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Supporting Materials for Sir! No Sir!
FTA-ers Freak Out Military
According to the New York Times, the antiwar soldier may become the most disruptively effective peace activist yet, with an impaact that could far exceed his small number in the 3.5 million-man armed forces.
Interviews with Army officials and with enlisted members of the GI "underground" show that the Army's concern goes beyond the immediate impact of radical, civilian-style (leaflets, posters, marches) agitation by peace-activist soldiers.
The marked increase in AWOLs is attributed by some officers in part to the militants' activities. Of even more concern to the Army are the long raange prosspects for disruption of what the Army calls "good order and discipline" - the tradition of soldierly bearing and obedience that is in direct conflict with both the style and content of GI dissent on political issues such as Vietnam.
In the process of introducing dissent into the enlisted ranks, the peace movement, it iss feared, may force permanent and, in the military view, damaging democratizing changes in the strcuture of traaditional discipline.
All branches of the Armed Forces are feeling the increase in the numbers of anti-war soldiers. As their concern increases we can all expect an increase in harassment, and more denial from the brass about our importance and effectiveness.
Don't let them get you down.
The Ally, no. 16