Morale of Marines in Persian Gulf
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Gen. Alfred Gray (front page, Sept. 27), commandant of the Marine Corps, tells Saudi-based troops that he will not tolerate poor morale.
The photo shows him standing there facing his Marines, desert combat fatigues, four gold stars, scowl on face and bullhorn. “There will be no morale problems in the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force because I say there will be morale,” Try that to the tune of “Don’t worry, be happy.”
It seems to me that officers in the military do lose touch. Generals are so accustomed to having an aide jump to attention at the snap of the fingers that the generals apparently believe this power carries over into human behavior. If I say you’ll be happy, you will be delighted. It ain’t necessarily so.
I thought, at first glance, that all of this was being played for the humor of it. It reminded me of Bob Hope, while entertaining the troops, making a gag and getting a laugh out of a miserable situation.
JAMES DUBOIS
Capistrano Beach
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