Does anyone remember the problems at Walter Reed Army Medical Center?

Well, I was caught in that web of communication and service problems at the time and believe me for a full time Army Reserve Technician, injured in the line of duty it was no picnic.

I have always supported my country and my president as a soldier, and this time was no different. I do not blame the President for the failings at “WRAMC” those problems would have been their despite who the President was. It is my opinion in being one of the first Units in my area mobilized after 911 that no real national upgrades have been made to our military on a national level since WWII.

This was obvious to me, the Army and others when we were housed in the barracks of our fathers and grandfathers. Don’t get me wrong, it was kind of a neat experience, but still anyone could see these barracks were never intended to last sixty years.

It is much the same for a military facility, they just had not expected the volume of soldiers that were activated after 911, and WRAMC was no different.

After returning home and transferring from my activated unit back into the unit I worked full time for, I was undergoing our annual battle group training at FT. Meade, MD.

That day was my day of twenty years of military service, and I pushed myself as hard as ever! We were doing water survival training, and immediately after my heart decided to stop... I even had my own Near Death Experience; you can read about on {LightshipMinister.blogspot.com} if you would like, but I am here to tell about what Sen. John McCain did for me over two years after this incident occurred.

Our bills and documentations were piling up in our home, medical, military and my wife’s employment situation for the State of Maryland. It was a great time of anxiety, anger and fear in our relationship. The Army kept telling us to be patient in our situation, but it had been a year and a half, and we had no word about my medical evaluations.

Fortunately for me the U.S. Navy had come to my rescue, and I had the same doc that many on Capitol Hill used for care. Anyway, I finally e-mailed Sen. John McCain about my concerns, as even my own congressional representative had not receive phone calls from the Army Hospital in over a year.

Sen. John McCain did not know me from Adam, yet he championed my case as if it was his own! Within a couple days the 99^th Army Reserve Command (who I worked under) contacted me and they were not happy, yet this burocrtic train was starting to move now, with great speed I must add.

It’s too bad that the most powerful leader of the world is not elected under the Merit Promotion criteria, but instead is elected to office like a Television Promotion.

 That’s rite like a T.V. commercial, think about it the MTV generation goes after anyone who would dare and compare merit to popular culture.

How dare anyone say that the most powerful position in the world be merited!

However, history has proved that the most popular leaders have not always been the best leaders. Winston Churchill was never popular before England really needed him, but because of his experience he had merited, he rose to the level of being one of the greatest men in history!

If one really thinks about it most great people were prepared for leadership long before they were expected to perform in whatever task they were given.

I don’t care how much establishment, educators, or media personalities like a person it all boils down to that individual’s preparedness and character traits.

Most any other executive position a person is hired for (unless they are someone’s cronies)  has always been based on that persons merit and leadership credentials so why should the President of the United States be any different, yet it often is.

I often think about that old verse, “My people perish, for lack of knowledge” and this verse is not just talking about some sheepskin, when taken in contexts.

All throughout history, if people had chosen their leaders wisely instead of just for selfish reasons many civilizations would not have crumbled as quickly as they did.

Anyway, I wish the President of the United States was chosen based on Merit rather than Popularity, because in the long run that would be better for US all.