Soldiers go to war for many reasons—home, country, duty, glory, personal adventure. But, in the midst of battle, soldiers fight for their comrades—“the man to the left of me, the man to the right of me,” as the saying goes. Good soldiers are driven by an intense desire to not let their comrades down. That drive is one of the main reasons why Americans have always honored combat soldiers. Now, the United States Congress has arguably cut one segment of America’s past fighting force—Confederate soldiers—and indicated that those men don’t deserve the same level of respect from today’s military.
The CNC’s Final Report—which has mysteriously gone offline—says, in its Preamble:
“In passing the 2021 William M. “Mac” Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act, the United States Congress determined that Confederates and the Confederacy no longer warrant commemoration through Department of Defense assets.”
Most people think that translates to changing some Army base names. Apparently the CNC thought much, much more broadly. It construed its authority to mean that it should pass judgement on any and all symbols of the Confederacy, no matter how large or small, anywhere within the DOD. Specifically, it determined it had the prerogative to comb through battle streamers on Army unit flags and cast a thumbs-down judgment on some.
“Since 1925,” wrote the CNC, in Part III of its report, “the U.S. Army has recognized the Confederate service of certain Army National Guard units to establish a historical connection between pre-Civil War organized militia units and the 20th-century Army National Guard. Current U.S. Army policy authorizes units to display campaign streamers for Federal service in a named campaign. Since 1949, some units have been authorized to display unique campaign streamers to denote their service in the Confederacy during the Civil War. These Confederate campaign streamers are authorized for display as an exception to the Army policy of requiring Federal service…There are 52 Army National Guard units that display the distinctive Confederate campaign streamers to denote Confederate service.”
Not anymore, said the CNC.
“The Commission recommends the Secretary of Defense direct the Secretary of the Army to REVOKE the 1949 exception to policy that facilitated the adoption of battle streamers NOT associated with U.S. Army service. As such, all battle streamers that commemorate the Confederacy should be removed.”
Congress, so far, seems to agree with this. There’s no sign that Congress has done anything to stop or delay the implementation of the CNC’s recommendations—which it can do, if it has the will.
The CNC’s action directly challenges an important principle that most Americans have comprehended and respected for centuries: the actions of the soldiers are not the same thing as the actions of the politicians and generals who send soldiers into battle. Men joined the Confederate Army or Navy for many different reasons. Some, to be sure, wanted to protect the institution of slavery. (Even though 70% of Southern white families didn’t own slaves, according to the 1860 census.) Others joined because they wanted to serve their state, or sought adventure and glory, or feared being scorned by the folks back home if they didn’t enlist. In 1862 the Confederacy enacted a conscription law, so many Confederates HAD to join.
Once a soldier joins a unit, though, especially one that sees extended combat, he builds a bond with his fellow soldiers. That bond carries them through tough and deadly times; it spurs them to do heroic things and risk their lives. That courage, and shared suffering and sacrifice, is what’s symbolized and commemorated by the streamers attached to Army regimental flags. The 116th Infantry Regiment, Virginia Army National Guard, is descended from the Stonewall Brigade. It has nineteen campaign streamers for battles fought while in Confederate service. Each of the streamers has the name of a campaign—Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness—where regimental soldiers fought, suffered, died and distinguished themselves. They are a rich part of the unit’s—and our—legacy. Politicians in Southern state capitals were the ones who decided to secede from the Union and endorse slavery. Privates, sergeants and junior officers in the 116th Infantry Regiment, and others like it across the South, defended roads and charged entrenchments because they had been ordered to. The campaign streamers commemorate them!
One of the most poignant moments of Band of Brothers was a speech a German general gave to his soldiers as they surrendered to Easy Company.
“You’re a special group,” he told them. “You’ve found in one another a bond that exists only in combat, among brothers. You’ve shared foxholes, held each other in dire moments. You’ve seen death and suffered together. I’m proud to have served with each and every one of you. You all deserve long and happy lives in peace.”
The officers and soldiers of Easy didn’t interrupt the general’s speech, to lecture him and his men that none of their courage and suffering mattered because they’d fought for Nazi Germany. The Americans listened respectfully, because they had the same special, unique bonds forged only in combat.
The Union Army recognized that, too. At Appomattox, when the Confederate infantry marched in to formally surrender, the commander of the Union contingent called his troops to attention and salute arms. (General John B. Gordon, commanding the Confederates, saluted back). The Armies of the Potomac and James had no problem saluting the Army of Northern Virginia. They felt and understood something that, apparently, the CNC didn’t. (Or wouldn’t).
The CNC is now disbanded, and its PR representative’s email no longer accepts messages. The one commissioner who is a member of Congress, Austin Scott of Georgia’s 8th district, refuses to discuss its judgments or why it reached them. His press aide said he “is unable to comment per commission request.” Therefore, the responsibility now falls on Congress. Congress created the CNC. Does it agree with all of its recommendations? If it doesn’t, then it has all sorts of ways to avoid the implementation of those it doesn’t support.
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Culturally-cleansing all things Southern means eradicating all things Confederate. It’s vitally important for Cultural Marxists to destroy the greatest bulwark standing against them. The South stands in the way of these Human Secularist Totalitarians (HST).
Confederate history is an important aspect of Southern pride and honor. Family pride and honor are some of the precise things the HSTs must eradicate. Southerners fought tooth and nail defending against invading Armies. They suffered over 10x the losses, proportionately, than all of America lost in WW 2. Southern states lost more men defending their homes than they did in all of America’s wars put together – in actual numbers, despite the growth of population.
Congressional accountability? Not going to happen. The Commies in the Senate will stop anything. The gutless Republicans in the House will do nothing to be stopped.
EXCUSE ME BUT NATIONAL GUARD UNITS BELONG TO THE STATE NOT THE FED UNLESS THEY ARE ACTIVATED FOR WAR. I WAS NATIONAL GUARD BACK IN THE EARLY 80’S.
None of the Southern States that seceded did so as an act to endorse slavery. At the time that any and all of the states did so, it was not the goal of the US to end slavery.
An American who knows his country’s history !
The Founding Fathers were intelligent and educated men. They chose the word “state” vice “province” in departing from the status of “colonies” because “state” is fungible with “country,” and does NOT denote any subordinate status to ANY entity, such as the District of Columbia, which was given only “enumerated powers”of co-ordination, not authority, in Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution .
Ergo, secession of the Confederacy from the American union was no more illegal than BREXIT was to the E.U.
Screw liberals, Democrats and uneducated people in this country.
Pardon the triple redundancy.
“Screw liberals, Democrats and uneducated”
100 pct truth ..The joke is many Liberals think THEY are the more educated and enlightened due to studying Sociology and Underwater basket weaving without spending any time in the Military or the real world.
Last we checked we had the constitutional right to express our thoughts, memories. ideas and expressions of hope and honor to veterans who gave the ultimate sacrifice in order to maintain the liberty of their ideas. What we do not need or condone are outsiders with peculiar dogmatic viewpoints to step upon us and attempt to remove any and all vestiges of our personal and collective culture that brings us happiness.
This is more of Obama hatred of America and Americans. Let’s be clear about this. Biden is not running the show – Obama is. That William Barr allowed the desecration of Monument Avenue and that no one lifted a hand while Marxists Levar Stoney and Northam destroyed Richmond is unforgivable.
The South has contributed more personnel to the Military than any other part of the Country. The Marxists want to separate the U.S. Military from its greatest resource. The South. Never mind that Eisenhower was a huge fan of Robert E. Lee.
Obama must be held responsible for his interference with the American way of life.