Killeen Daily Herald

[Stu]

25 March 2008

Whoever approved the front page of the 26 March 2009 edition needs a refresher in propriety.

Located above the fold on the left side is a piece that, while lamentable, is not something that needed to be printed, especially sharing space on the front page with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment memorial dedication and 1st Air Cavalry Brigade deployment. Sadly, someone at the KDH thinks they have a duty -- or readers have a desire -- to be constantly reminded that deviant behavior exists, even in our community.

Some in the legacy media wonder why subscription levels are nose-diving and Blogs like this exist. Perhaps they should reconsider their penchant for the scandalous, manufacturing news, and purveying material from the gutter. In the KDH’s case, that includes parroting the Associated Press. Instead, the media should focus on reporting news, educating readers, and appealing to the best qualities of American citizens.

Newsroom elitists may recoil from this approach but President Obama, Charles Gibson and others have painfully come to understand that focusing on the negative is unhealthy for us as individuals and as a country.

I’m not suggesting we bury our heads in the proverbial sand. Refusing to report the trash that exists in our society isn’t the same as ignoring it exists. There are just other and better forums in which to deal with it.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

24 May 2009

To the Editor:

Lampasas ISD got it right, no one is taking away anyone’s “right” to an education, taxpayers don’t owe unruly students “special accommodations”, bad behavior has consequences, the young man needs to own his actions instead of claiming victim status, and his family is now rightfully responsible to get him to school if he still wants an education.

There. I just summarized in one short paragraph the thrust line of what the KDH got totally wrong using a bold headline, 36 square inches of print on a weekend front page above the fold, an additional 96 square inches of print on page A3, and an editorial on page A4. (Policy leaves Lampasas student behind, 24 May,)

The young man and his family should correct his behavior instead of complaining about alleged mistreatment. Behavioral modification of those with ADHD can be successfully achieved by instilling discipline, setting boundaries, establishing consequences, and enforcing standards as well as liberal doses of encouragement coupled with a physician’s care and medication. Epilepsy too can be medically controlled.

The KDH should report the news instead of again trying to manufacture it. Its difficult to believe that it was that slow of a news day, especially on the Memorial Day weekend and with the ongoing return of the 4th Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. The reporting was sloppy even if that was the case.

The reporter should have confirmed and reported the mother’s claim that she was legally unable to drive. Did the Departments of Public Safety (DPS) and State Health Services (DSHS) disqualify her based on the findings of a state Medical Advisory Board? People with epilepsy are able to secure a Class C license in Texas if they are seizure free for 6 months – now 3 months in many states -- and their condition is controllable with medication.

The reporter should have debunked - or better yet, omitted - the contention that being caught driving without a license results in a loss of Social Security benefits. Section 521.025 of the Texas Transportation Code lists potential consequences as a combination of a fine and/or confinement. News flash - state penalties for driving offenses do not cause the loss of these federal benefits.

And for the record in case it matters. I have a son with ADHD who is serving in combat with the US Army in Afghanistan. My wife has also had seizures, is on medication and drives.

However unfortunate, this KDH “story” (like many before it) was undeserving of ink. The level of lament and hand wringing just took it over the top. Hopefully the Lampasas ISD school board has the following response to the KDH’s call for security personnel, dedicated buses and policy changes - Noted with interest, not much.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

30 May 2009

To the Editor;

If a resident of this area was asked to choose, which report do you think they would consider more worthy of a KDH headline; a local man charged with murder or Texas A&M University – Central Texas funding being approved by the governor’s office?

Right. No brainer. But the trends noted above show why that wasn’t the KDH response.

Governor Perry signed a bill on May 27th to fund construction of the campus for Texas A&M University – Central Texas. “Its probably one of the most significant events in the history of Killeen” said Rep. Jimmy Don Aycock, himself a key architect of this momentous achievement. Most of us would probably agree.

So how did the KDH respond on May 28th? The front-page bold headline blared about a murder while Perry OKs money for A&M campus in Killeen was relegated to a small box on the center left. The article on returning Soldiers was great but even Killeen’s ban on animal tethering – itself a bizarre headline choice earlier in the week -- received more front page space than the A&M news.

Sure, the TAMU-CT story received most of page A3. Still, the KDH missed an opportunity to capture a collector’s edition front page.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

27 June 2009

To The Editor:

On 15 June 2009, Congressman John R. Carter was selected to join Congressman Chet Edwards as a co-chair of the House Army Caucus. This is significant because it dramatically increases the bipartisan influence that Fort Hood and central Texas have on Capitol Hill.

