Politics

[Russ16]

I don’t know how many of you were coming to DC for the inauguration. But they just moved everything inside because of the cold so there won’t be much to see.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Let's assume the military is hiring woke people among others which I believe they do.
Do you think woke people will perform worse and will diminish the effectiveness of our forces?
On the same token let's assume you hiring a software engineer, would you reject the best candidate because he/she is woke?
Just curious if you believe we should hire people based on their political and religious believes and not even target the others?

You're comparing apples to oranges. I'm an engineer and have been working in my field since 1986 before even finishing my degree. The number of engineers I've known that I think would've been a good fit for military service is far outnumbered by those who wouldn't, including myself. I think I have a fair amount of experience to say this having worked very closely with the Navy and Air Force as a civilian.

Political and religious beliefs as well as gender and sexual affiliation should not and is in fact illegal to consider when making a hiring choice. It should be exactly the same when considering people for promotion. Hire and promote on merit only.

Near as I can tell the military has until recently mostly done this. Homosexuality not withstanding until about the time of Clinton. You may have missed it, but Jimmy Carter was an officer in the Navy. He was also a nuke qualified engineer, considered to be even more difficult training than being a pilot. His politics were obviously not part of his being selected for that billet.

 

[Ed Lally]

Well, in Hegseth they did have someone totally unqualified in experience. So, I was surprised why him being a drunk some years ago was more important. We are in the era of Trump where the public do not care about a moral compass but supposedly cares about competence.

SO, you honestly believe that the last administration had a moral compass and that Trump's by comparison, do not??

 

[CraigV]

There is zero shooting in Airborne School and never has been since its inception in the 1940s. In fact very few service members will ever be issued a pistol from an arms room. Not sure of the issue.

Yup,

Not sure I believe anything about "The cousin's kid" story there. Sadly, that's the kind of bad information that will spread faster, and be believed by more than the actual truth!

 

[gbflyer]

There is zero shooting in Airborne School and never has been since its inception in the 1940s. In fact very few service members will ever be issued a pistol from an arms room. Not sure of the issue.

I’m not sure either. Maybe you could make a few calls.

 

[gbflyer]

Yup,

Not sure I believe anything about "The cousin's kid" story there. Sadly, that's the kind of bad information that will spread faster, and be believed by more than the actual truth!

Yeah. He’s a 20 year old bullshitter kid wearing a red beret for no reason. The Army training is a train wreck.

Edited to say I guess his retired LT Col USMA class of ‘88 uncle is also full of shit.

 

[Doug Hamilton]

50 states, 50 police heroes: Honoring our LEOs on National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day

See how law enforcement stepped up through acts of heroism to create some good this past year

www.police1.com

Keep hating the police. Here's 50 examples for you to try to berate.

Have you ever noticed that those who claim that the police are all tyrants will say, "I know the constitution!" or "I know my rights!" Turns out they usually don't.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Let's assume the military is hiring woke people among others which I believe they do.
Do you think woke people will perform worse and will diminish the effectiveness of our forces?
On the same token let's assume you hiring a software engineer, would you reject the best candidate because he/she is woke?
Just curious if you believe we should hire people based on their political and religious believes and not even target the others?

Doubleplay, I have zero issues with Woke, Gay, trans, any of the other ways people identify.

My issue is they demand we hire them based on their identity not qualification. Like most of us. I don’t care what color, creed, gay, bi, trans, and all the other identities.

And I don’t want to be labeled as phobic because I don’t want to sit in a class and learn about their condition

 

[Altitude sickness]

I would rather follow Martin Luther Kings way.

Judge people on the content of their character not color or other minority status.

 

[roverandbrew]

I’m not sure either. Maybe you could make a few calls.

Sure. I have no issue. Give me his unit and I will call his CSM.

 

[Dirtdart]

Nope! No such thing as WOKE in the military. I don’t know where you guys are getting that from.

Oh maybe from their recruiting ads. Training syllabus, etc etc

military 2 moms recruiting ad - Google Search

I would have lost a bet on that cartoon being put out by the US Army.

 

[mdwest]

Hopefully they can get some training ammo as well. My cousins kid going through Airborne was back for Christmas. Their handgun training has been delayed due to no ammo. Couple that with no toilet paper, no chow, (they have to eat off base a lot on their own dime), DEI, it’s amazing those young people are interested at all.

I know its already been addressed (the ammo piece).. but I can affirm that none of that is true at all...

I know several officers and NCO's currently serving across all branches of the military (excluding Space Force.. I don't think I know anyone there at the moment).. and I have people working for me at numerous mil installations both in the US and abroad (I run a mid market sized defense services firm)..

While the military definitely is experiencing several problems and has a number of issues.. a lack of toilet paper, food, and ammo arent among them..

there might be a really shitty S4 in some BN somewhere that screwed up and didn't obtain enough chow for a field exercise (who would likely be summarily removed from his position if that happened no BN commander worth a damn is going to let his troops go hungry and not hold someone accountable for it unless food deprivation was an intentional part of the training exercise).. or didn't procure enough ammo to support a training exercise.. etc..

but the military doesn't lack those material goods, and the schoolhouses definitely arent lacking those goods..

