Patrick Wood: Asking if an order is lawful is not sedition, it's patriotic

To The Daily Sun,

My dad served as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. He explained his view of the major difference between the U.S. Army and the armies of our allies and foes based on his observations. In European militaries, orders were orders ― no questions were to be asked. In the U.S. military, if questions were not asked, soldiers were not doing their duty.

That concept was highlighted in Ken Burns’ program on the American Revolution by the observations of the German baron who came to America to help organize George Washington's troops. His explanation was similar to my dad's: In Europe, soldiers obey ― period. In America, individuals have to explain why they should obey.

This is a fundamental principle of the American military. Obeying "lawful orders" means that someone has to be asking the question, "Is this order lawful?" Without the question being asked, our military is not fulfilling its duty.

So, to those who say Washington would hang people who ask this question, my response is, "Learn your history." More importantly, talk to the people in the military or who have served in the military.

As lawyers, we take an oath to defend the Constitution, but we do not expect to put our lives on the line to support that oath. But millions of others do just that when they take the oath as either an enlisted person or officer in our military. I know my son did; I also know that taking the oath did not mean he turned off his mind or his conscience.

Asking if an order is lawful is not sedition; it is patriotic. If I am to be hung for being patriotic, then, as Nathan Hale said, “I regret I have but one life to give for my country."

Patrick Wood

Laconia