Many civilians in this community would know this if the KDH had bothered to print the press release (included below) somewhere between pages A-1 and D4. It was included in the (military centric) Hood Herald insert on Wednesday, 17 June but apparently a US congressional action that significantly impacts the largest military installation in the free world just doesn’t make the editorial cut for the main paper.

*****
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. John Carter (R-TX) has replaced U.S. Rep. John McHugh (R-NY) as Republican Co-Chairman of the House Army Caucus. McHugh is leaving the House of Representatives to become Secretary of the Army.

"This is a distinct honor and privilege," says Carter. "I am pleased to take on this responsibility to ensure that the Army maintains and increases a close working relationship with Members from both sides of the aisle, to guarantee we have a thoroughly educated House as to all the needs of the U.S. Army."

Carter joins Democratic Co-Chair and fellow Texan U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX). Both Chairmen have close ties with Fort Hood, with Carter currently representing the Army’s largest base, and Edwards having represented it in the past. Both Carter and Edwards are members of the key House Appropriations Committee, and serve on the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.

Carter is also one of six elected GOP House leaders, as Secretary of the House Republican Conference.

The 111th Congress Army Caucus currently has more than 100 Members from both parties. The Caucus works to educate their fellow House Members on Army needs, and advocate for those needs in the House legislative process.
*****

How significant is this selection? Just one day later we saw the following announcement.

WASHINGTON, DC – Fort Hood was approved for a new $8.5 million Chapel Family Life Center in House Appropriations Committee action Tuesday, thanks to a powerful bipartisan push from Central Texas legislators John Carter, R-Round Rock, and Chet Edwards, D-Waco. (An additional $36 million was also approved for other Fort Hood projects.)

It remains clear that KDH leadership has not adjusted its attitude and embraced the fact that John. R Carter is our US Congressman. Apparently, they instead continue to yearn for the “good ole days”. Perhaps they should listen to LTG Rick Lynch. Not only are they stuck on something but those days are now.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

4 July 2009

To the Editor:

Important subjects abound yet the KDH opts for another puerile headline. (Fort Hood: Cat shooting unfortunate, but legal, 3 July 2009).

The occasional silly story would be excusable if the KDH had not already established a pattern of bizarre reporting and sloppy journalism.

For the sake of discussion, assume that we’re in a parallel universe and a valid reason existed to run this story. Also imagine that a trained journalist left an air-conditioned environment to investigate this reported violation of animal rights. Answers to the following questions might comprise the ensuring news report.

How did the reporter verify that the cat strayed less than a meter onto federal property? Did the reporter secure imagery or IR video, interview the game warden, recon the engagement area, investigate the blood trails, or simply parrot the owner’s claim?

Which federal policy did the game warden violate? If the cat was on Fort Hood property then it was likely in a wildlife refuge area for the Golden Cheeked Warbler and/or the Black Capped Vireo and thus the warden’s actions were justified. The following references are available.

• US Code Title 16, Chapter 35 (Endangered Species)
• National Audubon Society watch list
• United States Fish & Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior, Title 50 (Wildlife and Fisheries), Part 31 (Wildlife species management), Subpart B (Terms and Conditions of Wildlife Reduction and Disposal), para 31.14(b) (Official Animal Control Operations).

How did the warden verify that his target was a cat as it “sneaked through grass as if hunting”? (Duh. That’s what cats do.) What time of day and at what distance did the game warden take the shot? What kind of handgun/rifle and scope was used?

Which federal authority decreed that the presence or absence of a collar is the standard for identifying friend (tabby - domestic) from foe (feral - wild)? Hey, if a collar is the standard then we have bigger problems than just cats poaching birds on federal property. Local officials need to deal with the feral cats and dogs roaming our neighborhoods. (Or perhaps hire off-duty game wardens and invest in marksmanship training?)

If the owner witnessed the incident then what was said during his ensuing conversation – heated, no doubt -- with the game warden? Was a citation issued? An arrest made? Were there other witnesses?

Which Vet treated the cat? What was the medical extent of the cat’s injuries? Who validated the invoice?

Why does this “incident” deserve a Fort Hood “investigation”? What were the labor and equipment costs to the taxpayer for that to occur? Given the policy above, why should the Army (read, taxpayers) fork over $5,000?

