Military Recruitment Crisis

31st August 2024

Hey McBeth,

Just a note on the military recruitment crisis you mentioned in one of your videos. I would have to say that you have a point about the positive stories of the military being in short supply in the modern day. I would still have to say that the G.I. Bill isn’t as attractive as it once was which is a big factor. Mental health is also an issue in the modern time.

WWII was the “greatest generation”, as we now call them, and almost all media depicting military service was heroic and positive. The Vietnam Conflict showed a change in perception of the military with vets coming back scared and broken but for nothing. I looked after a WWII vet on his death bed back in the 90’s and my old man went to Vietnam.

I had a close friend in Iraq. He was the first Striker Unit, Army Intelligence, and the man who came back was insufferable. He always thought he could get his way by yelling at people, and that just doesn’t fly with civilian life. A good deal of what happened in the Middle East is now a national embarrassment. I could say that right now I know about a dozen vets and none of them are really advertisements for the military unless I include you, and I think I should just call myself a fan.

Much like military recruitment college attendance is falling. Why go to college if it doesn’t mean you’re going to get a good job? My last job that wanted a college degree paid seventy five cents above the non college positions and my BA in Psychology doesn’t open a door for any better paying jobs in mental health.

A modern American seeking to rise out of poverty has little reason to join the military, get the G.I. Bill, go to college, and find themselves poor. Add in the fact that college loans are being forgiven and it’s just a formula for bad recruitment numbers.

Homeless veterans have been a national scandal since the 30’s but things are worse now. A man who joins the army is likely to find himself on the street with mental health issues when it’s all over. Look at films like the 2017 “Thank You for Your Service”. It was a horror story for the military that showed Americans that the country didn’t care about them. You’ll find no films of this nature about the Second World War.

The final point that needs to be made is that the youth of today come from a more mentally ill nation. They’re parents spend more time working and less time looking after them. Depression and other forms of mental illness are common in a nation where the average person working as hard as they can can’t get ahead in life.

Basic training is designed to be hard so that soldiers will react without thinking. This can save your life in the war zone but really do damage in the blue zone. There was a welding class for Vietnam Vets to get them back in the workforce, but the machines would often make a popping sound.

When this happened often times a Vet would have a bad reaction and they would curl up under the desk and need to be dragged out. What happened to them after that I don’t know. I guess a stay in the mental ward, but a job in welding wasn’t in their future.

That was PTSD and the problem has only gotten worse. We as a nation have failed to address the this, and many enlistees going into the military already have mental problems that will only get worse.

To be honest, you probably know all this, and your video wasn’t about getting more people in the army, but I figured it was worth mentioning. You may have some inside into this that I don’t have.

Best,



Richard Leland Neal

St Francis Way - Florence

The romantic city of Florence is a visual feast of Renaissance architecture, art and monuments. Famous historical figures from the Renaissance era (14th-17thC) such as Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo and Donatello, emerged from Florence producing and leaving an incredible body of work that continues to move and inspire people today. Museums, galleries, cafes and restaurants are in every nook and cranny. And then, there's the food; gloriously filling, tastebud dazzling, tantalisingly aromatic. Every corner is an architectural experience from Corinthian columns, grand domes and endless arches to interiors adorned with richly-detailed frescoes and motifs.

Filled with 2,000+ years of history, Florence began as a settlement in 59BC, established by Julius Caesar, the Roman Emperor for his veteran soldiers. It quickly became a commercial centre and a major crossroad between Bologna and Rome. Florence is currently the capital city of Tuscany with the highest population density in the region. In 1982 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The most iconic building is the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, otherwise known as the Duomo. Built between 1296-1436 in a Gothic style it towers over the city with its terracotta-tile dome visible from all of the nearby hilltops. The Piazzale Michelangelo across the river from the cathedral provides a magnificent view of the city of Florence and the Duomo.

A stroll alongside the River Arno leads to the very popular Ponte Vecchio, translated as "Old Bridge". The bridge is a medieval arched bridge built in 1345 and at one time housed shops run by butchers, tanners and farmers. Now it is tenanted primarily by jewellers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. During WWII, at the behest of German officer, Gerhard Wolf, the bridge was spared destruction unlike the neighbouring bridges which were detonated in order to buy more time for the German retreat. Wolf was once a student in Florence and had a special affinity towards the bridge. The Florentine's made him an honorary citizen in 1955 and placed a plaque on the bridge in his honour in 2007.

Some notable artworks that can be found in Florence are Michelangelo's sculpture of "David", a marble sculpture completed early 16thC; Leonardo da Vinci's oil and tempera painting "Anunciation" dating late 15thC; and Boticelli's tempera painting "The Birth of Venus" dating late 15thC. There is no shortage of paintings, sculptures, fountains or architecture to immerse oneself in but when rest is needed head for the nearest coffee bar and ask for a café macchiato. Italians traditionally stand at a bar to have their shot of coffee instead of sitting at a table before pressing on with their day.

