Mike Dunford was a graduate student in the Department of Zoology at the University of Hawaii, Manoa, where he studied evolution. Life as an army spouse has since moved him on to Pensacola, where he's currently trying to figure out what to do next. While he's doing that, he writes stuff here, although not usually in the third person. He's also a contributer to A minute or two ago, I posted this with some commentary, but I just decided to pull my own comments from this - it's so surreal that there's really nothing that can be said.
I received the email quoted in full below from the Family Readiness Group for my wife's unit. They got it through the military channels, along with a message to widely distribute word of the change outlined in the message.
The Acting Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff, Army have emphasized that Army Families are a key component of our readiness. Army Families shoulder a great burden of sacrifice, supporting their Soldier and often enduring long periods of separation from their loved ones. Top notch care and support of Army Families demonstrate our sincere appreciation and gratitude for their many contributions, and allow our Soldiers to fully concentrate on the fight and focus on their duties. Effective immediately, the word "Families" will be capitalized in all Army correspondence. Please ensure wide dissemination of this change. Thanks for your continued efforts to do all you can to provide steadfast support to our Army Families.
See what I mean? Words just aren't going to do this one justice.
Comments
FFFFF AAAAA MMMM IIII LLLL IIII EEEE SSSSSS
we all have to write it like that from now on.
Posted by: Kevin | April 18, 2007 11:25 PM
Wow. With a capital W.
I think they may also want to consider capitalising both the B and the S.
Posted by: Jen | April 18, 2007 11:53 PM
You're just pissed because they don't capitalise "husband". I mean, it's not like they offered you a bribe or anything.
Posted by: John Wilkins | April 19, 2007 12:09 AM
I can't help but think that this is not what what the Family Readiness Group had in mind when they said "Please ensure wide dissemination of this change."
Hey, if capitalization is really that important and can have a significant impact in these times of trouble, I think I will no longer capitalize bush and cheney. Yeah, I feel better already.
Posted by: Zeno | April 19, 2007 12:37 AM
Framing families = Families?
Posted by: sparc | April 19, 2007 1:43 AM
Didn't you always write Family Formicidae when you wrote about your ant?
Posted by: Chris | April 19, 2007 6:03 AM
They can't just DECIDE that it's going to be spelled with a capital F. Why choose to be deliberately ignorant of grammar? Idiots.
Posted by: Willo the Wisp | April 19, 2007 7:36 AM
Blatant propaganda. Get Army Families to support the war by giving them a special, capitalised label: you are no longer the family of a soldier, you are part of one of many Army Families!
Any day now, they'll be saying things like "Army Families want the best for their soldiers and their country", and other such blatant newspeak.
Freaky.
Posted by: Lynet | April 19, 2007 8:53 AM
Oh.. my... fucking... god...
I can't believe that's for real. I mean, I *know* it's for real - I'm not accusing you of lying about it. But I just can't believe that it's for real. I can't wrap my head around it and make myself believe that anyone actually believe that this was a good idea or a meaningful gesture or.. I don't know.
Posted by: Mark C. Chu-Carroll | April 19, 2007 9:30 AM
I've decided to start capitalizing Belly Button Lint. It makes it seem more significant.
Posted by: Mustafa Mond, FCD | April 19, 2007 9:33 AM
I'm jealous...we're Air Force, and we're left out of the Elevation by Capitalization ...
Though, come to think of it, the Interesting Capitals do make One think of Winnie-the-Pooh books...
Let's go on an Expotition!!!
Posted by: Patti | April 19, 2007 9:45 AM
Well, that solves that! Glad to know they're tackling the big problems.
But have they trademarked Army Families (TM) yet?
Posted by: Ambitwistor | April 19, 2007 9:51 AM
Anyone for rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic with me?
We could turn this into a 'woo' issue: Someone at the DoD subscribes to the principle of symbolic magic -- change the symbol and you change the thing. Obviously, changing the capitalization has changed you, hasn't it Mike?
Posted by: ArtK | April 19, 2007 12:13 PM
Gosh, I hope that big capital F sticks in their throats on the way down. What nerve.
Posted by: katherine sharpe | April 19, 2007 12:23 PM
Dang, it's annoying enough to me just seeing "Soldier" with the caps in that context (and not just because I'm a former LC "airman"). But "Army Families"? Are they going to come up with a new subset of ranks now, like E-# is enlisted and NCOs, and O-# is officers? Maybe a sibling is F-1, a parent is F-2, a dependent is F-3, and a spouse (of the other sex) is F-4, or something like that.
Posted by: Randy | April 19, 2007 2:38 PM
I showed this to someone I know. Their comment, which I couldn't have said better:
The whole capitalization thing emerged from an Army insecurity regarding the fact that the term "Marine" is a proper noun and is capitalized (deriving from the name of the service, The United States Marine Corps), whereas the term "soldier" isn't and isn't capitalized (The term "soldier" isn't contained in the name of the service, The United States Army). A few years back the Army decreed that Soldier be capitalized and then they kind of went nuts with the newfound Power of Capitalization. Thankfully, not the press, nor the historians, nor anyone other than the active-duty Army follows these rules.
Posted by: mollishka | April 19, 2007 5:08 PM
hOW LONG BEFORE IT'S "AN fAMILY"?
Posted by: Bill from Dover | April 19, 2007 6:05 PM
We need to go with the German Rules for Capitalization. You know, just Capitalize all Nouns.
Posted by: Hans | April 19, 2007 11:30 PM
I would be amazed if this dope doesn't believe in Capital Punishment too.
Posted by: David Mitchell | April 20, 2007 4:18 AM
The Army has a long and distinguished history of putting symbolic band-aids on gushing flesh wounds. (Thank FSM they don't teach this in the Combat Lifesaver Course!) My favorite was General Shinseki's logic justifuing the change from the field cap (one of the few military hats in history that doesn't look silly) to the beret (a useless piece of wool that smells like a wet sheep when it gets wet):
Premise 1: the Army has an esprit des corps problem;
Premise 2: special units like Rangers and Paratroopers don't have an esprit des corps problem;
Premise 3: special units wear berets;
Conclusion: everyone should wear a beret!
As if regular Army personnel were upset because of their hats.
This letter is, sadly, typical.
Posted by: Decline and Fall | April 20, 2007 10:01 PM
Hmm. I can think of another word beginning with "F" that deserves a captial is this context.
Posted by: Metro | April 23, 2007 2:42 AM
Capital F as in F@*ked?
Posted by: Bob | May 20, 2007 9:16 AM