Mexico's Military 

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Last week, I moved back to the topic of Mexico. If you follow my post, you know why. After I completed my most recent post on Mexico, I began to think, again, about the status of what worries me the most; the morale of the Mexican Military. 

http://coldansviewpoint.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-mexican-military.html

I posted the story, link above, back in September of last year, before the issue over the statement made by retired General Gaytan Ochoa. I've voiced my concerns over the issue of Mexico's military's morale on several occasions. At the risk of sounding repetitive, I want to expound upon the issues that could be driving the morale of the troops to dangerous levels, could!  I realize it seems as if I am stuck on this topic, but let me attempt to show you an additional issue that may help you understand my fears. Let me show you the world the young men and women of the Mexican Military face every day of the week, week in and week out.....month after month.....year after year. Let me show you what true leadership of SEDENA must live with and why people like General Gaytan Ochoa felt compelled to speak out. 

This is what is referred to as a "Monster Truck." It one of the vehicles the terrorist cartels utilize in Mexico to force their will on the Mexican people. It's what they use to fight each other, and more importantly, it's a vehicle that is sometimes used to fight the Mexican authorities. It's designed to take heavy small arms fire and allow it's occupants to stay inside, mounted to us, military background members. Against everyday, civilian law enforcement in Mexico, it earns its nickname. 

This is a picture of what the military is provided in almost every instance to patrol with. The expression goes, " a picture is worth a thousand words." This is a civilian pickup truck. It has tires that will go flat when shot. Almost all of them have little to no armor. It is not designed to fight from; thus, the unit members must dismount, get away from, the vehicle. At the end of the day, this vehicle is a death trap. To the troops, it's a statement on commitment. In my opinion, this tactic is a disgrace! It's worse than a disgrace. Putting those who intend to defend Mexico from terrorist groups that typically have superior firepower, in these painted, civilian vehicles is nothing short of betrayal. Here is the part of this story that absolutely infuriates me. This failed support has been going on for almost two decades. 

Several years ago, I had a conversation with an individual who had the ability to address this issue. Although he agreed the optic appeared negative, the reality was the decision to keep this approach was based on a more significant concern; the concern of the public's perception.  Back in the early 2000s, when the then Mexican President decided to place the military on the streets to offset the violence, and honestly, to address the issue of the public's trust in local / state law enforcement, many of us realized where this would take Mexico. The problem was, Mexico City truly believed it was the only alternative they had, and I'm afraid they were correct. It was the lesser of two evils, not because the military was evil, but because the repercussions of the tactic were going to be harsh. As an old friend of mine once said, "The military is designed to kill people and break things"! When you get right down to it, that's a fairly accurate statement. So you see, the leadership of Mexico feared public perception, and thus the military was placed in a nonmilitary environment to include weapons, tactics and equipment, vehicles. Solve the problem, but do so with limited authority and limited support. Yes, Mexico City tried to pound a square shape into a round hole. Nearly twenty years later, young soldiers climb into the back of pickup trucks as they attempt to fulfill the role of Law Enforcement against an enemy that roams the countryside in "Monster Trucks." Is this perception totally accurate? Perhaps not. I commanded armed troops for sixteen consecutive years. I think I know a thing or two about unit morale. 

Hard Facts:

Again, let me sound repetitive. Since the decision was made to put the military on the streets of Mexico, incidents of abuse of power, and other horrendous criminal acts have surfaced. Mexico City was and is desperate to stabilize the nation, a nation that is becoming more destabilized. Corruption exists at every level of Mexico's leadership, to include the military. When unit level military members are led by corrupt leadership, at all levels, and they know it, what does anyone think the outcome would be? Here is the reality. The vast majority of the Mexican Military and Civilian Law Enforcement do their jobs against the odds of corruption and intimidation, and they do so because they love their country. They have their honor and their integrity, despite everything that goes on around them, to include being sent into violent events on top of pickup trucks. They realize their own public grows more skeptical of the military's actions, yet they understand the cost of giving up. The good people of Mexico get up in the morning and drive on. They refuse to give up, at least not yet. These men and women of integrity and honor also have leaders who have lived by the code of loyalty. Loyalty to not just Mexico City, but to Mexico, and there is the danger I keep coming back to. At what point in time do the men and women who give everything for a better future for Mexico decide they can no longer pick up the flag? Worse, at what point in time do they decide they must change the course of Mexico's future? Is there a point in time when the concept of a Coup or a revolution justified? Doesn't that depend on the minds of those who contemplate these events? Pickup Trucks. It sounds like a minuscule issue. Is it?