Guest Column - Rod Rodman

September 1, 2021

Well, folks, there is certainly a lot to write and think about. The January 6 Insurrection, and the refusal of one political party to acknowledge it comes to mind. Then, there is the rewriting of election laws and procedures, in an attempt to deny the vote to certain segments of society. The twenty-year war in Afghanistan, and our attempt to turn the country over to the Afghan Government. Oh, in the middle of all this is the ever-present Covid-19 resurgence. Let's try the withdrawal from the Afghanistan mess. Twenty years! My God!

I write with the memories of 24 years with the Air Force - 4 making it through the AF Academy, and 20 more on active duty. Throw in a 4-month deployment to South Korea, after the North Koreans captured our spy ship and crew, the USS Pueblo, in 1968. Then, add a 10-month all expenses paid vacation in Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.

I was stationed at Nakhon Phanom Air Base, Thailand, on the Mekong River adjacent to Laos. I arrived in June of 1972 and departed in April of 1973, after we had declared the Vietnam War over and turned out the lights in Laos. The day after my two-month early departure, our leaders decided to continue our secret foray in Cambodia. That resulted in the “Killing Fields” after we left.

My mission was as a Forward Air Controller, flying an OV-10A aircraft over Laos (oops, I forget we were never there) and Vietnam south of the DMZ. Our job was to find enemy targets and call in airstrikes. I mention all this as background to be able to say, the fall of Vietnam in 1975 was inevitable. We, who were there for the pullout in 1973, knew this!

Vietnam was not unlike Afghanistan. One difference was there was a North and South Vietnam, whereas Afghanistan is a country made up of various tribes and warlords. A Korean War veteran friend of mine and I sat at a bar bemoaning the decision to involve ourselves in the Middle East by invading Iraq, that leading to Afghanistan. We both anticipated the misery this would produce! And it has! Some years back, our Rotary had a presentation by an Afghanistan exchange student. He, as did many of those who could, left Afghanistan for other countries. I remember one thing he said. The United States needs to remain another 25 years if there is to be any hope of a free and democratic nation! I feel sorry for him and his parents, and all the other Afghan people who just want to live in peace.

I would prefer to stay away from politics, but that is impossible. I read once that one shortcoming of us Americans is our failure to think about and discuss both politics and religion. Isn't politics and religion what led us to spend twenty years in Afghanistan? I do not mean to offend anyone! Or, maybe I do? I have great fears for our continued democracy. That is why I babble on about these things. I am always happy to talk about and debate most any issue, so long as we start by acknowledging the truth of the facts behind the issue! I find it terrifying that otherwise, intelligent, educated people are willing to believe lies and disinformation!

Author: Rod Rodman
Windmill