Interesting letter about Gen Tackett...Coonskin.

[CoolBreeze]

I rather enjoyed this letter I received, but shall not name the writer:

I read the biography of Gen. Tackett and noticed that he enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1963 and trained as a member of Special Forces. What is interesting is that the overweight general has never had a combat command in all that time which surpassed the Vietnam War, Granada, Panama, Lebanon, both Iraq wars, and Afghanistan. He's never served in a command out of the U.S. and is a general?

Some of the boys in my generation used to go to Coonskin Park and play Army back in the '60s. My prediction: The army and air guard during the next 10 years will close off Coonskin Park completely and make it into a base. They would have a rifle range, roads to run tanks around, clubhouse, etc. The Kingwood base is not enough for them and people in government are always empire building.

Coonskin had a nice driving range that doubled as a ski area during the winter near the winter (you didn't have to drive to Beckley to ski). Instead of constructing a building up on the hill, the Air National Guard just had to put that big, expensive monstrosity right in the middle of that driving range. The Park and Recreation Commission then constructs a controversial and expensive driving range in the Park, tearing up the forest.

No wonder we have overweight adults (like the general) and kids: we keep closing recreation facilities.

Now, the Guard wants to shut off access to the Park for people who live at Rutledge Road, Meadowbrook, Oakridge Drive, Baker's Fork,etc.

That's ridiculous.

What are they afraid of? West Virginia Tech Arab students throwing a water balloon out of a car at the Charleston Armory?

What's next, an anti-submarine net to protect Coonskin Park from attacking Iranian or North Korean subs coming up the Elk River?

If you're talking security around here, how about spending a little time finding out just what is going on at that mosque in South Charleston? Or, at least who are these Middle Eastern students at our colleges and universities and if they are legally here?

Don't get me wrong, a bridge over the Elk near I-79 would be nice access to the Park, also. They could advertise it on the Interstate. However, since this is defense money, the 15 million could be better spent on security at our porous southern border, which is a real threat. Otherwise, this money we don't have could be spent on U.S. Route 35 or on the dangerous Henderson Bridge between St. Albans and Nitro. That's where they need a new bridge.

I can just visualize Janet Incompetano in rubber gloves and boots dedicating the Alan Tackett Bridge. This will be a stellar moment on national television.


MAJOR GENERAL ALLEN E. TACKETT

EDUCATION:

1962 East Bank High School
1985 University of Charleston BA - Management.

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Jun 67 - Jul 68,Executive Officer, Operational Detachment A, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Charleston, West Virginia
2. Jul 68 - Oct 68, Student, Infantry School, Infantry, Officer Basic Course, Fort Benning, Georgia
3. Oct 68 - Jun 71, Commander, Operational Detachment A, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Charleston, West Virginia
4. Jun 71 - Jun 74, Signal Officer, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Charleston, West Virginia
5. Jun 74 - Jun 75, S-4, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Charleston, West Virginia
6. Jun 75 - Feb 79, Commander, Company A, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Charleston, West Virginia
7. Feb 79 - Aug 81, S-3, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ceredo, West Virginia
8. Aug 81 - Aug 85, Executive Officer, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group, (Airborne), Ceredo, West Virginia
9. Aug 85 - Oct 88, Commander, 2d Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Ceredo, West Virginia
10. Oct 88 - Feb 89, Maintenance Officer, West Virginia State Area Command, Charleston, West Virginia
11. Feb 89 - May 93, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, West Virginia State Area Command, Charleston, West Virginia
12. May 93 - Aug 93, Deputy Chief of Staff, West Virginia State Area Command Charleston, West Virginia
13. Aug 93 - Aug 94, Chief of Staff, Headquarters, West Virginia State Area Command, Charleston, West Virginia
14. Aug 94 - Jan 95, Special Assistant to the Adjutant General, West Virginia State Area Command, Charleston, West Virginia
15. Jan 95 - Sep 95, Assistant Adjutant General/Deputy Commander, West Virginia State Area Command, Charleston, West Virginia
16. Sep 95 - The Adjutant General, West Virginia State Area Command,Charleston, West Virginia
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:

Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Commendation Medal (with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster)
Army Achievement Medal
National Defense Medal
Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (Fifth Award)
Humanitarian Service Medal
Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Army Service Ribbon
Special Forces Tab
Master Parachutist Badge
CIVILIAN OCCUPATION:

The Adjutant General, State of West Virginia, Charleston, West Virginia
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS:

Major General Tackett was named the Outstanding Officer of the West Virginia National Guard for 1988; in April of 1989 he was elected President of the National Guard Officers Association of West Virginia for 1991; and 24 May 1991, he was named to the Fort Benning Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame.
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTIONS:

2LT ARNG 27 Jun 67
1LT ARNG 26 Jun 70
CPT ARNG 1 Feb 72
MAJ ARNG 18 Apr 78
LTC ARNG 1 Aug 85
COL ARNG 1 May 89
BG (Line) ARNG 19 Sep 96
MG ARNG 30 Jul 98

http://www.ng.mil/ngbgomo/library/bio/tackett_ae.htm

[genlock]

I guess they forgot to mention that Allen Tackett was a player in politics the whole time
as a prominent member of the state Democratic Committee. He probably wasn't always that fat.
Sen Byrd described MG Tackett as "The Best General Since Hannibal". Byrd also wanted to promote him to
the rank of Lieutenant General (Three stars). I have met MG Tackett and I was not impressed
with his military conduct and bearing.

[Lester]

...and trained as a member of Special Forces.

Being assigned to a Special Forces unit does not mean "trained" as Special Forces. Ex: Not everyone in an Airborne unit and wearing an Airborne patch has been to jump school. Plenty of REMFs get to work there, but precious few survived the training.

Secondly, Special Forces is a 2+ year school (or it is now) and would show up as an assignment. Granted, it may have happened prior to the biography you posted (he joined in '63, right?)... however, I'm pretty sure you have to go to Infantry Officer Course *BEFORE* they'll let you go to SF school.

My Army-speak is extremely rusty, so everything I just posted might be wrong... but I doubt I'm that far off.