The speech the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gave on Tuesday Sept. 20, 2005 was a display of hubris, recklessness and a complete lack of self-awareness.
Although Hegseth has a long history with the U.S. military his service was interrupted multiple times by stints at two veteran based nonprofits, a failed attempt to run for a U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota and extended run as a morning weekend television host for Fox News.
Most of the Secretary’s time in the military was as a part-time Army reservist although he did volunteer for year-long deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. The highest rank Hegseth ever achieved in the military was Major before he retired in 2021.
For some perspective the following positions would have outranked Hegseth:
Lieutenant Colonel
Colonel
Brigadier General
Major General
Lieutenant General
Army Chief of Staff General
General of the Army/General of the Air Force/Fleet Admiral
Hegseth was attempting to instruct a room full of active duty personnel who hold the top ranks in our armed forces. These are men and women who have been in the military full-time for decades.
Generals aren’t just pushed up in the ranks automatically. They need field experience, recommendations from other high ranking officers, positive performance reviews, completion of advanced military education programs, and completing programs specifically tailored for senior leaders.
The highest ranked officer complete Command and General Staff Officer Courses and attend a War college such as U.S. Army War College or the National War College. That is after they have already completed officer training which varies slightly depending on the branch of service.
While the generals and admirals were working their way up through this grueling system Hegseth was hanging outside of Fox News studios working on segments about National Pancake Day.
Anyone dedicated to a career as a high-ranking officer in the U.S. military has worked extremely long hours, had to relocate often, spent long stretches away from their families and in many cases risked their own lives and personal safety.
Hegseth looked completely out of his depth as what looked liked planned laugh lines fell flat and the audience he’d dragged from every corner of the world stared back at him silently with blank expressions.
This is a breakdown of Hegseth’s 10-point plan for the U.S. Military directly from the U.S. Army Website.
Directives Announced by Secretary Hegseth
Department of War Military Education and Training Standards 60-Day Review
Policy Memorandum Revision - Special Selection Review Boards
Reduction of Mandatory Training Requirements to Restore Mission Focus
Requirement to Formally Present Purple Heart Medals and Valor Decorations
It amounted to:
Allow hazing and the physical abuse of basic training troops.
Minimize the role of women in the military - reduce the amount of women in combat positions Women make up 20% of the U.S. military.
Hegseth didn’t say this outright but it was a clear goal based on his many statements about women and male-based physical standards.
Terminate anyone who cannot meet bi-annual weight and physical fitness requirements.
Terminate anyone who cannot meet combat field test for combat arms personnel, or a combat readiness test or second service fitness test for non-combat arms forces. (MilitaryTimes)
Get rid of a program that allowed enlisted personnel to file complaints about discrimination, fraud, waste and abuse anonymously.
Changes to grooming standards - no beards, no long hair (Hegseth’s hair is quite long by military standards)
The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called on the Pentagon to affirm that the department would maintain the religious rights of all service members. “The First Amendment guarantees military personnel the right to practice their faith — including the right of Muslim, Sikh and Jewish personnel to grow beards or cover their hair — as does established Pentagon policy,” CAIR said in a statement. (MilitaryTimes)
Institute changes to training programs to remove what Hegseth considered ‘woke’ or ‘progressive’ values.
Lowering education standards. The Pentagon will relax the frequency for cybersecurity training, eliminate some training requirements through automation and remove Privacy Act training. (MilitaryTimes)
Reducing the role of The Office of Inspector General, which investigates cases of fraud, waste and abuse inside the agency, as well as misconduct, command issues and violations of law. (Military Times)
The Inspector General is currently investigating Hegseth over his misuse of the Signal app to share sensitive military information.
The Speech
The Era of the Department of Defense is over.
The Secretary of Defense stood before uniformed military personnel with a backdrop of a giant American flag much like the scene from the 1970 film “Patton,” which was co-written by Francis Ford Coppola’s.
This was Hegseth’s first mistake. By placing himself in the same setting, albeit fictional, of a venerated four star general he diminished himself.
Although Hegesth’s part-time military career started in 2003 it was interrupted twice as it overlapped with his work at two veteran focused nonprofits and his television career on Fox News.
General George S. Patton fought in both World Wars and helped command the Allied forces in World War Two.
Hegseth looked slightly clownish as he strutted across the stage in blue suit, brown dress shoes with his overgrown graying hair drowned in pomade.
Nearly everyone in the audience forced to listen to his lecture was a serious military professional with years more experience, higher ranks and educations than the preening television host who was once paid millions of dollars to chuckle on a curvy couch with the likes of a former MTV reality star - Rachel Campos-Duffy.
