In the news:
July 6, 2023 Military.com By James Stavridis
US Military’s Recruiting Woes Are a National Security Crisis
Their take:
“The first step is to understand why recruiting is down. The biggest factor is probably today’s very strong civilian job market.”
“The Pentagon needs to reverse these trends or there will be grave risk to national security in an era of great-power competition. Fortunately, planning and executing complex campaigns is something the Department of Defense is very good at.”
“Above all, we, as a nation, need to do more to encourage the idea of service. A pledge to honor the Constitution rises above the rancor and bitter divisions in the country — something America’s veterans know but seem to be less willing or able to instill in their children. On this Independence Day especially, we need to thank our troops for their sacrifice, sincerely and continuously. America’s security in a dangerous world depends on it.”
Our take:
The Dept. of Defense was nowhere to be found on 911. We haven’t won a war since.
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam, it feels like the people who run the Pentagon specialize in undeclared/unwon wars.
Understandable why young people and their parents and grandparents would take a dim view on all this.
Any college or pro football coach would have been fired a dozen times over for what DOD has done with the US Armed Forces during the fake GWOT era.
We were told we needed to send troops to Vietnam.
Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.
Some may have become skeptical along the way.
“The Pentagon needs to reverse these trends or there will be grave risk to national security in an era of great-power competition. Fortunately, planning and executing complex campaigns is something the Department of Defense is very good at.”
Great-power competition?
Sending DOD to nibble around the edges of potential military adversaries in distant lands to stoke the competition. All this while the US border with Mexico remains open, making a mockery of a giant US Dept. of Homeland Security. Please get your kids to enlist now.
Total Denial
“Fortunately, planning and executing complex campaigns is something the Department of Defense is very good at.”
Did the advantage of planning and executing complex campaigns allow the undeclared wars in Iraq or Afghanistan to be prevented, won or shut down?
The Dept. of Defense has a truly poor track record with undeclared wars. This record goes back to 1949, the year DOD was established.
Honor the Constitution?
“Above all, we, as a nation, need to do more to encourage the idea of service. A pledge to honor the Constitution rises above the rancor and bitter divisions in the country — something America’s veterans know but seem to be less willing or able to instill in their children.”
Whatever happened to the formal congressional declaration of war?
This would be the time to hear from elected leaders and top generals Re: lessons learned on all the issues that have doomed the Department of Defense track record for winning wars since DOD was established way back in 1949.
How Do The Troops Defend The Constitution?
Not asking about the oath of enlistment. Asking about what happens after the oath has been taken.
Love to see newspeople interview elected officials and let us know how sending US Troops to Syria, Lebanon, Somalia, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, etc., is somehow defending the constitution.
Look for newspeople and school teachers to ask zero questions in these areas.
Related:
Random Thoughts – Recruiting Crisis
Army Secretary Christine Wormuth
Hostile Forces in Distant Lands
Schmoozy Interview With The General – Recruiting Crisis
Decades after the lessons of Vietnam
Possibly of interest:
Below, are some random thoughts and questions newspeople will not ask. Our questions appear in bold type.
Photo-
Watching the waves at Point Partridge