A good time not to sing an anti-war song!

Active Shooter Training?  But, I’m just in charge of a desk…!

I got properly started at George Mason University this week.  It is very big and I have a very wee desk in the Centre for Evidence Based Crime Policy Department.  I’ve had to do all the orientation you’d expect, getting an ID card, finding out where to eat, getting a library card, undertaking my active shooter training.  What, active shooter training?  That’s guns and stuff; and I have no plans to go near guns whilst I’m here!

However, when I got logged on to the intranet for the first time, I saw there was a link for students and staff to undertake a ‘active shooter’ awareness training video.  Active shooter incidents are those dreadful incidents where a gunman enters a populous place and fires indiscriminately, killing as many people as possible before he is apprehended, or more often than not killed.  In Scotland, Dunblane and Thomas Hamilton is the worst example of this.

For those of us who have commanded firearms incidents, carried guns to protect the public or been involved in responding to difficult firearms calls, this is the nightmare scenario.  It’s also one we train and prepare for, not just tactically but by personal reflection.  Considering, at length, how we might personally feel in the event it happens; knowing what the likely outcome will be and knowing we will be able to step up and commit to positive action.

This is the first time, however, I’ve come across universities giving this training to staff and students; I’ve also discovered that similar training is also offered to shopping malls, hotels and banks.  That got me thinking about Scotland.  Is this something we should do?  It is the nightmare scenario, but as Dunblane proved, it is a scenario that can happen.  I guess the question is, do those who work, study or stay in these places feel there is a need for this training?  Would there be a ‘these things don’t happen here’ view, and so the training would not be undertaken or would it increase fear amongst the public rather than provide reassurance?

It seems to me that if the police and other emergency services are training hard for this eventuality, it makes sense the public are aware of what may happen and how best they might respond, should it ever happen;  whether that's a difficult sell or not..  These are just my thoughts.  Always keen to hear other views on these things.

Veterans Day

I went to church this week.  I go regularly and always on Remembrance Sunday.  The experience of Remembrance Sunday in America was a little different to what I have been used to.

There is no mass wearing of poppies here, nor is there any kind of national silence to reflect and remember the war dead.  Instead the Americans celebrate Veterans Day on 11th November and I really do mean celebrate.  This is an occasion.  People send Veterans Day cards to friends either serving or who have served in the military.  Veterans get together, in Washington the focus is the Mall,  they are generally in casual clothes and come to meet and greet friends.  There is, of course, a a deeper aspect to this celebration, there is a poignancy, there is time to remember but it’s not like at home; this is a real celebration.

There are a few rambling thoughts in my head about this.  I guess the Americans were only in WWI for a matter of months, troops arrived in April and the war was over in November.  There is no doubt the American contribution was essential and powerful, but it was also short.  There seems to me this war is viewed very differently here than it is at home, I wonder if that is a reason whey the poppies are not worn?  The Americans also have Memorial Day.  This is in May where they decorate war graves and families come together to remember their dead.  It’s also  important to remember that, whilst for the last 10 years we’ve been tied up in the same conflicts as the States, their history of war is very different to the UK’s, Vietnam and Korea being the two most obvious examples.

However, back to today’s celebration which is absolutely focused on military veterans.  There is no mention of the home guard, the police, the ARP wardens, Red Cross or any other group that lays a wreath at the Cenotaph.  I found that a bit strange until I reflected on where I am - several thousands of miles from Europe. Notwithstanding Pearl Harbour, by dint of its location American cities were not bombed during the wars nor was there any threat of invasion and, through the benefit of America’s strong economy there were no for shortages in this country.  Consequently, there was no need for the USA to have all these additional services and defences, so, I guess,  there is nobody else here to thank other than the military; consequently Veterans Day is really quite appropriate.

It seems too America has a different relationship with its military than, I feel, exists in the UK.  Here, people are massively proud of the military and the military are both proud of themselves and visible in the community. In Washington, soldiers, sailors and air men and women regularly ride the trains, eat in the mall food courts and walk the streets; that gives them a visibility.  They are also immensely smart.  This, for me denotes appropriate pride in the uniform and pride in their service.  

