"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" Hillel, 1st Century BCE
What drives a man to extraordinary Valor? Why is it that some men seem destined for greatness? How is it that those of proven Great Valor seem destined to Great Success in all facets of life?
The Story of Colonel Jack Jacobs does not begin on the morning he earned the Medal of Honor in the Mekong Delta of Viet Nam, surrounded by his brothers, his South Vietnamese Brothers. It didn't start as the last thing his father did before shipping off to the Pacific in World War II. When his story began and what drove him to great Valor began with the Values passed from generation to generation in a small mountain village of the Ottoman Empire, or possibly before that.
Nor does his story end with the day President Richard Nixon hung the Medal of Honor around his neck. Decades later, while in a business meeting, securing a $20 Million investment, the shrapnel would still be surfacing, still causing him to bleed. Nor would the ceremony be his only visit to the White House.
That which drove Colonel Jacobs to heroism are the circumstances and decisions of every part of his life and generations before him. And he affords us a glimpse, with humor & honesty, into all that created a respected businessman and Valorous Officer. He also offers his opinions on that which is good and that which is not about an Army his parents neither wanted him to join nor to leave. Nor does he pull punches when it comes to lessons the Military and Nation should have learned from the war he fought.
Today, that quote by Hillel has been refined. Today a Soldier may explain to concerned civilian friends:
"If not me, who? If not this, what? If not now, when?"
I, and the current generation of Veterans, have learned many things from Our Viet Nam era Brothers. These lessons have helped us survive the battlefield and the streets of protesters of Our Nation. Colonel Jacobs adds to those lessons and to the means to survive and thrive in the business world after service.
Moreso than most Veterans, those who are, were, or will be ETT's and other advisers to our allies in Iraq and Afghanistan will find the war stories entertaining and educational. It's always amazing to see how little some things change across time and distance. There is no better way to learn a foreign culture than to be immersed in its people, even when the common culture of Military bonds you.
So too, will every Combat Warrior enjoy the timeless desire to get away as quickly as possible from REMF land and onto the battlefield, where bureaucracy and boredom give way to common sense and the simple life of survival.
Leaders, particularly officers, of all levels, will find important lessons learned that still apply today, to include the importance of sending qualified leaders rather than professional cronies needing in block-checking experience to lead men in battle. Today's officers are relearning these lessons as Majors that first tasted combat as Lieutenants, but too often the more recent lessons of Staff College tempers more actions than do those learned while fighting the Staff in the rear at the same time as the enemy to the front.
And then there's little tidbit of advise delivered via radio from a grizzled old Ranger with extensive combat experience to our young lieutenant in his first major battle:
"I'm not actually there on the ground and so I can't give you any specific tactical guidance. But I'll give you a piece of advise: you'd better do something even if it's wrong."
Colonel Jacobs analysis on this advice seems particularly poignant today, as we wait impatiently for the CinC to make a decision about Afghanistan, though concluded in 1967, and published in 2008:
"But when everything is going to pieces, when the cost of inaction is unimaginably bad, then something must be done, even if it is with less information than you'd like and insufficient time to consider alternatives."
This timeless gem, along with so many others in this book applies to everyone from the lowest Private to the Commander in Chief, and is but one more reason each should read this book, along with those civilians that wish to capture a glimpse of what makes a True Hero.
"Believing ignorantly that an unconventional conflict was all tactics and no strategy, the majority of high-ranking people were focused on details, mired in statistics, and inured to the comforts that did not afford themselves to the warriors at the point of decision."
"We knew how to do it [beat the Viet Cong]... We didn't have people in charge who understood that being a bureaucrat does not convey leadership ability."
"If Colombus had an advisory committee, he would probably still be at the dock." Arthur J. Goldberg
"When there is a great deal at stake, when the result of failure is unacceptably unpleasant, don't skimp on resources."
And while his words seem prophetic, don't think he pulls punches with either party. His loyalty is to Nation, not party, to truth, not slogans, to the Grunt, not the bureaucrat. One walks away with the distinct feeling he has a lower opinion of politicians than the average citizen, and with good reason.
It is no wonder that he has taught and mentored the best and worst officers of this Nation both at West Point and at the National War College, but it is a wonder that his blunt honesty allowed him to rise to the rank of Colonel, even with the protection of his hard earned Medal of Honor.
'Who would have thought that our real danger was the civilian hijacking of the military apparatus, snatching it from officers who were either too inept or too pusillanimous to resist?"
"To employ the military instrument of power knowing it was inadequately resourced is a bit like baking a chocolate cake and having all the ingredients except chocolate."
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