Washington sets standards

On March 15, 1783, General George Washington prepared to address a meeting of the officers of the Army. Washington had been made aware that many of his military leaders were preparing to conduct an insurrection against the U.S. Congress. The Congress had, throughout the revolution, failed repeatedly to arm, feed, clothe, equip, and pay the troops who were fighting the war. Many officers had been using their own funds to keep their units in the field while waiting for the Continental Congress to fulfill promises.

Protests from within the Army grew more and more strident, and talk began among the officers of marching on Philadelphia and delivering an ultimatum to Congress. These officers were threatening the overthrow of Congress. When Washington heard of this he immediately traveled to Newburgh where a meeting had been called by the disgruntled officers. His arrival disrupted the meeting and General Washington was allowed to address those in attendance.

His speech called on the men to reject the call for an insurrection and "I spurn it, as every man, who regards liberty, and reveres that justice for which we contend," voted to take part in insurrection, and with that speech Washington defined the standards of loyalty, duty, and honor which still guides our military leadership today, and Washington defined the separation of the military from the civilian leadership.

One thing bothers me, though. When politicians schedule speeches of a partisan political nature to be delivered to a uniformed military audience, they are disrespecting the standards set by George Washington in Newburg, NY in 1783. The members of our military are citizens and voters, but no military base should be used for partisan purposes and no military member should be ordered to attend these political functions in uniform. Members of the military are free to make individual political choices. These types of partisan speeches where uniformed troops are used as backdrops are held by politicians from both political parties. Our military follows our civilian leadership regardless of their political party. Keep our troops out of the political mud.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.