It took Vice President Vance to come in and cast the tie breaking vote but the tragic and frankly terrifying deed is done. Pete Hegseth was confirmed as Secretary of Defense. It should be noted that Vance’s late night ‘ride to the rescue” marks only the second time in our history it’s taken a VP swooping in to cast a tie-breaking vote for a Cabinet nominee. Any Cabinet pick, much less for one as high level as this! Most Presidents having a nominee that close to the edge, where even a handful of members of their own Party say NO would pull the nomination. Or someone with any sense of honor or duty would voluntarily withdraw. However Trump is a President unlike any other. And Pete Hegseth is a cabinet member unlike any other.
I might, and probably will take heat for the title picture. For those who know I have a history of working with special needs people starting as a volunteer when I was a Cub Scout I can hear the ‘how could you?’ wailing already. Being a senior citizen I recall my days in school growing up when kids with behavior problems or cognitive and/or physical disabilities, kids who needed special instructors got out of school fifteen minutes early. And because there weren’t that many rode on the ‘Short Buses.” That’s Pete Hegseth as our new Secretary of Defense.
It’s one thing to be in a huge job with a host of complex divisions to manage and issues to run. And a HUGE budget larger than any other Cabinet agency in our government. It’s quite another to not have ANY of the requisite knowledge of or management experience someone leading any cabinet agency, much less the Department of Defense should have. Not to mention not only the lack of character, but a long and sordid history of alcohol abuse and sexual assault. For a Dept. that has long been trying to adequately address and reduce those very problems!
When I worked with Developmentally Disabled Adults I had high functioning clients who could, with various levels of assistance work and earn paychecks. Some in quite controlled settings and some, with an assistant on hand to step in could work in regular jobs. However, whether minimal or significant they needed assistance and often for what you and I would consider pretty basic stuff. It’s good that even people with those kinds of challenges can work, be productive and earn a small paycheck. I’m proud of having helped many to do just that by matching them up with jobs and day care workers who could help them to a certain level of independence. A few turned out to be awesome workers. That doesn’t mean they should have been in charge of the office where I worked!
Again I want to note that when leading an organization, from a small military unit to a small business or non-profit all the way up to a large one qualifications matter. So does character. Bad leaders wind up driving up costs because bad morale causes excessive turnover. And mistakes lead to losses that can kill an organization or business. Remember during the financial meltdown when “Too big to fail?” became a catchphrase? I for one think that when it comes to our National Security and the good of the free world our Dept. of Defense truly is TOO BIG TO FAIL.
It can and should adapt over time. Threats change, and technology offers ways to make improvements. But change isn’t something that should take place without a LOT of assessment and by people with decades of training and experience. Someone who’s biggest group of people “managed” was forty, and who couldn’t even properly manage a $10 million non-profit or two is NOT the kind of person with the knowledge or experience to come in and start making major changes!
Entering an important job having a strong measure of support and respect is a big freaking thing. For damned sure that’s the case in our armed forces (or any country’s) from the top on down. All the way through the chain of command respect from subordinates is crucial for both a leader and those they lead. ANY sized unit. When I was a lowly Marine grunt, hell even in training I learned the smallest organized fighting unit was a “Fire Team.” Four infantry Marines and it was common that the leader wasn’t even an NCO! But as a team the leader had to be respected enough to trust them. Three fire teams made up a squad, usually led by a low ranking NCO. Again, not a large number of people but lack of confidence in the leader was bad news for everyone. And not just those in the squad, but for the platoon overall. Weak links are deadly, even in training.
So it goes all the way up the chain of command. From some “boot” Lieutenant leading a platoon on up to Company (three Platoons) level and beyond. A weak or incompetent Platoon leader or Company Commander is a danger to other affiliated units all the way up through the entire division! The system usually works as it should, with people advancing in rank/authority because they have proven both capable in their old posting and because they also demonstrate leadership traits troops respect. Sadly, and with as I’ve said often tragic consequences people have advanced to rank beyond a level they merit.
Units who the rank and file know is led by someone NOT of solid character, knowledge and experience are worse than a threat to the unit’s morale. They are DANGEROUS. The worst are the ones that don’t know what they don’t know. Who assume that because of their position they are infallible. Too often they don’t know what to do and are either too stupid to know it or suspect they need help but stubbornly, even petulantly REFUSE to seek or accept guidance. Many a young Lt. or Ensign has seen their career come to a quick end because they wouldn’t accept even the most basic guidance from wise, senior NCOs. Or their own CO telling them to listen more to their senior Sgt. or Petty Officer.