The Way of St Francis pilgrimage begins at the Basilica di Santa Croce, a 13thC Franciscan church located in the Piazza Santa Croce. The church is the burial site for Galileo (astronomer), Machiavelli (politician and diplomat) and Rossini (composer) and many other notable Italians. Dante was originally buried here but was later moved. His tomb, however, remains on site. A memorial plaque for Da Vinci (polymath) and memorial monument for Florence Nightingale (pioneer of modern nursing) can also be found here. Outside the church is a monument to classical writer, Dante Alighieri, built in 1865 by Enrico Pazzi.

The pilgrimage trail is 312mi (550km) long and inspired by the life of St Francis of Assisi. Taking an ancient Roman route from Florence to Rome via Assisi, the trail finishes at Basilica di San Pietro in the Vatican City. The route travels past ancient ruins, through medieval villages, crossing mountain passes and valleys, making this pilgrimage perfect for nature lovers, history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts.

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Road to Hana - Mile Marker Zero

The north shore is sparsely populated with Paia town only a few miles out of Kahului being the last town on this route before Hana and no other town for the remainder of this journey. Paia is described as a small “eccentric, hippy, surfer town” and the nearby Paia Bay is a great location for accomplished bodyboarders and bodysurfers due to the near-shore surf break. The remnants of a pillbox (concrete guard post) stands on the edge of the shore as a constant reminder of Hawaii’s role during WWII.

Just 2mi (3.2km) further is the Ho’okipa Beach where windsurfers share the ocean with Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles. Indigenous to Hawaii, the sea turtles referred to as Honu are sacred creatures that “embody good luck, protection, endurance and long life”. Over harvested by westerners during the 19th and 20th centuries, the Honu became a protected species in 1978 and has since begun to repopulate. Still listed as an endangered species, the honu - should it survive predation, environmental hazards and/or marine debris – can live up to 100 years with the female reaching reproduction maturity around 25 years and laying up to 100 eggs every 2-3 years ashore.

Moving inland on Hana Hwy, Route 36 turns into Route 360 where the Road to Hana Mile Marker Zero, denotes the beginning of the narrow and winding mountain highway. This serpentine road has a staggering 620 curves, crossing 59 bridges (46 are one-lane wide) through a tropical rainforest. The majority of the bridges, built between 1908 and 1947, have historic designations and continue to be used today. Only one bridge was replaced in recent years due to erosion.

The construction of the Road to Hana hails back to the 14th century when Maui was divided into three regions, each with its own ruler. King Pi’ilani was the ruler of west Maui and through marriage became the ruler of Hana in the east. To provide access between the two regions he built a road that was the precursor to Hana Hwy. Legend says that “travellers swung over East Maui’s rushing streams with ropes made of vine” which were the precursors to the 59 bridges. Modern road construction began in the 1870s, carried on through the early 1900s and was finally completely paved by the 1960s.

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Ring Road Iceland - Akureyri

I've arrived in Akureyri, the largest town outside the heavily populated south-west corner of Iceland. Nicknamed the capital of North Iceland, Akureyri was originally settled in the 9th century by Norse Viking Helgi Eyvindarson. Danish merchants used it as a trading port during the 17th century but always returned to Denmark during the winter. Permanent settlement began in the 18th century largely due to the ice-free nature of the port and rich agricultural conditions in the region.

During WWII, Allied units were based in town and the Norwegian-British squadron had an airbase here. The squadron flew Northrop N-3PB bombers and Catalina flying boats to protect convoys between US, UK and Murmansk in Russia from German submarine attacks.

Akureyri has a strong folk culture and it is home to Vefarinn, the folk dancing group. Each year the town hosts several festivals such as: Vaka Folk Arts Festival with performances from folk musicians and dancing groups like Vefarinn; and, the Medieval Festival held at Gásir, a trading post from the Middle Ages where a medieval market is held annually and visitors can experience the culture and occupations of the Middle Ages.

Eight main museums can be found in this small northern town. Anything from aviation, art, industrial history, folk art, literature to 20th century toys, motorcycles and general regional history. There's no shortage of history and exhibitions. Just consider the 28 full-sized aircrafts in the aviation museum or the motorcycle collection that tells its 100-year history since the first motorbike arrived on the island. The toy museum may be nostalgic but the building itself was once owned by the Independent Order of Good Templars (a sector of the Freemasons).

