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I had dinner with a former brother in arms a few days ago. After reminiscing about the good old days and a few war stories, the conversation turned towards the United States military of today. Since my colleague is now a private contractor with his hand on the pulse of what is happening in our armed forces from daily interaction, his views on the situation were shocking and depressing, especially when discussing the officer corp.
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The view he laid out regarding our military leadership was one of political expediency above all else. Our officer corps seems to be less occupied with leading men and women into battle and more about getting that next command, promotion, and political opportunity. His interactions with junior officers were especially disturbing. We all know that many flag rank officers are very political, and probably have to be. But, when you have the warriors in the field, less worried about flying airplanes and more concerned with kissing their superiors butt and being politically correct in order to get promoted, you know you have a problem.
The Obama administration, clinically paranoid about a military that might not support the President and civilian leadership, purged many of the warfighting commanders that were at flag rank level, in addition to those on their way to higher responsibility. After all, how can you have a commander who wants to rescue American diplomats and other personnel at Benghazi when the President is more worried about the political landscape?
From scenes of ROTC cadets forced to wear high heels, to rumors of standards being lowered across the board to implement the political Left’s ‘diversity’ agenda in all branches and units of our military, the politically correct assault on our armed force’s ability to fight and win a conflict with a determined and aggressive enemy is in doubt. Our military is now looked upon by political leaders as a jobs program for those who can’t survive in the private sector, not a leadership and combat laboratory to grow warriors who will be victorious in battle.
The Marine Corps announced recently that an infantryman will no longer be called such. He, or she, will be called an ‘infantry marine.’ How ridiculous. If this doesn’t show you how PC our officer corp is, as they adapt to the Left’s agenda hook line and sinker, nothing will. I find it disheartening that the military is so readily drinking the PC Kool Aid. The little political foot soldiers are doing the Left’s dirty work for them, turning our military into a PC social experiment that will be destroyed in a serious fight.
The next President of the United States will have a big job to do in attempting to bring back the warfighting spirit of the U.S. armed forces. However, it is essential he do so (She will not do it by the way – she will make it worse). We will not know the extent and the consequences of this disturbing situation until our next major conflict, and then it may be too late.
L. Todd Wood, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, flew special operations helicopters supporting SEAL Team 6, Delta Force and others. After leaving the military, he pursued his other passion, finance, spending 18 years on Wall Street trading emerging market debt, and later, writing. The first of his many thrillers is “Currency.” Todd is a contributor to The Washington Times, Fox Business, Moscow Times, the New York Post, the National Review, Zero Hedge and others, and he is a foreign correspondent for Newsmax TV. For more information about L. Todd Wood, visit LToddWood.com.
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