Anniversary

On March 10, 1982 I enlisted in the United States Army.  The recruiting station was a former service station on the corner of 22th St. and Central Ave.  It was snowing that day.  When anyone at Fort Benning inquired where I was from my usual answer was, "the Soviet Socialist Republic of Minnesota."  The Cold War was on at the time.

Conscience is the expression of the ego in the moral realm.  To make a moral judgment and to act on it are basically selfish acts.  It's the self that sees through its own eyes and acts on its own knowledge of right and wrong.  You couldn't be selfish if you can't live with yourself.  Rational Selfishness as defined and advocated by Ayn Rand was limited to acts which benefited one's self but caused no harm or inflicted a cost on another person.  The narcissist, especially in the political realm, isn't concerned with the injuries and burdens inflicted on other people.  In fact, the more destructive the consequences of obedience to those who obey the narcissist, the better.  Human sacrifice with beating hearts cut out and victims flayed alive, that's great.  Millions worked to death in slave labor camps in Siberia, as far as the narcissist is concerned that's better.  In order for me to say, "I, Leslie Bates, do solemnly swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America..." I have to say "I". That was my ego speaking when I took the oath of enlistment.

As a combat riflemen (MOS 11 B) I opposed conscription.  I did so in 1982 and I'm doing so now.  Some people have a problem with persons acting on their conscience.  I don't.  When I was enlisted in the United States Army the Army was going though several transitions.  The Army was transitioning from the M1 steel pot to the first generation of the K-pot helmet.  The Army was transitioning from the M60A3 tank to the first generation of the M1 Abrams tank with the 105mm rifled gun.  The Army was transitioning from the M113A1 APC to the first generation of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.  The Army was transitioning from the Huey helicopter to the first generation of the Blackhawk helicopter.