Get the Flock Out!
Berkley’s mayor is a retired Army officer?!?
As six Republican senators devised a plan to yank $2.3 million in federal funding for Berkeley programs, the mayor of the famously liberal city apologized Wednesday for his hard stance against a Marine recruiting center.
…”That letter will probably be pulled back and maybe more moderate language will be put in place which is appropriate I think,” said Berkeley mayor Tom Bates.
…Bates said the city didn’t mean to offend anyone in the armed forces and the focus should have been on the war not the troops.
“There’s really no correlation between federal funds for schools, water ferries and police communications systems and the council’s actions, for God’s sake,” said Bates, a retired U.S. Army captain. “We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq. We want them to come home and be safe at home.”
Well, I’m sorry, too, Master Bates. That fact makes you ten times the pieces of shit the other a$$holes are.
UPDATE: Here’s what Master Bates thinks:
I have heard from people all over the country regarding the action taken by the Berkeley City Council regarding the Marines recruiting center.
Let me be absolutely clear that this is not about the men and women who are serving our country in our armed forces. I am a retired U.S. Army Captain and I respect the choice of those who are serving our country.
And here’s ~ mayor@ci.berkeley.ca.us ~ where you can tell him what you think. And if you do, share it with us, would ya?
Military Thingies | Mr. Bingley | 
February 8, 2008 1:03 am
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“Bates said the city didn’t mean to offend anyone in the armed forces “
Oh of course not! How could any one construe this…
“and that the Marines were uninvited and unwelcome intruders.”
…as an insult?
Fucking moron deserve an extra special blanket party. (The extra special part being a grenade wrapped in a towel rather than a bar of soap).
I noticed Hizzoner’s retired status earlier. I was too embarrassed to make a comment.
I’m just grateful he got out as a captain. Lord, what would he be doing if he made colonel?
BTW, I really loathe the way the MSM keeps on referring to this cretin as a “retired US Army Captain”. What, is this some sort of moral trump card to excuse his behavior? Are we supposed to classify him as a crazy vet, and forgive him his sins?
I think not!
Had a college degree when he went in, most likely. I notice he never made Major. Wonder why?
mojo, I can think of three possible scenarios.
First, he started out enlisted in the active Army, and was commissioned unusually late in his career. If he was commissioned after 12-14 years or so of enlisted service, I mean. The typical officer promotion schedule in the Army is 4 years to captain, and another 4 years to major. That would mean he was passed over for promotion to major twice, after his 18 year lock-in had passed. This is plausible, but unusual.
Second, he “retired” from the Reserves or National Guard, under a similar scheme to the above, but more plausible given the somewhat different personnel systems, especially if he reverted back to his prior enlisted rank when he was passed over the second time (I’ve seen it happen). Since you retire from the Reserves or Guard at your highest rank, he would be a “retired captain”.
(I say “retired” in quotes because I am a “retired” light colonel from the Army Reserves. I don’t receive a pension until I’m 60, so I continue to work [alas!]. And I don’t go around calling myself a “retired Army colonel”; if people ask, I say “I’m a retired reservist”. My self-esteem doesn’t need artificial support, thankyouverymuch).
Finally, he retired medically. I shall elaborate no further on that one.
You have to get to the end of his official bio to get this:
During his time at Cal, Bates was a starting Member of the 1959 Cal Rose Bowl team. After graduation, Bates served in Germany as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves and later worked in real estate.
And that’s it. His service in the Army does not exactly appear to be the crown jewel in his public service career. It’s kind of odd that he’d serve in Germany as a reservist, but I frankly do not care enough to puzzle it out. I doubt that he did 20 years and is actually “retired” in the normal sense. Could you end 20 years as a captain without being “up or out” before then?
Dave, I served in Germany as a reservist, so to speak, so I think I can safely say that Bates is fluffing up his resume.
In fact, I will go further: I’ll bet that he never “retired” in the fashion that most reservists do.
Bates probably went through ROTC, was commissioned, served an tour with the active component of the Army, as a reserve officer (that’s what I did), was released from active duty, served a while in the active reserve component, and then went inactive reserves (i.e., on a list, but never assigned to a unit, and didn’t train) until he was too old to recall (at age 60), whereupon he is simply moved to some sort of “recall for WWIII only” list.
(This was a common path for a large portion of the Army officer corps. If it sounds confusing, it is, and comes from the Army having authorized strength levels for active, reserve, and Guard components….and sometimes people cross back and forth between those components. I did, several times, and it never any fun. In a sense, they are separate armies wearing the same uniform.)
But It’s likely that Bates didn’t retire in that he served 20 years, was handed his 20 year letter, and is entitled to a pension. He “retired” because he never resigned his commission, and eventually the paperwork shuffle moved him to a status that is effectively retirement…..without the bennies.
So Bates is likely spinning up a relatively short tour on active duty into something of a career, when he just served a hitch and got out. Just like thousands of other young men and women who served, and moved with their lives.