OK, enough.

Instead of trying to invent “news”, agitate the community and fuel “we-they” reactions, the KDH staff should consider Rotary International's Four-Way Test before it runs a local story.

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build good will and better friendships?
• Will it beneficial to all concerned?

Doing so would help shape the things they think, say or do and eliminate inane stories like this one.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

5 July 2009

To the Editor:

The Hobby Lobby ad on page A7 was simply awesome. (In God we Trust, KDH 4 July 2009)

It was also sobering. If you paused to reflect on these quotes then you may have noted that they were all made prior to 1892. Like the prodigal son, America has since largely abandoned the need to follow the divine inspiration, wisdom and intent of our founding fathers.

Benjamin Franklin’s address to the Constitutional Convention on June 28, 1787 is especially noteworthy. Dr. Franklin admonished the fractured assembly to seek inspiration and direction from God and several delegates reported that his words fell upon their ears with such “weight and authority” that James Madison called for the clergy of Philadelphia to lead the city in prayer on July 2d. God answered, a spirit of reconciliation and compromise prevailed, and the Articles of Confederation gave way to our Constitution on September 17, 1787.

It is imperative that we too pray for and elect leaders at all levels of government who acknowledge God’s continued role in the affairs of man. That is, if we want His hand of favor and blessing to remain on our country.

Additional reflections on the proper relationship between the Creator, the created and the role of government can be found in The Federalist Papers and America’s God and Country; Encyclopedia of Quotations by William J. Federer.


Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

19 July 2009

The politically correct and their media machine recently spewed almost non-stop homage to an entertainer whom they insisted made significant contributions to society. Some would respectfully disagree. Regardless, the energy expended on this most recent Circus de Jour caused eminently more worthy news to be lost in the noise.

The following Washington Post article recounts the military honors bestowed on a US Army Soldier killed in Afghanistan on 25 June 2009. This account was printed in response to an email from the Soldier’s mother contrasting our society’s reaction to that week’s events.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02894.html

One would think the KDH could have found room among all its AP bylines to print this article. Not because Lt. Bradshaw’s death was unique but because the KDH is a media leader serving a major US Army installation. Doing so could have signaled that the KDH “gets it” during a week devoted by many others to celebrating the perverse.

That would be a no.

Fortunately, US military personnel do not allow a single combat casualty to pass quietly into the night. They are the first to witness the national treasure that war extracts and, when others misplace their priorities, stand in the gap to ensure that the fallen return to America with the respect they have earned and deserve.

Captain Adair’s account no doubt touched those who read it. It should also remind us that we owe a daily debt of gratitude to those who serve. What happened after Bagram Airbase? The HBO movie Taking Chance captures the quiet dignity that normally accompanies that part of a Soldier’s homecoming.

Still Serving, Army Strong!

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

21 July 2009;

To the Editor:

Instead of endless AP editorials and the insipid Pittsburgh Pundit, the KDH should search for journalists whose story content and delivery would resonate with many in this community. Not surprisingly, one such person exists right here in central Texas.

Denise Gamino writes for the Austin American Statesman. She is what right looks like when it comes to a military reporter, although she’s quick to humbly inform you that’s not really her forte. That may be, but she’s good. Her stories focus on people and, while she doesn’t shy away from tough subjects, inspire readers with a refreshingly positive and upbeat style.

Denise spoke last week to the Rotary Club of Killeen Heights. She selected four of her stories about Soldiers and Families and each touched a chord. She connected immediately and there were not many dry eyes in the room when she finished. Why? Because she “gets it”. One of these reports is listed below.

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/n ... ights.html

The contrast is striking. There are droids doing cheetah flips in an attempt to invent news. There are reporters who regurgitate numbing laundry lists of facts. Then there are journalists who do their homework and convey both the facts and the depth of the human condition. Denise Gamino is the latter.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

27 July 2009

Conservatives in this country have pushed the truth for almost a month yet been roundly ignored by socialist politicians and media elites around the globe. But let a Honduran woman living in central Texas voice an opinion that essentially tracks with the facts and its suddenly front-page news. (Killeen woman; Media skews political crisis in Honduras, 26 July).

At least the KDH got the facts right, albeit incompletely and despite the AP’s incorrect characterization of the situation as a military coup. There are other facts that are relevant to understanding both what happened and why it was lawful and necessary.

