I have never been one for awards or other methods of special recognition. My philosophy has always been you do your job, and you get to live. If you don't do your job, I shoot you. Beyond that, there's really no need for plaques or trophies.

However, even I have to admit that Spc. Thomas Wilson of the United States Army deserves a "Balls of Steel" medal for the question he put forth to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld earlier. He's the soldier who, during a question and answer session with Rummy, asked, "Why do we soldiers have to dig through local landfills for pieces of scrap metal and compromised ballistic glass to up-armor our vehicles?"

Indeed, an excellent question. I mean, that's the type of thing MY army used to have to do. You would certainly expect the richest country on Earth to be above that sort of desperate behvior.

And Rummy's answer? He said, "You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have."

Well, I would have to disagree with that. If you go to war out of necessity, such as right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, then yes, you go to war with the army you have. It's an admission of desperation, but you do what has to be done with what you have.

The war with Iraq, however, was not one of necessity, but rather a war of choice. As such, the American leaders should have made damn sure they were fully prepared.

They didn't, and now the soldiers in the field are the ones paying the price.

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