Not strictly a lie, but not very honest either.
Still, it’s plausible that he might have retired as a captain in the active reserves. The military shifted to an “up or out” policy (i.e., you only get two shots at promotion) for officers right around the end of the Vietnam war (IIRC). I don’t recall when that was applied to the reserves, but it’s vaguely possible that if he was commissioned in the early 1960s, he might have slid by the “up or out” policy in the early 1980s.
I doubt it, though, because he would have to be mediocre at best in performance, or keep on shifting around to different units.
But there’s a simple test for this: if Bates in fact retired honorably from the Army Reserve, he got a letter stating that he served 20 good years (those are good as gold in the Guard and Reserves). And he got retirement orders. Plus he gets an annuity (looks like he’s old enough to receive his retirement pay).
Not that I’m going to push the issue; Bates is a cretin, through and through, and you can tell when he lies: his lips move.
As far as I’m concerned, he’s no more a “retired army captain” than I’m the son of Czar Nicholas.
Whoops! One more proof of Bate’s retirement status: he should have a retiree identification card.
For reservist and Guard retirees, they come in red (gray area retiree, before you reach 60) and blue (which all retirees get, regardless of your original component, but non-active duty types don’t get it until they are 60 years old).
Yeah, I don’t want to beat a dead horse here either, but(for those who don’t know) when it comes to the military, the word “retired” means something. It means that person put in the time and effort and dedication to earn that status and all of the benefits that go with it. My Dad did 29 years of active duty and active reserve in the Air Force. He earned that Ret. after his rank.
Maybe Bates did also, maybe he didn’t. If he didn’t though, calling himself retired kind of pisses me off.
Exactly so, Dave. “Retired” is a symbol of accomplishment. There are thousands of people who served honorably without retirement, but don’t fluff up their service into something that wasn’t so.
Saying you’re “retired military” when you aren’t isn’t quite like faking medals, in a legal sense, but it is for damn sure unethical.
Sis, since you asked, here’s my letter to Master Bates:
====================================
Dear Mayor Bates:
The Berkeley City Council saw fit to designate the US Marine Corps as “unwelcome uninvited and unwelcome intruders”. You live in America, and you have the right of free speech, regardless of what I may think. That is the law.
However, as the converse of personal rights is personal responsibility, you and the Berkeley City Council can be judged by your actions. I don’t expect you to be held accountable for your actions (however irresponsible), although that would be but simple justice.
But you certainly need to understand that good people who love this country, and are willing to defend it with their lives, are going to judge you accordingly, voice their opinions (under the same right to free speech that you so shamefully abuse), and try to hold you accountable for your misdeeds.
Specifically, after you and the Berkeley City Council passed that pathetic resolution regarding the Marine recruiting station, you were the target of a huge uproar from people who vehemently disagreed with your position.
In response, you publicly stated that “We apologize for any offense to any families of anyone who may serve in Iraq.”
I trust that you will understand if I find this “apology” to be insincere and insufficient.
First, your pathetic resolution was directed at the United States Marine Corps, not the families of those serving in Iraq.
Second, those serving in Iraq include more than the Marine Corps. There’s the Army, the Navy, the Coast Guard, the Air Force, the State Department, and civilian employees from many different Federal agencies there.
From this, I conclude that you and the Berkeley City Council intended to insult (and that was your intent, whatever you say otherwise) anyone serving in Iraq, and not just the Marine Corps.
Further, you are really saying that you are sorry if someone’s feelings were hurt, not that you are sorry for your actions.
All in all, a very insulting, non-apology. The rest of your statement was just as pathetic.
Congratulations, Mayor Bates: Your public posturing is truly pitiful. Your political opinions, driven by narcissism, are naive and immature. But it was a wonderful photo op, eh?
I’m amazed that the City of Berkeley is able to stay financially solvent with such uncaring, incompetent, self-centered, people in charge. Most likely, your professional employees do the actual work while the elected officials prance about the city for the news cameras.
I applaud Senator DeMint’s efforts to cut Berkeley off from the Federal feeding trough. I hope he succeeds, and I will be writing my congressional delegation to that effect. Men and women are dying to keep this country free so that you can publicly disrespect those very same people. You do not deserve a single dime from Federal taxes.
If you honestly believe that you should apologize, do so with actions, not words. Keep those Code Pink cretins from blocking access to the Marine Recruiting station. Allow recruiting to go forth, in spite of your personal opinions. Respect the armed forces that protect you, and in which you served.
Given the past exploits of the residents of Berkeley, I don’t expect that this single letter will change your mind. But you do know my mind, don’t you?
And you might remember what it was like to be on the sharp end of the stick, back when you were in the military before you pull another stunt like this. Things haven’t changed that much.
Bravo, Jeff!
Hmm. Check out this picture.
Looks like an effin’ dweeb to me.