Page 23 - 2018 July Newsletter

Police and military skills
I am of the belief that it takes a special person who puts aside their personal agenda to serve our country. As President John F. Kennedy said, “A young man who does not have what it takes to per- form military service is not likely to have what
it takes to make a living.”
I am confident that all of our police offi-
cers were capable at one time in their lives to serve our country in the military. This summer, many of our fraternal brothers
and sisters who are in the Guard and Reserve units are performing annual training. These fellow police officers continue to serve and sacrifice. Yes, they earn a paycheck but there is a heavy price being paid. They will miss time with their family and friends as well as social events.
So, I become infuriated when I receive a call from a police officer who was not allowed to take an examination for the op- portunity to be assigned to a specialized unit because of mili- tary obligations. Our city leaders and supervisors ignore the the training and discipline these officers receive as adding value to our department. The leadership, training and problem-solving skills gained through military training are resources the depart- ment has overlooked for way too long.
Ironically, the guard and reserve commanders have learned the skillsets our members obtained from our department im- prove their unit’s formations readiness. The question is: When will the Chicago Police Department wake up and realize they have untapped resources which cost the department no mon- ey? To that end, I am making it my responsibility to explain to
any supervisor the value of these Chicago Police Officers’ mili- tary skillsets to our departmental units and how this translates to the officers’ ability to do their job professionally, ethically and effectively.
JERRY CRUZ
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MILITARY
On June 23, I attended the Centennial and Indepen- dence Day Celebration at Fort Benning, Georgia. The post was established in October, 1918 as Camp Ben- ning. Besides being home to some of the Army’s elite y units, the infantry and armor training schools call the
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post home, and they are referred to as the United States Army Maneuver Center of Excellence.
During the day, there was high altitude airborne jump by
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the Army’s Silver Wings. This was followed by demonstrations of fast rope repelling from a helicopter as well as fast helicopter extractions. I stayed for a concert by Big & Rich, and the evening ended with a 30-minute fireworks display. During the concert, Big & Rich asked for a moment of silence for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Thousands in the audience stood in com- plete silence. They also led the crowd in singing “God Bless America.” In attendance were many past and present soldiers from the numerous units stationed at Fort Benning.
Lastly, no trip to Fort Benning is complete without visiting the National Infantry Museum. For additional information, check its website http://nationalinfantrymuseum.org. If you’re ever in the area, you need to visit Fort Benning, as it is an histor- ic military treasure that continues to serve our nation today. d
If you have a question or comment, please send me an email at LTC_Cruz@wowway.com.
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CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ JULY 2018 23