“WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has ordered a review of all the administrative and training requirements that prevent trigger pullers and pilots alike from focusing on warfighting.
In the memo obtained by Military Times, Mattis on Friday directed the services, the National Guard Bureau and the combatant commanders to determine what changes are needed to give each branch increased flexibility to organize, train and equip more ready and lethal forces.” (Military Times)
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Jubilation! Jubilation! I’ve been waiting for something along these lines since 20 January. It is sorely needed. Those of us who served in the military know the debilitating effect that the accumulation of unnecessary policies and requirements has on the mission readiness of a fighting unit. I’m sure that also goes for supporting units. This is an excerpt from the Mattis memo. It’s a good start.
“Examples of policies requiring review include: relating to the retention or separation of permanently non-deployable Service members; professional military education to regain a concentration on the art and science of warfighting; requirements for mandatory force training that does not directly support core tasks; hiring practices for the civilian workforce; and a return to counterintelligence competencies for the Services law enforcement agencies.”
From this short list, we can see Mattis is starting with the big things. First, the military’s only purpose is to fight the nation’s wars. It is not a social welfare program or a place for social experimentation. Second, military training and especially military leadership training should be fanatically focused on fighting and winning wars. Third, anything that takes away from preparing to fight and win wars must be jettisoned. Fourth, the civilian workforce must also be focused on fighting and winning wars. Prepare for a push to make all DOD civilians into an excepted service. Last, all these years of leaks and such are obviously driving Mattis up the wall. He is intent on stopping that crap.
My advice is that those who lack the single-minded determination and discipline to prepare to fight and win our nation’s wars should get out now.
TTG
BillWade
I served with quite a few closeted gay killer types. They stayed in the closet and I think that was tolerant enough on the part of the Army. I remember one fellow, a lieutenant colonel) who was in personnel and had his lover transferred around with him for decades. No problem. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 26 July 2017 at 03:12 PM
What was the percentage of m-m assaults before? A lot of it could be more about dominance than attraction, like prison rape.
Posted by: Thirdeye | 26 July 2017 at 04:29 PM
All:
Wars over centuries create nation.
States can be created by other states for formerly stateless people but no country has been able to do both for others.
Posted by: Babak Makkinejad | 26 July 2017 at 10:51 PM
Same was said, no doubt, about Truman's integration plan.
Posted by: douglass | 27 July 2017 at 09:14 AM
douglass
If you think that being Black and thinking you should have been a woman are the same thing, then I am outraged on behalf of Blacks. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 27 July 2017 at 12:00 PM