For a round of golf, the Akureyri Golf Club holds the title of the most northerly golf course in the world. Established in 1935 it is the second oldest club in Iceland. The Arctic Open is held here during the summer as a four-day championship event. Given the proximity to the Arctic Circle, I think a round of golf under the midnight sun is in order.

Cheers,

Richard



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Kokoda Trail - Eora Creek

A short distance after Isurava was a rest house where the Aussie troops took a defensive position. Slightly to the south of the house was a sizable flat-topped rock, just big enough to lay down a soldier with his feet protruding, that is now referred to as Con’s Rock or Surgeon’s Rock. Under minimal light, it is on this rock that Medical Orderly Con Vapp performed an emergency amputation on an Aussie soldier. The wounded soldier’s name and if he survived remains unknown. Many wounded soldiers had to travel over 44mi (70km) under their own strength to get medical assistance in Port Moresby. The seriously wounded were moved by local native carriers. It would take eight carriers to carry one soldier the full distance.

Above the rock was a plaque dedicated to the memory of Butch Bissett who died in the arms of his brother Stan Bissett. Butch was handing out grenades to his unit when he was shot. Stan was an intelligence officer and survived the war. Nearby was a neatly piled collection of rusty live ammunition - hand grenades and mortars – along with helmets, water flasks and a coil of signal wire. The ‘Do not touch’ advice from the guides seemed rightfully good advice.

The terrain was undulating with vines spreading through the jungle like a rug, followed by several steep uphill motions until I reached a small waterfall and crossed one of the many log bridges. The route was riddled with protruding roots; surefootedness was necessary and using hiking poles helped keep my balance. I came out into a clearing and reached the village of Alola.

Continuing on, the track descended for about 656ft (200m) where I crossed a creek over a beautifully arched sapling and vine bridge, then the ascent began again before it levelled out a bit all the way to Eora Creek. The log crossing here was 62ft (19m) long and somewhat precarious as the Eora is a raging river all year round. Log bridges often get washed away over winter and the locals have to rebuild them each year before the trekking season commences.

A small bronze plaque sat in a clearing describing the two battles fought here. In early September, over two days the retreating Australians successfully defended their position, allowing them sufficient time to fall back towards Port Moresby. Then in mid-October, the Japanese during their retreat dug themselves a solid defensive position. From higher ground, nine artillery units rained fire onto the advancing Australian troops, resisting their frontal attacks. It would take the Australians six days to overcome the Japanese. Once the Japanese found themselves nearly encircled, they abandoned their location and retreated back to Oivi (north of Kokoda).

The Eora Creek Village now lies abandoned with a few rusty pieces of ammunition as evidence of the tough battle fought here.

Photo © Jonty Crane



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Kokoda Trail - Isurava

My trek to Kokoda began at an elevation of 984ft (300m) above sea level. Heading up an old tractor track, through a rubber plantation, after only 2mi (3.5km) I reached Kovelo Village located in an open clearing with houses scattered around the edges.

After a brief rest, I entered the jungle via a single track and began climbing. A mist hung over the jungle, making the tropical heat more bearable. Densely forested, the track was wet but at least it wasn’t boggy. I could feel the elevation gain. Every now and then, I would stop to rest my burning calves.

Surfacing from the jungle into another clearing, I arrived at Deniki, a small village that sat at an elevation of 2,624ft (800m). Being on higher ground, Deniki opened to views of Yodda Valley on the north side of Owen Stanley Ranges and the Kokoda airstrip in the distance.

In late July 1942, Kokoda was the scene of a number of small but intensely fought battles. The Australians (Aussies) were waiting for reinforcements to be flown in but upon hearing that another Aussie company was overrun in Oivi (north of Kokoda) they gave up Kokoda and retreated to Deniki. They returned to Kokoda the next day with a force of about 80 men but once the Japanese were reinforced, they attacked the Aussies the day after. The Aussie troops withdrew yet again to Deniki. Joined by other companies, the Aussies tried to take Kokoda once again but were unsuccessful. Tired and short of food, by mid-August the Aussies withdrew to Isurava. It would take another three months (until November 1942) before the Aussie forces returned to Kokoda during their counter-offensive.

Okari trees grow around Deniki. They are a small mid-canopy tree with edible nuts very similar to almonds. Tucking a couple of them in my pocket, I pressed on and wondered at the same time at the massive vines taking over the abandoned native gardens. As I climbed up a steep, mostly clay track, I saw more vines spreading through the jungle and up the trunks of trees, seemingly wanting to conquer all plant life.