1. The 16th version of the Honduran Constitution was adopted in 1982 after the most recent military junta relinquished control after a decade in power. The process to amend the Constitution is now codified in Title VII, Chapter 1, Article 373; something the National Congress has since done seven times. Article 374 limits the President to one 4-year term.

2. Honduran’s most recently voted in national elections on 27 Nov 2005. Manuel Zelaya (Liberal Party), whose family has been prominent in Honduras for 200+ years, was elected President after receiving 49.9% of the 1.8 million votes cast (46% of eligible voters) compared to 46.2% for Porfirio Lobo (National Party). The next scheduled election is 29 Nov 2009.

3. As the end of his term approached, Zelaya decided to call for a referendum to change the term limit. This actually constitutes treason per Title I, Chapter 1, Article 4. The Attorney General tried to keep a lid on things by ruling the referendum to be illegal. The Supreme Court agreed and also precluded Zelaya from using public funds to finance any such undertaking. Zelaya ignored them.

4. Hugo Chavez then entered the fray. He printed the ballots in Venezuela and flew them to Honduras. Zelaya then ordered the Armed Forces Chief to organize the referendum, set up polling sites, and distribute the ballots. The Supreme Court intervened and ordered the Chief to ignore this illegal order. Zelaya fired the Chief and the Supreme Court again intervened as only the Congress can hire/fire the Chief per Title 1, Chapter 10, Article 279.

5. Zelaya then led a violent but unsuccessful mob assault on a military installation in an attempt to seize the ballots. This was the final straw.

6. National Congress President (and now interim President) Roberto Micheletti then led a bipartisan congressional effort that removed Zelaya as President under provisions of Title V, Chapter 1, Article 205, para 15. The vote was unanimous.

7. This wasn’t a military coup d’état. After the vote, Supreme Court Magistrate Jorge Rivera ordered the military to remove Zelaya under provisions of Title VI, Chapter XII, Article 313. Zelaya was also forced into exile on June 28th to help mitigate further unrest.

America’s response? The Obama administration “stupidly” sided with Hugo Chavez (aka a totalitarian dictator) and cut off economic and military aid. Our Ambassador “stupidly” condemned Zelaya’s actions in January yet now “stupidly” condemns Zelaya’s removal. It’s interesting to note that his boss, the Secretary of State, has been largely silent in the matter.

Perhaps Obama, Zelaya and Micheletti should get together for a beer.

President Obama didn’t inherit this situation; he owns it. And just like Cambridge, only ignorance, naïveté, or deceit can explain his response. I’m guessing all the above given similar data points over the past seven months.


Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

29 August 2009

It’s annoying when a grown man is wrong at the top of his lungs. It’s worse when he’s a fellow US Army veteran who thinks his diatribe important enough to share in print. (Sergeant convicted of refusing to deploy right to put conscience first, Letters to the Editor, 23 August 2009)

Combining an example of Jesus’ behavior with a cherry picked scripture passage and a screwy Biblical interpretation is standard data for someone struggling to make a fallacious faith-based point. Our weeping Austin neighbor is no different and in doing so he typically and utterly misses the point.

If this “Soldier” wanted to follow his conscience, then more power to him. He should have engaged the well established Army process; not blamed the Army and claimed victim status. He should have also been willing to accept the legal consequences of his actions. Real men do that. But when a Soldier takes a “moral stand” with the goal of avoiding his duty then any justification should fail to evoke the desired sympathy, especially from those who profess Christ and have served. I’ll go first.

AR 600-43, Conscientious Objection is clear. Submission of a CO request does not relieve a Soldier from his duty to deploy with his unit, no matter when it is filed. This Soldier served honorably in Iraq for 14 months and then had a “spiritual awakening” and "learned about the CO process..... just days” before a second deployment. OK, fine. He should have deployed again as scheduled and engaged the Army system that deals with his situation. I know a private who did that when his unit deployed to Afghanistan. And not surprisingly, the system worked. But the Soldier in this case was a non-commissioned officer; someone held to a higher standard. Instead of doing the right thing he chose to run away and whine about alleged mistreatment to the media. His subsequent unlawful behavior then had righteous consequences, just like it did in Jesus’ day.

The Army regulation also states that a CO request will be denied if the condition either predated enlistment or is based on policy, pragmatism, expediency, objection to a certain war, or insincerity. Even though humans can be sincerely wrong, sincerity is deemed by the Army to be a critical factor in evaluating an applicant’s thinking and living in totality, both past and present. This evaluation is subjective and determined by examining the applicant’s conduct, in particular the outward manifestation of the beliefs asserted.

