A certain amount of harmless mutiny among

the troops is probably a healthy thing.

When I served I was part of a small delinquint sub culture that was always quoting parts of Joseph Heller's 'Catch-22'.

Right now I am sitting next to a Betty Grable pinup, which fits right into the context of the room's decor.

Of course, Betty has never really disappeared and is probably pretty recognizable even to the current generation. At least most people have seen the pinup.

Suppose she were to re emerge into GI culture, and started popping up in, say tool boxes in a motor pool or storage lockers or places like that?

That's when you'd see two kinds of officers emerge. Smart ones and dumb ones.

Both types of officers would see it for what it is, a small act of mutiny on the part of the lower ranking enlisted men.

The smart ones would overlook it to a certain extent. They'd go through the pro forma act of scowling or showing displeasure of some sort. (Then they would go and chuckle about it at the O club or have a laugh at an Officer's call)But they would not out and out forbid it. They would let the fever burn itself out.

Enter the dumb officer, who would instantly consder something like that to ba a total affront to good order and discipline. He would immediately order the removal of all the pinups and ban the sale, manufactur, posession, ownership and viewing of poor old Betty in his command.

Of course, the order is likely to be flouted, and the whole little movement might just go underground. On the other hand, the order might just be obeyed, but you can bet that everyone in the lower ranks is going to remember just who it wa that spoiled their harmless little fun. Paybacks can be hell.

Generally speaking, when some dopey little thing like this happens, the top dogs ought to just rant and rave a little just to add to the lower ranks fun, but let the fever run it's course.

Little mutinys don't last very long, they are good for morale and that's probably a healthy thing for everyone involved.

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http://piccolosbutler.blogspot.com/