Citizens here like that.

They like it so much that veterans get discount just about everywhere, from coffee shops to car dealerships, many of whom offer $1000 off straight away for any veteran and Starbucks have pledged to employ 10000 veterans in the coming year.  None of that happens in the UK.  That said, its not all peaches and cream; there are massive numbers of homeless veterans and healthcare, as it is for so many here, is a challenge.  But it seems to be one the American public are up for meeting.

As I say, Veterans Day is a celebration and I am just home from helping celebrate it at the Concert for Valor (local spelling!) at the Washington Mall.  Along with quarter of a million others, yup thats right 250000 other people: I watched Metallica, David Grohl and the Zac Brown Band - all brilliant along with Eminem - utter, utter…well best just say its not my thing!  

I’ve been to large music festivals before and I’ve been part of large partisan crowds: the Scottish Junior Cup Final being the most partisan thing I’ve experienced to date!  But I have never been in such a partisan music crowd.  Spontaneous shouts of U-S-A started from nowhere and when the concert screens showed clips of ex-service men and women who had either contributed massively to their communities or were overcoming immense injury, there was genuine respect and admiration.  I, like many around me, had a tear in my eye more than once listening to these truly inspirational stories.  

I very much got the feeling that any protest against returning soldiers would not be tolerated in this country.

Oh, and whilst we have Sir Beatle and Sureltonjohn, I have now discovered the Americans have Bruce Springsteen!  Now I am a bit of a fan and have seen him a few times.  However, tonight he came out and murdered two of his three songs, much to the disappointment and slight ridicule of the crowd round about me.  That surprised me.  He also did a really anti-war, anti-draft song with Grohl and Zac Brown, which went down like a really heavy thing falling from the sky.  Not a good night for the Boss!

This week in general, and tonight in particular have been really moving and have left me genuinely reflecting on the role of the military in the UK.  I’ve noticed when I’ve run a few races that Help for Heroes was a really dominant charity but I’ve never got the impression that the same respect for and visibility of the military at home is on the same level as here.  I plan to look more closely, firm in the view that my respect of what the military does has increased.

The referees a…good guy?

Mind you, its not just the military who are respected: Americans love a uniform and their default position is to respect that.  Something, I think, is a good thing.  I’m talking about police officers, policing by consent here is just as important as it is in the UK even with guns!  I’m also talking about train drivers, security personnel and sporting officials; people here are respectful and respond positively to a uniform.  

This also extended to sport, and there is certainly lots of that here! Having watched highly paid hockey, soccer, basketball and NFL players do their thing over the last few weeks, I have never seen one act of dissent towards a match official.  Not one.  

I saw a bit of the premiership on TV on Sunday and saw highly paid footballers in the UK doing their thing.  They didn’t manage the self restraint or professionalism shown by American sportsmen and women.  

I have no idea why players behave better towards referees here.  What I do know is that without the intimidation and profanity, which I saw going on during our ‘national game’ at the weekend, sports here are far more enjoyable, family friendly events; and  that is something I very much like.

There’s still is a light that’s not gone out!

I had another very different musical experience this week too.  Rather than 250000 other I joined around 600 like minded souls at the 9:30 Club.  Think of a slightly smaller version of the Barrowlands and your close.  

This is a fantastic music venue in U Street which is an area that’s a bit more edgy than the more genteel entertainment spots in 7th Street, but its got a great atmosphere and some terrific bars.  It was also the end of town Johnny Marr was playing in.  What a night!  He was fantastic, bit more rocky than I’d thought which made it an even better experience. 

I only mention it because I was gutted to miss him - he played in Glasgow the day after I left for the US, so it was a nice wee bonus to see him here!

What I’ve learned this week

Its good to know what to do is attacked by a gunman

You don't need a poppies to remember the war

Sport is is better when players do as they are told

Johnny Marr is still fantastic!

As always any thoughts, comments or opinions are much appreciated.

Take care

Richie