US Navy Adm. William McRaven, a former Navy Seal said recently, he would “consider it an honor” if Trump revoked his security clearance, following his decision to revoke former CIA director John Brennan’s security clearance. As a military retiree, I find it necessary to repeat the following opinion tweeted earlier this year.  Edifying to John Kelly, the honor of military service, after the firing of Manigault and degrading of Brennan.

January 2018

In the search for veracity in the idiom “country before party,” this post was blogged on twitter and was addressed to the current Chief of Staff who serves at the pleasure of the President. There are no creative words in the mind’s eye that will assist the process of this post reaching, let alone penetrating the mindset of the addressee. As was also with “A Tweet to the Speaker of the House” Aug 16, 2017, and “A Tweet for the President of these United States” Feb 6, 2017. https://twitter.com/hlf442207 Therefore this post is strictly for going on the record. Mr. John Kelly, sir, and with all due respect for your service to our country. We, as occupancies of a free society, are free to say whatever choices of words we want. But, we are not free from the penalties of those words. Despite best intentions, there are times in which one can become careless in their choice of expressions, e.g., empty barrel. But in politics, words can lead to dire consequences, and personality clashes have become the hallmark of divisiveness, with this presidency. It has now been a few months since stating you would not apologize for the false attacks you leveled against Rep. Frederica S. Wilson (D-Fla.) as you seek to defend the President for his handling of a condolence call. However, in your case, your silence has been golden, with the incident fading into oblivion, but I can not accept the nostalgia of letting it die a quiet death.

As a military veteran of more than twenty years, my allegiance has always been country before a party with a belief in the “no soldier left behind motto.” In my heart of hearts feelings, I do not believe things in our great nation will ever get better when divisive politics is the status quo. This post is not a political stance, just a public avowal of principles with a statement of cause and effect. You may not see it, but because of your principles, you have dismissed Representative Wilson in your mind to the status of irrelevancy. She is a soldier in her right, a public servant and slighted into a virtual left behind-ness. You have seemingly brought some simulation of stability to the White House with Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon gone. But, it takes tremendous courage to say the words “I was wrong.” Either there is a tarmac of infallibility in your acquired politics with your short tenor, or you have the “I am a General syndrome,” i.e., admitting wrong carries the indignation of being weak. Therefore someone else dignity is sacrificed. Regardless, retiring as a General or like me as a senior enlisted, there comes the inevitable culture shock with becoming a civilian. Civilians don’t respond as military subordinates do, with ideologies and stigmas becoming barricades within mindsets. With that said, and knowing the chances of you seeing this post being slim to none, I apologize for you. For you know not what to do in the area of humility. Representative Wilson not only deserves it, but I am also sure as a human being she would appreciate at least a private phone call.