantry units we had top mortar platoons in the division. This drove our 82nd battalion CSM crazy because the platoon sergeant was only an E-6, staff sergeant, and he bested the CSM’s pet mortar platoon.  The CSM was an SF man but a petty, and hated, jerk — very unusual.

    • #211
  2. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    JimGoneWild (View Comment):

    I dropped about a dozen mortar rounds but never witnessed them landing. Too far. That was in Germany. The squads were short staffed so 11B’s got to try it out. Our mortar platoon in the 82nd had HP41C hand held calculators with a trajectory package. I never saw them in action but that was very advanced for anyone let alone an army mortar platoon. In both my infantry units we had top mortar platoons in the division. This drove our 82nd battalion CSM crazy because the platoon sergeant was only an E-6, staff sergeant, and he bested the CSM’s pet mortar platoon. The CSM was an SF man but a petty, and hated, jerk — very unusual.

    NASA used an HP-41C as backup for the Shuttle’s main onboard computer for certain fuel calculations. Tiny. 

    • #212
  3. MACHO GRANDE' (aka - Chris Cam… Coolidge
    MACHO GRANDE' (aka - Chris Cam…
    @ChrisCampion

    That doesn’t look like a 40-50 pound loss.  More of a net gain, there.

    Pinchy McPinchFace

    • #213
  4. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    MACHO GRANDE' (aka – Chri… (View Comment):

    That doesn’t look like a 40-50 pound loss. More of a net gain, there.

    Pinchy McPinchFace

    Ha.  I need new glasses.  I thought you wrote “Punchy my pinch face.”  I thought, yes, his face does look like it needs to be punched.

    • #214
  5. JimGoneWild Coolidge
    JimGoneWild
    @JimGoneWild

    Percival (View Comment):

    JimGoneWild (View Comment):

    I dropped about a dozen mortar rounds but never witnessed them landing. Too far. That was in Germany. The squads were short staffed so 11B’s got to try it out. Our mortar platoon in the 82nd had HP41C hand held calculators with a trajectory package. I never saw them in action but that was very advanced for anyone let alone an army mortar platoon. In both my infantry units we had top mortar platoons in the division. This drove our 82nd battalion CSM crazy because the platoon sergeant was only an E-6, staff sergeant, and he bested the CSM’s pet mortar platoon. The CSM was an SF man but a petty, and hated, jerk — very unusual.

    NASA used an HP-41C as backup for the Shuttle’s main onboard computer for certain fuel calculations. Tiny.

    Yes! So when I got out and to college,  Oregon State University,  where they had a big HP facility, I lived in upper classman dorm with lots of engineering students, I would mentioned that I played with the 41C in the army.  They would look at me like I had 3 heads.  “Not possible.  They use them on the space shuttle. ”  Then a guy came back from Christmas break with a new 41C — ruined my fun.

    • #215
  6. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    JimGoneWild (View Comment):

    I dropped about a dozen mortar rounds but never witnessed them landing. Too far. That was in Germany. The squads were short staffed so 11B’s got to try it out. Our mortar platoon in the 82nd had HP41C hand held calculators with a trajectory package. I never saw them in action but that was very advanced for anyone let alone an army mortar platoon. In both my infantry units we had top mortar platoons in the division. This drove our 82nd battalion CSM crazy because the platoon sergeant was only an E-6, staff sergeant, and he bested the CSM’s pet mortar platoon. The CSM was an SF man but a petty, and hated, jerk — very unusual.

    I’ve done direct-lay shots with a 60mm mortar both on trigger-control and drop fire.  It’s weird feeling the thump of the round firing and then waiting 37-47 seconds until the rounds impact the target.

    Oh, and humping the base plate for a 60mm? Pure suckfest.

    • #216
  7. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Ricochet should pay you guys to talk about cool military stuff. lol

    I love how infantry can maneuver through walls if they feel like it via the demolition guy.

    • #217
  8. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    Ricochet should pay you guys to talk about cool military stuff. lol

    Brother, if I’m getting paid, I’ll tell lies all day.

    • #218
  9. DrewInWisconsin, Type Monkey Member
    DrewInWisconsin, Type Monkey
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Boss Mongo (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    Ricochet should pay you guys to talk about cool military stuff. lol

    Brother, if I’m getting paid, I’ll tell lies all day.

    Oh, a journalist!

    • #219
  10. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    DrewInWisconsin, Type Monkey (View Comment):

    Boss Mongo (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    Ricochet should pay you guys to talk about cool military stuff. lol

    Brother, if I’m getting paid, I’ll tell lies all day.

    Oh, a journalist!

    Exactemente!

    • #220
  11. MACHO GRANDE' (aka - Chris Cam… Coolidge
    MACHO GRANDE' (aka - Chris Cam…
    @ChrisCampion

    Skyler (View Comment):

    MACHO GRANDE’ (aka – Chri… (View Comment):

    That doesn’t look like a 40-50 pound loss. More of a net gain, there.

    Pinchy McPinchFace

    Ha. I need new glasses. I thought you wrote “Punchy my pinch face.” I thought, yes, his face does look like it needs to be punched.

    • #221
  12. JimGoneWild Coolidge
    JimGoneWild
    @JimGoneWild

    Boss Mongo (View Comment):

    JimGoneWild (View Comment):

    I dropped about a dozen mortar rounds but never witnessed them landing. Too far. That was in Germany. The squads were short staffed so 11B’s got to try it out. Our mortar platoon in the 82nd had HP41C hand held calculators with a trajectory package. I never saw them in action but that was very advanced for anyone let alone an army mortar platoon. In both my infantry units we had top mortar platoons in the division. This drove our 82nd battalion CSM crazy because the platoon sergeant was only an E-6, staff sergeant, and he bested the CSM’s pet mortar platoon. The CSM was an SF man but a petty, and hated, jerk — very unusual.

    I’ve done direct-lay shots with a 60mm mortar both on trigger-control and drop fire. It’s weird feeling the thump of the round firing and then waiting 37-47 seconds until the rounds impact the target.

    Oh, and humping the base plate for a 60mm? Pure suckfest.

    We didn’t have 60mm, just the 81mm. But I remember those guys humping the base plate and bi-pod around. Suckfest. Even more interesting is watching them jump out a C-130. Again, this is before the wind deflectors were used. They put all the mortar pieces in WECE(?), which is like a canvas box that can be collapsed. The first guy to “jump” out the door is usually the mortar man with the WECE, but sometimes Mother-Nature doesn’t cooperate and the wind stream just pushes him right back in the door! And he has to make another attempt. Pretty funny to watch.

    • #222
  13. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    JimGoneWild (View Comment):
    Even more interesting is watching them jump out a C-130.

    For a real giggle, watch somebody jump a Stinger. No Bueno.

    • #223
  14. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    I must have missed this, but Vindman stated that the attacks on him on the internet and on twitter made him feel “marginalized.”

    What does that even mean, Bloachmo?

    You are a Commissioned Officer in the Army Infantry.  You are Ranger qualified and a combat veteran with a Purple Heart.  And you’re such a fading daisy that you whine about being “marginalized?”

    So, it’s one of two things, you blue suited Teletubby:  either this kind of mewling can be leveraged in DC-land for some type of cachet, or you actually feel this way.

    Neither of which reflects well on you (you puss), the United States Army, or the Government of the United States.

    • #224
  15. ctlaw Coolidge
    ctlaw
    @ctlaw

    Boss Mongo (View Comment):
    Neither of which reflects on you (you puss), the United States Army, or the Government of the United States.

    • #225
  16. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    About time.

    • #226
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