Hegseth does not understand modern warfare, and I believe the generals know it

[Takket]

Hegseth's opinion of how the military should operate are exactly what you would expect from a failed guardsman and Fox News host.

While ground troops always have their place, Hegseth's obsession with grooming, weight and removing and sort of discipline process only determiner our ability to be battle ready on a global scale.

Anyone in the military will tell you modern warfare is won with brilliant people that know how to pilot drones, disrupt computer networks, and invent weapons like railguns and EMPs. If a 300 black woman, or bearded gay man, or cisgender male who can't do a pullup, happens to be the person that can hack into an enemy computer network and shut it down before our ground forces roll in, then that person should be in the military.

Generals know that there is a place for people that look like rambo, and people that look like Bill Nye the science guy in roles of defeating our enemies.

And if Hegseth thinks all we need are grunts down in the trenches with riles, we are going to get our asses kicked by countries leveraging modern technology against us.

[Irish_Dem]

1. In the Air Force, for every air crew, there are thousands of people who keep them in the air.

Aircraft designers and developers, researchers who work on the cockpit and control panel.
mechanics, contractors who purchase the materials, etc etc. I know there are thousands who just work on the aircraft design, maintenance, repair.

Then of course the base commander who keeps the base running, the squadron leader
who keeps the squadron on task.

So many people flying a desk who keep the pilots in the air.

And the people who work at the base commissary, library, theater, teachers, etc.

I know I am missing a lot of the back up but you get the drift.

[roscoeroscoe]

10. Exactly

The whole supply, logistics, support functions thing just is past his understanding. Somehow any E-4 candidate going to the NCO board understands this, but... it's beyond Kegs.

[Irish_Dem]

12. I was a USAF kid living on small bases during the Viet Nam war.

So I didn't see all the stateside supply, logistics, research, etc.

But I saw plenty of what we are talking about.

We lived on small bases on Southeast Asia, far from home.
The men were gone all the time on missions in Viet Nam.

But there were always people flying a desk who kept the whole
damn thing running day to day.

[TomSlick]

2. Hegseth has nothing to inform him about modern warfare.

He was a failed National Guard officer who was terminated at the rank of major.

[Irish_Dem]

14. He thinks US troops just do hand to hand combat.

[TomSlick]

18. He has nothing to inform his opinions other than his personal prejudices.

His profound ignorance and the effects of habitual alcohol abuse do not help.

[Irish_Dem]

19. Yes he lives in his own fantasy world fueled by ignorance and alcohol.

I think he may be doing cocaine as well. He looks high as well as drunk.

[Wifes husband]

3. This is just wrong

I was in the Air Force when they tightened up the physical fitness standards and we got rid of the fat NCOs. Some of those guys looked like they were about 8 months pregnant. I don't know about the officers, I had nothing to do with their world.
You just have to have some reasonable standard for physical fitness. A military individual should at least look the part.
They aren't going to get everyone to SEAL level of fitness or some crap like that, no matter what these clowns might think, because it is just impossible for the average serviceman to do that.
The current standards are pretty tough, and there just aren't a lot of out of shape military members. Physical fitness is a factor for promotion and retention.
This whole new emphasis on physical fitness is unnecessary and a demonstration of ignorance.

[Hugin]

4. The ultimate goal of the fitness standards is to serve their bigotry.

Nothing more, nothing less. There is no other purpose. They don’t actually care about the fitness of the “suckers and losers” they have nothing except contempt for.

[Rebl2]

9. Haven't

they rejected recruits because they were too overweight in the past?
Saw a video of Hegseth doing pull-ups and he struggled, but then I suppose it could have been AI. If so, fk AI.

[lostnfound]

5. Women or different ethnicities may be able to infiltrate

The unique talents, traits, life experiences are an advantage in some capacities.
These trumpian simpletons dont get it.

[Irish_Dem]

15. YES. The US military found it was a strong advantage to have different opinions and ideas.

And unique talents and skill sets.

During wartime every advantage helps.

[BlueWaveNeverEnd]

6. He also doesnt realize that neither women or men want to return to Tailhawk days of rampant abuse

I guess he dreams of raping women

[Hekate]

13. I'm sure he does

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

7. Pete and Trumpy see women as Barbie, and military peeps as GI Joe.

[Torchlight]

8. Glitz, stagecraft and makeup are far more important to the trump maladministration

than effective, quiet and efficient defense of our national interests.

[Initech]

11. He only understands what sells on cable news.

[Melon]

16. Can I buck the trend a bit

There are back office and rear areas where obviously you don’t need to do 30 pull ups. The air force has a lot of rear positions. But are we suggesting the fitness standard is different for different jobs?

But there should be a fitness standard for troops. You should not be fat if you are expected to carry a rifle. So that is anyone in the Marines. For any person serving in a deployable unit, you should be fit. That seems like a no brainer. And for that matter, cops also. If others are relying on you potentially when your life is on the line, you need to be in shape. There is actually a reason behind being in shape. Beards I believe are an issue for gas masks. You’ve always been able to get a medical waiver from a doctor if you have a serious issue? Is Hegseth not allowing any waivers?

[Demsrule86]

17. Sorry but no.

[Wifes husband]

20. Agree

There needs to be, and has been for at least the last 50 years, some kind of minimal standard for fitness and military functions. When I served I was definitely a rear echelon dude, but each year I had to pass a minimum PT test, and qualify on the M16.
History has many examples of rear echelon troops such as cooks, clerks, etc being shoved into combat. Battle of the Bulge, for example. It's about readiness.