The burden however is on the applicant, not the Army, to establish clear and convincing evidence to support a CO claim. Relevant factors include the rigor of training received in the home or church, general demeanor and pattern of conduct, participation in religious activities, and the credibility of character witnesses. Relying on input from a local anti-war coffeehouse was probably not a wise choice. Where were his parents, pastor, Sunday school teacher, and ministry or service organization leaders?

Chaplains are an integral part of the Army’s interview and evaluation process. In this case, the body of evidence led the assigned chaplain to conclude that the applicant failed to meet the required standard. His opinion was one of several that helped inform the judge’s decision. I know this chaplain; he’s a good man.

The crux of this issue was the Soldier’s behavior, not the chaplain’s opinion. This Soldier volunteered to serve, enjoyed a plethora of taxpayer funded benefits, and then decided to shirk his duties and abandon his Soldiers when he hit “the wall”. Our military is a reflection of society; both the good and the bad. Like other derelicts before him, it’s ultimately helpful that the Army discovered this character flaw before he was entrusted with the care of American Soldiers in combat.

The only failure here was a Soldier who violated the trust placed in him by the Army and the American people. Do you think he’ll reflect on that over the next year and allow his new found faith to reshape his character and lifestyle? Probably not if his post-courtroom rant is an indicator; “When I get out, I’m going to be louder, more active, and p***ed off.”

Aberrant behavior like this should be unusual coming from someone claiming CO status based on a spiritual conversion. Perhaps this former Soldier should now spend some time reconciling his audio and video since they certainly don't match.

Still Serving, Army Strong!

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

31 August 2009

With newspaper subscriptions plummeting nationally, it takes hubris for an editor to insult the intelligence of readers. (Where was coverage of town hall?, Letters to the Editor, Aug 30).

The KDH was asked why it failed to cover the Town Hall held in Salado on Saturday morning Aug 22; an event reportedly attended by 2,000 citizens including Congressman John R. Carter. The Editor’s pompous reply was clearly dismissive in its tone.

“The Herald had less than 24 hours notice of the town hall event. An article previewing the event was published, but the Herald’s newsroom resources were already committed to coverage of other local events Aug 22.”

Right. Should have known. Busy news day. Sorry I asked. I’ll go now.

Just one thing. A simple Google search shows that the Salado meeting was scheduled sometime after Aug 7 and posted as early as Aug 19 on several Websites including the Houston Examiner and Congressman Carter’s.

Checking further, I retrieved the Aug 23 edition from my recycle bin to discover the events that conflicted with covering the Salado event. After wading through the AP bylines, I found only three articles that covered local events held on Saturday Aug 22.

8 receive Silver Rose medals. Saturday morning presentation at the Charlie R. Greene Memorial Hall on Veteran’s Memorial.

Spray Park cools off first visitors. Saturday morning ribbon cutting at Long Branch Park.

Help Find Ben. Saturday afternoon rally at the Killeen Community Center.

I also checked the Monday paper to see if there were any articles from events that occurred on Saturday. Nope.

You’d think that a regional event, led by our US Congressman, discussing a key national issue would be sufficient to draw the KDH’s attention and alter its reporting assignments, even if it only had 24 hours notice. That didn’t happen therefore one can logically infer that the KDH had no interest in covering the Town Hall; didn’t think readers cared; continues to struggle with reporting priorities; has its own agenda; and/or is seriously short reporters.

But lets assume the KDH really does need at least 3-days notice before it can cover a story. That may explain why the front page and most of A-3 of the Aug 30 edition were dominated by the release of a war protestor from the Bell County Jail and the subsequent “celebration” attended by a handful of people. The KDH had 2-weeks to prepare for that one.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

13 December 2009

I’ve disagreed strongly with John Galligan in this forum on several occasions but will give him kudos for the thrust line of his comments about Christmas. (Letters to the Editor, KDH, 13 December 2009.)

Its true; Jesus Christ is the Reason for the Season. No one should be forced to celebrate Christmas, or any of the other religious observation, but the traditions that accompany Christmas should also not be ignored, minimized or eliminated, especially in America.

So when it comes to mangers, carols, and greetings, we should stop pandering to the minority who want to impose their invented “right to be offended” on the rest of us.