 

[mdwest]

Yeah. He’s a 20 year old bullshitter kid wearing a red beret for no reason. The Army training is a train wreck.

Edited to say I guess his retired LT Col USMA class of ‘88 uncle is also full of shit.

if his uncle is backing those statements.. he is full of shit.. whether an LTC and USMA grad or not..

If he calls himself a LT Col, that alone is suspect.. LT Col is how the USMC abbreviates an O5/Lieutenant Colonel.. LTC is how the US Army abbreviates the same rank..

@roverandbrew is spot on.. there has never been live fire training at the US Army Basic Parachutists Course (also known as Airborne School).. there is zero reason for it.. its all they can do to cram the curriculum required to get people to safely conduct static line parachute operations in the 2 weeks of instruction and 1 week of doing qualifying jumps.. there is zero range time and zero weapons training of any sort..

And I was just at Ft Benning / Ft. Moore where jump school is located less than 2 months ago.. I can assure you everyone's ass is properly wiped and there is no TP shortage... and no one is going hungry..

while in jump school, unless things have changed VERY recently, there is no option to dine anywhere other than the dining facility near the jump school.. there is no time to let the students leave and come back while they are undergoing the course of instruction.. and a time heralded "exercise" for the airborne students is to do 10x pull ups before they are allowed to enter the dining facility to eat each meal... kinda hard to hold them to that if there headed over to the burger king on base..

 

[Wheels]

I don’t know how many of you were coming to DC for the inauguration. But they just moved everything inside because of the cold so there won’t be much to see.

The news is a bummer. We are in DC and have/had tickets. I was looking forward to showing off my blaze orange Elmer Fudd hat. Sounds like we will be watching it on TV now.

We are staying at our kids home so still having a great time. Fun trip regardless.

 

[Red Leg]

if his father is backing those statements.. he is full of shit.. whether an LTC and USMA grad or not..

@roverandbrew is spot on.. there has never been live fire training at the US Army Basic Parachutists Course (also known as Airborne School).. there is zero reason for it.. its all they can do to cram the curriculum required to get people to safely conduct static line parachute operations in the 2 weeks of instruction and 1 week of doing qualifying jumps.. there is zero range time and zero weapons training of any sort..

And I was just at Ft Benning / Ft. Moore where jump school is located less than 2 months ago.. I can assure you everyone's ass is properly wiped and there is no TP shortage... and no one is going hungry..

while in jump school, unless things have changed VERY recently, there is no option to dine anywhere other than the dining facility near the jump school.. there is no time to let the students leave and come back while they are undergoing the course of instruction.. and a time heralded "exercise" for the airborne students is to do 10x pull ups before they are allowed to enter the dining facility to eat each meal... kinda hard to hold them to that if there headed over to the burger king on base..

+1 Someone is creating war stories for the folks at home.

 

[Tanks]

SO, you honestly believe that the last administration had a moral compass and that Trump's by comparison, do not??

Interesting that whenever one points out something in regard to Trump et al. the defense seems to be "What about the other guys?".

What happened to doing better?

 

[Red Leg]

Yeah. He’s a 20 year old bullshitter kid wearing a red beret for no reason. The Army training is a train wreck.

Edited to say I guess his retired LT Col USMA class of ‘88 uncle is also full of shit.

This is the current detailed Airborne School curriculum. It has hardly changed in 50 years. You might want to look through it and decide who is actually being factual about the subject before drawing too many conclusions.

Fort Moore | Basic Airborne Course (BAC)

 

[Doug Hamilton]

Doubleplay, I have zero issues with Woke, Gay, trans, any of the other ways people identify.

My issue is they demand we hire them based on their identity not qualification. Like most of us. I don’t care what color, creed, gay, bi, trans, and all the other identities.

And I don’t want to be labeled as phobic because I don’t want to sit in a class and learn about their condition

Exactly! Hire and promote the best person available, regardless of how they identify. Do not hire or promote because of how they identify. Do not waste time training on how groups feel about it.

 

[BSO Dave]

Do you think woke people will perform worse and will diminish the effectiveness of our forces?

Yes... Absolutely without a doubt it diminishes the effectiveness of the warfighters...

Wokeism negatively effects many levels... On the surface, it might appear that a "woke" soldier can perform any given job competently, but by being "woke" these ideologies are applied into their work by default which directly and indirectly effects the entire organization. Woke individuals, or those who embrace DEI principles, poison the environment if they allow their ideologies to dictate policy... Any member of a military organization holding any position of authority who either creates or implements policy based on DEI principles diminishes the entire organization. Lowering minimum standards to create equity, whether physical or intellectual, absolutely affects the lethality of our warfighters in combat situations.

Interesting that whenever one points out something in regard to Trump et al. the defense seems to be "What about the other guys?".

It's not about the whataboutism... It's because of the constant double-standard applied to Trump with everything...

 

[Hunt anything]

This is the current detailed Airborne School curriculum. It has hardly changed in 50 years. You might want to look through it and decide who is actually being factual about the subject before drawing too many conclusions.

Fort Moore | Basic Airborne Course (BAC)

No wonder they don’t have any pistol ammunition, they don’t need it.