The trail continued on its upward trajectory, with several creek crossings and a couple of false peaks before I arrived at Isurava Village, the site of the Battle of Isurava, where Australian forces resisted the Japanese offensive. Up against machine-gun fire and hand-to-hand combat, the Japanese broke through the Aussie right flank. An Australian attack party countered when Private Bruce Kingsbury, shooting from his hip, charged the Japanese, either killing or scattering them, giving the Australians sufficient time to regain control and stabilise their position. Mortally wounded by a sniper, Kingsbury was awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s most prestigious award for valour “in the presence of the enemy”. In 1991, Australia established its own Victoria Cross award.

The Isurava Memorial was opened in 2002, commemorating those who died on the track in 1942. The circular Memorial consists of four black granite sentinel stones, each inscribed with a single word - Courage, Endurance, Mateship, Sacrifice - representing the values and qualities of the soldiers. Incorporated into the Memorial is Kingsbury’s Rock, the location where Kingsbury died.
 

Holding these four words close to my heart, I took some time at the Memorial, pondering the battle and the men who fought it.


Photo © Jonty Crane


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Flower Route - Haarlem

On the banks of the Spaarne River lies the pre-medieval city of Haarlem. Conveniently located only 12mi (20km) west of Amsterdam and 4mi (7km) east of the North Sea beaches, the city affectionately known as ‘Bloemenstead’ (flower city) is the centre of the tulip bulb-growing industry.

 

First mentioned in the 10th century, Haarlem gained city status in 1245AD and became a walled city in 1270AD. Throughout the centuries, the city has been ravaged by the Black Death (plague) twice; constant fires breaking out burning down numerous buildings; besieged by the Spanish Army during the Eighty Years’ War; and was at the epicentre of the 17th century tulip bulb trading collapse, aka Tulipmania, a time when the cost of a single tulip bulb could trade for ten times the annual salary of a skilled worker. 

 

Yet Haarlem was a major economic hub and the second largest city during the Middle Ages. Due to its geographical location the city was a halfway point on a busy route from Leiden down south to Alkmaar up north. It helped the city grow quickly and industries such as printing, textiles, cotton mills and breweries operated from Haarlem at some point during its long history. Being located on the Spaarne, the city greatly benefited from charging a toll from passing ships and building its own shipyards. The city is also the location for the first tow-canal (animals or man-power towing a barge/boat on a path on the canal’s edge), first railway line and first electric tram in the Netherlands. 

 

Haarlem was a flourishing and wealthy city but by the end of WWII many of the industries had moved to Amsterdam turning a trading city into a commuter town. 

 

Although Haarlem is no longer the once vibrant trading city, it is, however, the starting point for the popular Bloemen Route (Flower Route). For 41mi (66km), the route passes large tulip fields which when in bloom it showcases a kaleidoscope of colour. Tulip season is in spring starting late March for early bloomers and lasts about eight weeks. The month of April is when they are at their best.

 

The Flower Route though is not just about tulips. Whilst they may be the highlight and synonymous with Netherlands the route begins displaying its colours much earlier in the year when the gorgeous yellow daffodils and purple crocuses appear as the first bloomers between February and March. It is then followed by the second blooming period, end of March to April, with the highly fragrant but short-lived hyacinths in a splash of purple, pink, white and blue. The final blooming period has the revered tulip in a wide array of solid colours such as yellow, red and purple mixed in with variegated varieties. When all the spring flowers have passed, the Dahlias make an appearance in late summer from mid-August to mid-October.

 

My journey started on Melkbrug, a pedestrian bridge crossing river Spaarne. Taking in the views of the river with its street-lined properties I headed south weaving past two museums: Museum Haarlem telling the history of the city and Frans Hals Museum, a small gallery showcasing Dutch master paintings amongst other artworks, and headed out onto the N208, the tulip fields road.

 

As I travel along, I ponder the history of the tulip and how it became an icon of the Netherlands and a treasure of the Ottoman Empire. This vibrant flower originally grew wild in the valleys of Tian Shan Mountains, China. First cultivated around 1000AD in Persia (present day Iran), the flower made its way into the courts of the Ottoman Empire in Constantinople by the 16th century. Quickly becoming a favourite the tulip was extensively planted in the Ottoman gardens, used to decorate tiles, embroidered on garments worn under battle armour as a kind of talisman and soon found on carpets and other textiles. Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (reign 1520-66) loved tulips so much that his clothing was heavily embroidered with this delicate flower whilst noblemen decorated their turban with a single tulip.

 

Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq (b.1522-d.1592) was an ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and a keen gardener. He is credited for introducing the tulip to western Europe by bringing them from Constantinople to Vienna. Carolus Clusius, was a gardener in the employ of the Austrian Emperor at the time and Busbecq, his friend, gave him several tulips for the gardens. When relieved of his position by the newly ascended Emperor, Clusius took the bulbs to Frankfurt and then Leiden in Netherlands where through tender care and cultivation the tulip blossomed into a multi-billion euros industry. 

 

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