[Vision2020] General Wesley Clark to announce Candidacy at 10 AM

[Tom Hansen]

Mr. Arnold -

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

I served as Platoon Sergeant for the Fire Support Element, Operations Group,
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, from October 1980 to
September 1984.  My friends that I mentioned in an earlier posting were also
assiged to Operations Group.  Their tenures at Fort Irwin, before requesting
reassignment, ranged from 18 months to 5-1/2 years.  Colonel Clark (then)
gave everybody the impression that he was only interested in ONE THING;
furthering his own career (sometimes at the cost of others).  This is NOT
the sign of a good commander.

He became a standing joke to many people I knew that served at Fort Irwin.
He was not respected.

Having never served in uniform, Mr. Arnold, you must realize that sometimes
the person you read about on press releases is extremely different than the
commander in the field (just ask NCO's that served under him).

Fort Irwin is NOT an elite training site.  It is a unique one, primarily
because of its purpose (training and enforcing military doctrine and combat
tactics in a desert environment).  The training at Fort Irwin involves
tenant units (which included two infantry battalions and one armor battalion
while I was there) that learn, train, and employ OPFOR (Opposing Force)
tactics.  Rotational units from all over the country to "compete" against
the OPFOR.  Rotational training periods (otherwise referred to as
"Rotations") can last anywhere from two weeks to three months.

I strongly suggest that you learn a little bit about the training center
before you criticize me and my service.

Tom Hansen
SFC, U.S. Army (Retired)