But let’s leave the military aside for a moment and look at any large, complex organization that had to bring in a new person to run it. A major corporation, or large international non-profit (i.e. the Red Cross) requires someone with more than ‘gavitas.’ It requires a combination of proven skills and experience in getting things done. A “Big Boss” might not be, and frankly can’t be expected to be a true expert in every facet of the organizations mission but they SHOULD have experience managing those who do run major and complex divisions within said organizations. The ability to accurately process information from high level subordinates and apply it. AND the ability to be able to understand what they find if their bullshit detector goes off and they do some checking of their own.
Where in Pete Hegseth’s history is their ANY evidence of any of that? What we DO have is a guy who did okay as a Platoon Commander. Nothing special but his record seems to have been one without issue. Don’t get all weak-kneed at the Bronze Star however. Civilians and frankly too many who did short enlisted stints think it means more than it often does. Unless it includes a “V” denoting it was awarded for valor in a combat situation for OFFICERS who get deployed to war zones it’s just chest cabbage. Hegseth did not earn a “V” on his Bronze Star. I respect the service he gave and so should you. Just don’t go equating some time in charge of a roughly forty-person platoon as anything close to the level of management experience needed at even a medium sized civilian organization much less a large one. And that is the largest group of people he’s been in charge of. He ran a couple of small veteran’s non-profits, and not well.
Auditors found financial improprieties and money spent on partying instead of providing services. Personal behavior as in misconduct of various types including sexual harrassment and assault were well known. Even after getting gigs with Fox the latter continued. The plain fact is there is nothing, NOTHING in Pete Hegseth’s background that would get him hired to run even a medium, much less large size GOP non-profit or business. And everyone in the GOP knows it. That only three GOP Senators had the guts to vote no might well be judged as a true tragedy by historians after we are all long gone. It’s a dangerous world and getting more so all the time. We need good, steady and COMPETENT leadership. Not a glib talking head who’s talent is taking political potshots on his network to throw “own the liberals” red meat at the viewers.
However that’s where things now stand. I doubt that if Hegseth were to get filmed in some DC strip joint falling-down drunk pawing at the dancers on the stage the GOP would demand his ouster. Even if it doesn’t get that bad the fact is none of our allies will take him or the United States seriously. President Biden made a heroic and largely successful effort to rebuild our credibility with NATO and other allies. However they also knew all during the last four years things could change on a dime. That Trump could get back into the WH, or someone like him. Now it’s happened and the “America First” crowd is going to learn that in the eyes of the free world we will never be that again. Any sensible policy from the U.S. will be a four-year at a time thing. Then all bets are off.
It took SO much for us to attain the status we had. It’s gone now. The 20th Century, the aptly named “American Century” is done. Over. It will take generations to restore us to having a significant measure of what we once were but we have to try. Right now there are other nominees to deal with. Noem I gather has been confirmed at DHS. Those who don’t like puppies, especially energetic ones are overjoyed but that’s the least of the damage she can do. There are other nominees that matter to our National Security and standing in the world we need to be working Senators to reject. Tulsi Gabbard for DNI. Kash Patel for FBI. Even RFK Jr. because what DHS does involves global outreach and bioterrorism is a problem. Not to mention other things that can spiral out of control before you know it. COVID proved that. It’s a helluva week coming up so get ready to be active folks!
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well now Hegseth can quit drinking as he promised Congress if he’s confirmed.
“Many a young Lt. or Ensign has see their career come to a quick end because they would accept even the most basic guidance from wise, senior NCOs.”
Denis, I think you left out a “not” in the above. It just sort of jumped out to me that you obviously intended to write one thing but, instead, you ended up with something that doesn’t make any sense (much like Hegseth’s being nominated to the post in the first place, never mind his being confirmed).
Fixed. Thanks for the catch.
He’s an alcoholic in denial. That much is clear. His promise to “quit drinking” is laughable given his statements and history. Well it would be laughable if it wouldn’t lead to unnecessary deaths…which it will.
Colonel Ripper anyone? For those who’ve never seen Dr. Strangelove…now is a good…er…terrifying time to view it. Impossible scenario you say? Maybe you should cut down on your drinking. I like the joke from late night comedy by Stephen Colbert…I don’t remember the exact wording but it amounted to: a drunk, a rapist, and a moron(?) walk into a restaurant, and the waiter asks: table for one Mr Hegseth? Good times.
Hegseth says he wants to “rebuild” the military. Hmm…I wonder how his appointment will affect recruitment and retention of military members?