Hegseth was unserious from the start.
“And as history teaches us, the only people who actually deserve peace are those who are willing to wage war to defend it. That’s why pacifism is so naive and dangerous. It ignores human nature, and it ignores human history. Either you protect your people and your sovereignty, or you will be subservient to something or someone. It’s a truth as old as time. And since waging war is so costly in blood and treasure, we owe our Republic a military that will win any war we choose or any war that is thrust upon us. Should our enemies choose foolishly to challenge us. They will be crushed by the violence, precision and ferocity of the War Department. In other words, to our enemies FAFO (fuck around and find out) If necessary, our troops can translate that for you,” said Hegseth.
I’m not sure if he expected the audience to laugh or applaud after that line but they stared back at him with no emotion. I could hear one faint cheer somewhere in the background.
Hegesth then went on to praise President Donald J. Trump
He spoke of being prepared for war.
Called for an expansion of all types of weaponry including integrating AI (artificial intelligence)
“This speech today, as I drink my coffee,” Hegesth said as he walked back to the lectern to take a sip from a ceramic mug. “This speech today is about people and it’s about culture. The topic today is about the nature of our selves because no plan, no program, no no reform, no formation will ultimately succeed unless we have the right people and the right culture at the War Department. If I’ve learned one core lesson in my eight months in this job, it’s that personnel is policy.”
Hegseth then spoke about leadership then transitioned to ‘fixing decades of decay’
“You might say we’re ending the war on warriors. I heard someone wrote a book about that,” said Hegseth as he held in a laugh.
The audience stared back at him stone-faced.
Hegseth then went into a long-winded rant about DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion)
He made claims about quotas based on race and gender that have been disputed by others in the military
“No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, no more climate change worship. No more division, distraction or gender delusions. No more debris. As I’ve said before. And we’ll say again, we are done with that shit,” said Hegseth.
Hegseth then spoke about his 15-year-old son who he hoped would join the military at some point.
He quoted Jesus “Jesus said, ‘do unto others. That’s what you would have done unto yourself.’
Hegseth then unloaded in a fat-shaming rant. He implied that soldiers were getting killed due to lower standards
“Standards must be uniform, gender neutral, and high. If not, they’re not standards. They’re just suggestions. Suggestions that get our sons and daughters killed when it comes to combat arms units.”
At this point he repeatedly himself quite a bit. He then said he would be adding a new physical fitness test that would be gender neutral.
“If the Secretary of War can do regular hard PT, so can every member of our joint force.”
He then moved on to ‘grooming standards’
“We don’t have a military full of Nordic pagans, but unfortunately, we have had leaders who either refuse to call boys in for standards or leaders who felt like they were not allowed to enforce standards,” said Hegseth.
This is especially funny since Hegseth is of Norwegian descent. He also had an excessive amount of product in his hair when he said this.
Toxic leadership, bullying and hazing.
Hegseth mentioned going back to a merit based system which is ironic as he was a fairly low ranked officer who was put in his position based on his performance on Fox News.
Hegseth undermined his entire argument when he pivoted to denouncing anonymous complaints and reporting on abuse within the military. If Hegseth really valued standards he would value them in all circumstances.
“At the War Department, promotions across the joint force will be based on one thing merit.”
Hegseth is woefully unqualified for his position. He was appointed by Trump based on his television career.
“As foolish and reckless as the woke department was, those officers were following elected political leadership. An entire generation of generals and admirals were told that they must parrot the insane fallacy that, quote, our diversity is our strength. Of course we know our unity is our strength.”
He ended with a prayer. The U.S. Military does not sanction any one religion. It includes active duty personnel with varied religious beliefs.
Prayer
“In closing, a few weeks ago at our monthly Pentagon Christian Prayer service, I recited a Commander’s Prayer. It’s a simple yet meaningful prayer for wisdom for commanders and leaders. I encourage you to look it up if you’ve never seen it, but the prayer it ends like this. And most of all. Lord, please keep my soldiers safe. Lead them. Guide them. Protect them. Watch over them. And as you gave all of yourself for me. Help me give all of myself for them. And Amen,” said Hegseth.
Hegseth said a few more words then left the stage. The generals and admirals were given an order to stand which they obliged. After a painfully long pause there was a smattering of applause before an army band played music for about 24 minutes.
Donald J. Trump Speech
Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Trump’s speech included extremely alarming language about the use of the U.S. military against U.S. citizens.
Hegseth came out again and introduced the President.
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