Christmas is when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus and the beginning of His redemptive ministry. For this is when God reached across the chasm of time and sin and established a link with His creation. And in a few months we’ll also celebrate the victory over sin and death that Christ achieved on the cross.

Christmas is a time to recommit to being intentional about relationships. Life is fragile and material possessions are fleeting but relationships endure, both vertically with God and horizontally with our families and friends.

Christmas is about Emmanuel; God with us.

Merry Christmas.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

19 May 2010

What are they thinking? (Students, teachers to get paid for high test scores, Killeen Daily Herald, 16 May 2010).

This initiative may be all the rage with educators - and apparently the KDH too - but it’s a classic Abilene Paradox. The proponents of this brain cramp need to stay on the porch.

Permit me to translate.

What it says - “Funded by a grant from the National Math and Science Initiative, the Advanced Placement Training & Incentive program will launch at Harker Heights and Ellison high schools this fall.”

What it means – The education system has failed therefore schools will now use taxpayer dollars to bribe students in an attempt to motivate them to academic excellence. We will pay teachers extra to do what is already their job. We will do all this to ensure that advanced math and science courses are “more accessible” to African American and Hispanic students.

What is says – “AP, science, English and math teachers will be paid $100 for each score of 3 or above that their students earn and students will get $100 for each passing score they receive” and “[KISD] students took about 1500 AP exams during the 2008-2009 school year and about [33%] of those exams scored a 3, 4 or 5”.

What is means – Teachers and students in KISD split a total of $100,000.

What it says - “I’ve seen quite a bit of apathy with students and their AP scores, so some kind of incentive would be great for these kids”.

What it means - The opportunity to attend college is insufficient motivation therefore we must coerce those on the left side of the bell curve to “achieve” so our school district looks good. Money is the only thing that will motivate these kids, especially minorities.

What it says – “The grant lasts three years and afterwards district officials will assess whether it was effective enough for KISD to fund itself.”

What it means – Like a certain DoD program, this federally funded initiative is flush with money for the short-term but has no sustainment tail for the long-term. School districts will be left holding an instantiated – and expected - entitlement program once the corporate donations and foundation grants run out.

What it says - “We hope that by the end of three years, the results will be so profound, that [KISD] uses its own funds to continue the program”.

What it means – KISD will turn to taxpayers to fund this initiative since it doesn’t have any “own funds”.

Or perhaps the school board can exert some leadership and reject this bad idea entirely.

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

10 July 2010

The KDH is again out of sync with this community by deeming that war protestors merit front-page coverage. (Activists protest war outside post, July 9th.)

We gain nothing from these kinds of reports; it would have been preferable to put The Decision in its place. Better still, the KDH could dedicate journalistic resources to Congressman Carter and Representative Aycock and cover the important issues being shaped in Washington and Austin.

But as detailed in this Blog, multiple data points on the same issue reveal basic institutional flaws in the KDH decision and editorial processes. And these are not likely to change anytime soon.

Enough of Under the Hood already. We get it. They don’t like war. News flash - none of us do. They love Soldiers. OK, so do the rest of us. We just don’t encourage Soldiers to break the law in the process of “following their conscience”.

What we could really use is some editorial maturity, leaders and standards that refuse to encourage this kind of caustic behavior by pandering to immature antics. If good parents can do it, so too can the KDH.

This story however was somewhat humorous as it depicted the template for an anti-war protest; megaphones, chanting activists, asinine platitudes on a myriad of topics irrelevant to the stated protest, and misspelled signs.

There is an upside. Unlike the West Coast, protests in central Texas usually do not include a riot and the requisite mayhem and looting.

Still Serving, Army Strong!

Stu McLennan
Harker Heights

[Stu]

13 July 2010

Not exactly. (69th ADA Brigade departs for Afghan, 6 July 2010)

How does a reporter interview the 69th Air Defense Artillery Brigade commander about a deployment and not grasp the unit’s destination? And how does the KDH editorial staff then miss the error…if its as plugged into Supporting Our Soldiers as it touts?

Even if geography is not your strong suite, you probably catch the error if just think about it functionally. Why would NATO forces in Afghanistan need Patriot missile coverage?

But at least the time zone was correct.

Mistakes happen; that’s what people do. The KDH should publish a correction; conduct retraining for their military reporters; and coordinate more closely with the Fort Hood Public Affairs Office.


Stu McLennan
Harker Heights