I know this is a few days old but I just saw it.
This is a video from CNN.
Two CNN hosts get their panties in a knot over the fact that General Austin “Scott” Miller was carrying an M4 in Afghanistan.
Back in October, CNN reported that General Miller was at a base in Kabul that came under attack and Miller was forced to draw his sidearm to prepare to defend himself.
General Miller is a graduate of the United States Military Academy. He is a commissioned infantry officer, twice awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, and a Ranger. He is the former commander of the Joint Special Operations Command.
If there is a flag officer that I trust to carry and know how to use an M4, is a combat infantry veteran and Ranger.
If said flag officer wants to carry an M4 a combat zone to defend himself, good.
Compare that video to this one from CNN, with a General the CNN approves of.
That is Lt. General Mark Hertling, showing terrible weapon control.
General Hertling graduated from West Point hand has since earned a Masters of Science in Physical Education from Indiana University, a Masters of Military Arts and Sciences from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and a Masters of National Security and Strategic Studies from the National War College in Washington, D.C. His last held command was Initial Military Training.
Not be too much of an armchair commander, but on the one hand we have a general who is CIB (2nd award), Ranger, and JSOC carrying an M4.
On the other we have a general who has spend a substantial portion of his career in classrooms and doing administrative work, who looks like a n00b with an AR-15.
Guess which one CNN has problems with and which one CNN hires as an expert?
It really shows you what CNN things of guns and the military when the idea of a general carrying a selective fire rifle offends them but a general saying semi-auto rifles are too dangerous for civilians is praiseworthy.
It also says a lot about the military that we would put a general in charge of training that can’t shoot a rifle.
Remember that once upon a time, we sent generals into combat who designed their own sabers and carried ivory handle revolvers.
That’s just embarrassing.