Chain of Command: Chapter 26

1/26/2015

Finale week is here! Not much to say except buckle your seat belts and keep sending your ideas my way. Here we go...

SIDE NOTE: Some of you have read the first Benjamin Dragon novel. Due to a slew of requests (and the fact that I need to get the story out of my head) I'm going to write #2 soon, but I need beta readers. If you're interested, please email me at [email protected] and let me know if you want to be in Group 1 (first read honors) or Group 2 (in-depth grammar and final fine tuning). Thanks in advance.

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18 Comments

Jerry Lovett

1/26/2015 04:11:47 am

Another great chapter. This has been a different read, but just as interesting!

Mary Sheerin link

1/26/2015 04:12:40 am

It seems that Steiner didn't expect this reaction from the president. Thinking he was allowed to spew any thing he felt like. Does he know he is associated with the man who killed the Marines? Still on the edge of my seat,as usual. Try to let him stew a little with the FBI It will do him some good.

Rebecca

1/26/2015 04:42:59 am

Wow! Didn't see that coming! Excellent twist to the storyline! Now if we could only get McMillan into the sane boat everything would be great!

Vin

1/26/2015 04:54:31 am

I understand that there is rivalry between the various services for funding and manpower. I also understand that it is the Marine Corps that usually gets the short end of the stick, primarily because they are still funded through the Navy (at least I believe that is still true).

What I don't understand is the argument that eliminating the Corps will save manpower and money. What it would do is increase the numbers in manpower, materials, and equipment for the other land based services but that is just a shifting of funds, not a reduction or savings. In fact the loss of the Marine Corps would probably result in an increase in defense costs unless the government was willing to accept a weaker defense overall. My justification for that statement is that quite simply, although the Corps does have some unique and state of the art equipment, they have often been given older equipment and what amounts to cast offs from the other services. Yet they manage to do a better job with so much less because they have learned through our history to make do; they adapt, they improvise, they overcome. They get it done.

Throughout this entire story I've been thinking about this and the idea that closing down the Marine Corps would save money would be some other services drug induced fantasy and have no relationship at all with reality. It is just shifting resources from one pocket to another.

Just a heartfelt opinion from an old "squid".

By the way, great chapter!

Judy Stone

1/26/2015 05:14:23 am

Oh, it's great that Steiner is shaking in his boots! And yes, Carlos, let him work himself into a lather...

Glad you touched on the political arena stuff before you tackled the tactical side.

On an aside, even though group 2 will probably point it out, you didn't tell us the date. I didn't know if this occurred the same day, days later or what. Anal, I know, but if I know the timeline, I'm a happy camper.

G. Younger

1/26/2015 05:40:24 am

I like it... for Steiner....maybe McKnight. Prison will be worse than death for them. However, I hope to see fire,brimstone, and a shallow grave for the others.

Laura

1/26/2015 05:45:17 am

Another great chapter and a good start to the end of another awesome book. It always amazes me that the govt thinks just by loosing people (Marines in the story or like now with the downsizing) you save money when in reality you make the country weak, and the money spent later will far exceed what would have been spent over time.

I'm looking forward to how Zimmer and Cal will take care of these current threats with Carlos spectacular storytelling.

Vin

1/26/2015 12:14:48 pm

Laura, actually there would be no money saved if they eliminated the Marine Corps. Realistically if they lost 1000 Marines they would add the manpower to the Army and if they lost 1000 Marine tanks, Marine planes, etc., the other services would still have to increase by the number of lost resources to maintain the same level. Then what would we do with all those amphibious ships that are designed to get the Marines to the war? We would end up putting Army personnel on those amphibs and they would be just a bunch of not-Marines trying to do the same jobs the Marines did... and probably not doing it as well.

Laura

1/26/2015 01:43:06 pm

Vin, you have some very good points. I don't think you would ever save money by eliminating any branch of the service. They all have their purpose and they accomplish that purpose/job better than any of the other branches would ever be able to do. Having been in one branch myself and currently the spouse in another branch I see this very clearly.

I think the story in the book is about eliminating the Marines because if vengeance and power, not about money. Unfornately, in my opinion the real world is about money, lack of honor and protection of citizens and making the US weak. The personnel that are able to remain in the service now are being called on to do the job of 2-4 people that have been downsized. Another chunk on downsizing will be coming again. Because if this I think there will be many people doing jobs that they have little or no training for.

Sorry to get on my soapbox and voice things I normally keep quiet about but I felt I had to say something.

Mark

1/26/2015 05:59:59 am

Another great chapter with a twist, I like what President Zimmer and his Chief of Staff did to Steiner before turning him over to the FBI and I hope the FBI can hold him for an extended period.

Marsha

1/26/2015 08:12:42 am

What a cool chapter!! I like it!! Can't wait to see what happens next.

I'm a little short on the posting side tonight. Got my W-2s and have to do my taxes.

Alex Howard

1/26/2015 08:40:52 am

Excellent! Right on target, Carlos. I love it when a plan, or storyline, comes together.

Not to mention, there were fewer nits to pick in this chapter; I still await the grammar/proofing pass at the end.

-a.

Sandy K

1/26/2015 10:04:39 am

What a great twist to throw at us. Very well written. It was perfect that the President is the one to dress him down! Now to get the others.

Susan

1/26/2015 10:36:49 am

I really liked this chapter. Steiner really has no idea what a mess he is involved in and never thought the whole thing through. It will be interesting to see what happens with the FBI interrogation. I am glad that the President gave him a chance but not surprised he turned it down.

Kathryn Andresen

1/26/2015 12:50:04 pm

Carlos,
All your books are wonderful and this one shows more growth on many levels. We have been using our range of emotions more here! You certainly are a skilled and resourceful storyteller. All the characters are amazing-both the good and the evil. They display the full range of emotions and are believable. This book has been harder to read but worth the journey.

Congrats on Disavowed and on Benjamin Dragon number 2.
Respectfully,
Kathy A

sonya

1/27/2015 01:47:45 am

did NOT see that one coming! excellent!
let the FBI have him and good riddance! its nice to see that sometimes the bad guys get dealt with! why would someone attack the marine corps and not know WHO is behind it! what an idiot!

Matt

1/27/2015 03:16:49 am

Eleventh Commandment: Escalate not, lest you be escalated upon! Keep up the good work.

Vin link

1/27/2015 11:07:54 am

I thought the Eleventh Commandment was, "The Chief is always right!"

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Chain of Command: Chapter 26

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