One of the criticisms I hear of progressive Christianity is that it’s no longer about the world conforming to that which Christ asks of them, but that those who are called by Christ’s name now feel it more important to conform to what the world expects. This is in large part in the name of making “Christianity” more appealing to everyone, and in perhaps a somewhat smaller part, due to laziness.
More on that another day though. This is about something else.
Recent changes to the Air Force instruction on dress and appearance have me thinking again. Sure, I’m an old fuddy-duddy. Sure, I have no say in what the Air Force does…I never really did. But I keep getting the feeling that the writing’s on the wall for them, and for the other services too as they follow suit.
I’ve spoken to many of the younger generation (honestly, I really like a lot of them on a personal level), and I can see where some of this is coming from. They’re a group who really has little tolerance for things that don’t make sense to them. So when they see a rule that falls into that category, they make it known. The problem is, they’re being led by the political — populists who want to appease them rather than appeal to any kind of tradition or discipline. The kind who grew up under the care of permissive parents who leant in that direction – it’s easier to just give the kids what they want and make them happy. It’s easier to lead a bunch of people who like you a whole lot because you’re so cool.
Now, change is not entirely a bad thing. Not at all. Some changes are meaningful. They keep up with the times and technology. Although it took some getting used to, I really like the new female hair standards (where they can wear it down in a ponytail). Much more practical, and having to put it up — not only an additional, more cumbersome standard for women — served no real purpose (I heard someone tell me that women were made to wear their hair up because it made them less attractive to (those lecherous (the implication in the telling)) men, but I’m not buying that at all. I’m thinking that at the time the decision was made, someone believed that having one’s hair up made for a more professional appearance.
But there are other things for which there could very well be a deeper, underlying meaning, and I’m afraid those things are being jettisoned without much thought for what that meaning is.
So when the change comes along that you can now walk or stand with your hands in your uniform pockets, many see it as a major victory. Now, my opinion matters very little here, but I’m going to throw it out there anyway: keeping your hands out of your pockets is a sign of professionalism and discipline. Slouching around with one’s hands in one’s pockets (believe it or not) tends toward the slovenly. Slow. Laid back. Lacking a sense of purpose and direction. Yes, it’s a very small thing (and maybe even leaning toward a personal preference), but it is something of substance, nonetheless. The same goes for texting and talking on a cell phone while walking in uniform. To refrain from doing that, especially in this age, takes a lot of discipline (for some, much more than others). To do that was considered unacceptable because it looks unprofessional. It looks like self-absorption. And like I said as I began this piece — it makes one look no different than the rest of the world. It really does point to a lack of pride in service or uniform.
But maybe the fact that most units (where I work) don’t even wear their uniforms on Fridays anymore gives me some kind of indication that pride in the uniform isn’t a very high priority anymore. I understand esprit de corps — pride in unit (they’re allowed to forego the uniform if they wear unit swag of some type) — there’s nothing wrong with that, particularly as reward for a job well done. But when it’s done every week, it no longer has a purpose. It’s more about how much you can get away with not having to do anymore (don’t get me started on making every federal holiday a 4-day holiday — that’s for another time).
But why does it matter? Well, I guess we could chalk this up to the musings of someone who served when we actually had a perceived global threat – not some small faction of religious zealots who resorted to terror to push us into long and meandering wars, but actual nation states that threatened wholesale global overthrow of our very way of life through brute force on a scale that could kill millions at the drop of a bomb.
I’ve learned over the years though to not put as much faith in our leaders as I did when I was a young Airman. I’ve learned that there’s a lot of manipulation and nefarious intent going on behind the scenes (I was quite naive a a youth). I’ve learned that there are people out there with their fingers on or near the trigger who are actually a bit “off” in their ways of thinking (not a lot, but there have to be a few in any population, the military included (and, some would argue, especially). The kind who will do the typical human thing to cover up their embarrassments (they’re still at it — the New York Times has done some interesting investigative reporting lately on the military covering up civilian casualties in the Middle East).
But that still doesn’t preclude a need to stand out as an organization. To be different than the rest of the world. To actually demonstrate even during times of tranquility that someone is ready to do what it takes, even if it doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense at the time. This is what military discipline used to be about – not getting your way because you didn’t like a rule, but doing what was required so that when the chips were down you could respond quickly and precisely…and sacrificially at times.
“Yay! We get to walk with our hands in our pockets!” is not the battle cry we should want to hear. We should rather be looking for a group of young people who have the discipline to keep their hands out of our pockets as a means to instill a confidence in the very people whom they are charged to protect that they can hold fast to the disciplines and traditions of their service. That they can look and act professionally; and so, in the times when it matters, can rise to the occasion.
Not a big deal, sure. If the general public really knew what the majority of the military really did, maybe they’d wonder too. I’m just saying that an erosion of the little things makes an organization different in ways that actually matter in the bigger.
I can’t help but think about the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier here. It’s not a perfect analogy by any means, but it shows in some ways. The guard has a mission, and that mission requires of them a discipline that goes far beyond that of the typical military unit. Their standards of dress, appearance, and discipline are incredibly strict. And while one might argue that they have everything to do with their ability to perform their duties (that is, looking sharp is the mission), you would also have to consider that their discipline goes beyond the time they’re in front of the public at the Tomb. That there are standards for their conduct when they’re out of the public eye too. Because they have a mission and a pride in that mission that goes beyond what we see on the face of it.
This is an extreme example, but I use it to make the point. There are reasons for most everything. Some of the things we have done in the past are trivial and deserving of change. But others aren’t, and changing them without thought to that may be a symptom of a greater issue. It’s the paradoxical danger of people not knowing what they don’t know, and then plowing headlong into it all with all of the confidence in the world that they’re doing the right thing. This is the whole point of appealing to the wisdom of the thoughtful — to find out what might be missing in one’s perspective. But did anyone really ask?
Maybe I’m really sounding like a broken record here. Wasn’t I on here railing about parking a while back? Maybe even twice. But it’s the little things that keep popping up that grab my attention like this and make me wonder, is it all for the good, or are we going elsewhere with this? I’m sure time will tell, but let’s hope the cost is not too high.
Hands in their pockets?! That signifies a lack of readiness not in keeping with the mission. Yikes!