[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 13, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H835-H836]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         THE ROLE OF CIVILIANS IN OBSERVING MILITARY ACTIVITIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Skelton) is recognized during morning hour 
debates for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SKELTON. Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to express my 
deep sorrow regarding the training accident on the Kuwaiti bombing 
range

[[Page H836]]

and extend my condolences to the families of those who were killed or 
injured. I know full well how the crew and the air wing on the U.S.S. 
Harry S Truman must feel regarding this tragic occurrence.
  This accident underscores the risks that American service members 
take in order to master and to maintain the skills they need to keep 
our Nation safe and to protect our security around the world. The 
military is a dangerous profession, and we cannot take for granted the 
hazards that our men and women in uniform face on a daily basis, in 
times of war as well as in times of peace.
  Mr. Speaker, last month I visited some of America's troops overseas, 
particularly in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Germany. With me were two other 
Members of the House, both of whom are on the Committee on Armed 
Services with me. We were astonished by what we saw: the dedication, 
the sacrifice, and above all, the intense level of activity, even in 
peacetime. It of course was an eye-opener, and it does give one a new 
sense of appreciation of the military.
  It is the kind of education that I believe more Americans should 
have. As the population grows and fewer and fewer households have a 
picture on the mantle of a son or daughter in uniform, we do not have 
as many parents asking us to look after their Johnnie or their Janie 
who is in the service. We do not have as many Members of Congress with 
military experience.
  That, of course, concerns me, because I don't believe it is good for 
America to have its military services become separate from the society 
that supports them and that they in turn defend.
  I believe, Mr. Speaker, there is an unfortunate gap between civilian 
America and military America. Many civilians simply do not understand 
the role of people in uniform. It is an arduous profession, it is a 
dangerous profession, as I mentioned a moment ago, and the more 
civilians that can see our military, the better they can understand 
just how important a job they do.
  One way the military has traditionally tried to maintain a bond with 
the people in our country is to involve civilians in military 
activities. That takes many forms, from public airshows to allowing 
citizens to observe military operations up close.
  As we know, Mr. Speaker, the issue of how civilians should be 
involved in military activities is now subject to no small debate. I 
hasten to say, this is not a trivial matter. It is important for 
civilians to see how the military works, what they get for their money, 
and most of all, just what excellent men and women wear the uniform of 
the United States today.
  I can certainly understand why, following the terribly sad situation 
involving the U.S.S. Greenville, some might believe that civilians 
should not be allowed aboard ships or aircraft, or to visit active 
military facilities. Without addressing the role of civilian observers 
in that particular case, let me say that I believe closing the doors of 
military facilities to civilian observers would be counterproductive.
  To be clear, they should remain just that, observers. They should not 
be in control of any military hardware. Keeping hands off is no reason 
to keep eyes out. The Constitution provides for civilian control of the 
military, and that requires an informed public. Allowing responsible 
citizens access to the operating military is the most basic way of 
keeping the public aware of what the military life is all about, and 
what part the armed services should play in our society.
  Even more basically, the more civilians see the military, the more 
word gets around that our men and women in uniform deserve our support. 
It works the other way, too. Military personnel are glad to know that 
their work is being seen and appreciated by the people back home.
  Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that the military is on its way to 
becoming just another special interest group, an organization that sees 
its own interests as separate from the rest of society. But the 
military is an integral part of our society. Indeed, it is woven by 
tradition and constitutional design into the very fabric of America 
itself.
  To separate the military from civilian observation would be no less 
significant than separating our flag from the stars and stripes.

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