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Post by lesterpk on Sept 18, 2009 19:56:56 GMT 12
Between this  and this One photo, no locations shown and they get sent home. A 6 minute video, showing various locations, accommodation, ops room etc and he get the royal treatment. |
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Post by corsair67 on Sept 18, 2009 22:20:18 GMT 12
Okay, Les, you've gotta help me out here, as I'm not familiar with the story behind all this.  Are you saying that because the (Kiwi?) guys in the top photo posed with the JDAM, they have been sent home by the defence force - whilst whatshisface managed to get away with posting his clip all over the internet, without getting so much as a slap on the wrist? Interesting double standard then, if that is the case. I'm guessing none of the blokes in the top photo are officers?  |
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Post by Kenny on Sept 18, 2009 23:02:28 GMT 12
2 Corporals and a rifleman i think.. I think the photo is just a bit of fun, good to see the soldiers moral was high (at the time :  , but i guess rules are rules. Interesting Read here... www.stuff.co.nz/national/2879927/Demon-says-soldier-stunt-not-its-doingI find my left eye twitched in anger when i read that name... He lurks around in the small stories when hes not trying to plant himself infront of the TV cameras...  |
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Post by corsair67 on Sept 18, 2009 23:24:15 GMT 12
Air Vice Marshal Stockwell needs to grow a pair, and stand up for his troops instead of bowing down to the PC Brigade. Keith Locke should be sent to Afghanistan as New Zealand's Special Envoy to the Taliban - and he can take Harmeet Sooden with him as his adviser!  Personally, if I was deployed to Afghanistan, I'd stick a NZ Green Party sticker on a JDAM, take a photo of it, then e-mail a copy to Keithie! ;D |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 19, 2009 0:08:14 GMT 12
Perhaps the soldiers did not run the idea past their Adjutant and get official permission to publish, whereas perhaps the famous youtube clip did have such permission? Just a thought. I know they don't like anything going public without passing the Adj's desk.
Or it could be that NZDF staff are not allowed to be seen next to weapons as it's bad form to kill peoples??
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Post by matariki on Sept 19, 2009 13:03:26 GMT 12
The Jet Pilot video was made for a deployment video competition, and I'm pretty sure it got leaked and was originally posted to the internet by someone other than the guy who made it.
But yeah, it does seem to be a bit double-standards. I'm sure that there have been many, many, many less 'PC' shots taken - why did people take such offense to this one??
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Post by baz62 on Sept 20, 2009 9:05:24 GMT 12
Because its something that goes "BANG" and we are a defense force and we haven't got anything that will carry one? ;D
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Post by matariki on Sept 20, 2009 19:53:04 GMT 12
Ah! That must be it. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Sept 20, 2009 20:35:39 GMT 12
I'm wondering if this was more about the fact they got caught tampering with an Allie's weapons, than anything else, despite how innocent it may have been in intention.
Why was the photographer, who was obviously in on the deal, not sent home too?
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Post by mumbles on Sept 21, 2009 21:57:13 GMT 12
I'm wondering if this was more about the fact they got caught tampering with an Allie's weapons, than anything else, despite how innocent it may have been in intention. I might be a mere civilian, but I'd be surprised if they got anywhere near a live JDAM mounted on an aircraft without at least tacit permission from its custodians. As for Keith Locke, I heard him quoted on the radio the other day as saying incidents like this are bad for NZ's 'clean green' image. I normally restrain from bagging politicians in public, but jeez, what world is this guy living in? It's like he's in South Park saying "bombs are bad mmmkay?". I'll admit to being more than a little curious as to what makes this instance of zapping a bomb different from the countless other times it has occured as well. Perhaps there is a good explanation, but nothing is springing to mind (at least not in the public domain anyhow). |
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Post by Parrotfish on Sept 21, 2009 22:05:01 GMT 12
Wasn't the official line something to do with the guys being part of a reconstruction team? The idea being that it could create animosity from some locals if the image of NZers enjoying the prospect of bombs managed to get circulated in the province where the reconstruction team was?
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Post by corsair67 on Sept 22, 2009 0:08:54 GMT 12
But doesn't the judicious use of JDAMs lead to more opportunities for reconstruction? Maybe the NZDF was concerned that the troops having time out to have a bit of gallows humour fun could have a serious negative impact on morale?  |
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Post by haughtney1 on Sept 22, 2009 21:43:40 GMT 12
Hate to say it, but this kind of double standard is precisely the reason I stayed away from the military.
Taking an accepting orders in a military fashion just doesnt sit well with me.
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, but i guess rules are rules. 
