SecWar Hegseth Delivers a Fitness Report
In iron-striking-iron manner Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed the he is a force to be reckoned with - and that the force of war is both the reality which confronts us, but also that which crafts a 21st century professional standing army.
Just like an officer fitness report, his remarks use the standard bullet format for officer reviews. Not only was he reviewing senior leadership. He was putting them on notice for military training and readiness. So let me use his bullets, the verbal projectiles which will travel down range, onto the quarterdecks, deck plates, into the GPL tents used in our field training platforms, and to every sailor manning a submarine post within the choke points of our lanes of commerce.
My comments will be proceeded with an asterisk.
"Foolish and reckless political leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way."
"We have to be honest. We have to say with our mouths what we see with our eyes."
* The military lost true north settings years ago.
"No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses... no more climate change worship... no more debris.... We are done with that shit."
https://people.com/army-major-alivia-stehlik-opens-up-trans-military-ban-exclusive-8783779
* In his many articles, Major Stehlik never shares that he was married and had a son before putting on a military skirt. He abandoned his marriage. Psychiatric disorders must be marched out of our ranks.
"And the litmus test for these changes is pretty simple. Would I want my eldest son, who is fifteen years old, to eventually join the types of formations that we are wielding."
* As a former LCDR in the USNR I have spoken with quite a few veterans who did not want their progeny to follow in their footsteps. The ranks no longer supported good order and discipline. The military became one messy social lab; and the rats were out of their cages.
"This means at the War Department first and foremost, we must restore a ruthless, dispassionate and common sense application of standards.... Standards must be uniform, gender neutral, and high."
"Across our combat units... the era of politically correct, overly sensitive, don't hurt anyone's feelings, ends right now."
"Today, at my direction... each service will assure that each requirement for every combat MOS... returns to the highest male standard only. Because this job is life or death. ...We are also adding a combat field test."
"If the Secretary of War can do regular hard PT, so can every member of our joint force.... likewise it is completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and world....Every warrior across our joint force is required to do PT every duty day."
* Hoorah! Hoorah!
"No more beards.... If you want a beard, you can join the Special Forces.... The era of unprofessional appearance is over. No more beardos...."
"Upholding and demanding high standards is not toxic. Enforcing high standards: not toxic leadership. Leading war fighters toward the goals of high, uncompromising, gender neutral standards in order to forge a cohesive, formidable, and lethal Department of War is not toxic. It is our duty, consistent with our Constitutional oath... We are undertaking a full review of department's definitions of so-called "toxic leadership."
"Any place where tried and true physical standards were altered... must be returned to their original standard... Merit only. (A return to the 1990 test... and the E6 test... or an 03 test.) Because war does not care if you are a man or a woman.... This is NOT about preventing women from serving.... But when it comes to any job that requires physical power to perform in combat those physical standards must be high and gender neutral."
* As a member of Fleet Hospital Dallas - it was understood we were training for deployment in time of war. I was part of a 500 bed Fleet hospital - assigned to a field critical care tent. I was considered a "critical deficiency". I was the only PACU nurse in my Det. Anything related to peri-op was always a deficiency. I would hope that a R.N. not within standards would not be administratively separated, but allowed to serve as back-fill within our brick and mortar military hospitals in time of war. As to how our SecWar will provide guidance on this issue remains to be seen. In my Det, there were a couple of older nurses who were excellent at the bedside. But there was a bit of cheating on the PT to keep their pride of place. One had a cervical injury. These decisions require wisdom for critical deficiencies.
"We are attacking and ending the walking on eggshell and zero defect command culture... no more frivolous complaints... no more anonymous complaints."
* Giving the authority back to chain of command to discipline without fear of reprisal - is great news for our NCO's. Hegseth swings hard in favor of his leadership. He extends the concept of mercy for minor mistakes. One mistake should not destroy a career. I have been involved in decisions which also required a bit of mercy for the sailor facing a captain's mast. One involved "golden flow". Marijuana was detected in the urine.
Pete Hegseth now moves into power projection with his comments regarding his relationship with Chairman Caine. "There is no daylight between us. Our doors are always open."
The power projection continues. As he speaks of firing senior leadership he speaks of the necessity to change culture. He attacks the motto of "diversity is strength"... plans for a green fleet (*recruit Greta Thunberg to lead it) ... discharging troops who refused to take a vaccine. He is very succinct and does not mince words. And in a moment which probably gave him distinct pleasure, this was noted:
"Out with the Chiraelli(s), Mckenzie(s) and the Milley(s). In with the Stockdale(s), the Schwarzkopf(s) and the Pattons."
* The first three should have not received a public rebuke. I consider it unnecessary. Albeit, I personally believe General Mark Milley presented more as a political bureaucrat than a military leader. He seemed corrupted by culture. The military is meant to be insulated from culture. And Admiral Stockdale? He took HumInt down to the studs when he headed the C.I.A. and I cannot forgive him for his lack of wisdom. I am not sure why Chesty Puller was not placed at the top of the list. The man was legendary; larger than life. He is my hero.
Hegseth speaks strongly of a profession of arms. "We do the 'M' - the military, the instruments of national power... We do the 'M' . Nobody else does."
"We must train and we must maintain.... we are drastically reducing the ridiculous amount of mandatory training... less PowerPoint briefings..."
Thank God! I detested what we all called "Death by PowerPoint" and what I clucked was "General Monotonous Training." Talk about a waste of valuable time. Especially the endless chats on sexual harassment. They seemed geared to young teens who have suddenly discovered the joy of hormones. Of course, the hormones were still present when I went to DCO in Pensacola and a flight engineer called me and asked if I wanted to come to his quarters and watch porn. sigh But let's treat our ranks as adults; and not have excessive angst-filled GMT about "No, means No."
"Let no warrior cry out from the grave, 'If only I had been properly trained."
"Basic training is being restored to what it should be: scary, tough and disciplined. We are empowering Drill Sergeants to instill healthy fear in new recruits. Yes, they can shark attack, throw bunks, and yes, they can place their hands on the recruits."
Many a father sends their rather dull 18 year old off to the military hoping the Drill Sergeant will do for the young lad what he did not have the courage to do. wink I have a fond remembrance of a man who told me his Drill Sergeant told him that he was going to stick his dick in his ear, if he did not behave. Now that - is the stuff of legend, Baby! Every young recruit wants to come home with a story like that!
"War is something you do sparingly. On our own terms and with clear aims. We fight to win. We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy. We also don't fight with stupid rules of engagement. We untie the hands of our war-fighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt and kill the enemies of our country. "
"Lethality is our calling card and victory our only acceptable end state."
Let me end with the prior statement. I consider this mandate one which will strengthen our military, return greater respect to the wearing of the uniform, and more men and women will be returned to their families in time of war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKvB9g6A9o4
Always a Navy gal,
Tammy
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