Pete Hegseth recently summoned top military leaders from around the globe to Marine Base Quantico recently. Petey, he of the gelled hair, perfect make-up (he installed a make-up room in his office suite at the Pentagon) doesn’t think our armed forces are tough enough. So he strutted around in front of a big American flag, puffing himself up and SCOLDED our highest ranking Officers and Enlisteds as not being tough enough. For not having a “warrior” mentality.
There is zero doubt in my mind Hegseth was trying to pass himself off as General George Patton. That opening scene of the movie of the same name. Patton actually did give that speech multiple times, travelling around to different places and if the wording varied a bit here and there when the movie came out those who saw the real deal, him actually giving it said it was virtually spot-on. And that it wasn’t just the theatrics but the force of Patton’s personality and his record that made it motivating. As we learned starting within a couple of hours of Hegseth, followed by Trump’s ramblings the whole thing landed like a wet sack of sh*t.
People, including some of those present who had journalists they could trust gave bad reviews. Some of those military leaders, who in many cases have spent as many decades on active duty as Hegseth did years actually mocked him! If Hegseth didn’t see/hear the commentary one can be sure Trump told him about it. It just occurred to me that perhaps the reason Hegseth ordered his functional ban on journalists in the Pentagon is that he’s butt-hurt over the fact so many are willing to talk off the record about what a worthless, unqualified dipshit he is but I digress.
As this article from Inquisitr tells us Hegseth has ordered every U.S. trooper to sit through his hour long address to the brass. Perhaps having realized that eight hundred people with three to four decades and far more experience leading (including in combat) and training troops saw right through his pretense. So, knowing he’s blown it with the top leadership since most of the armed services are on their first enlistment, or perhaps the second if they are considering an actual career THEY will be impressed with his schtick. Some probably will be, especially since although recruiting goals are being met standards for qualifying have been relaxed and plenty of new troops have completed basic since Trump got back into the WH.
Hegseth is serious about this:
A memo dated October 6 instructs leaders to ensure “all personnel will either watch the full recording or read the official transcript” of Hegseth’s September 30 speech at Quantico, and to “review the policy changes no later than 31 October 2025.” The directive adds that commanders “must inculcate our cultural shift and ensure every member of the Department of War understands my guidance.”
It seems this order from Petey is creating some backlash. There is actual meaningful training that needs to be done. All the time. Yes, sometimes a pep talk is useful to individuals and units but this (if you haven’t seen it – I watched it live) sure as hell doesn’t qualify as meaningful. No, it is lame-assed performance art meant to make someone slicked up like a used car salesman at a luxury dealership look trustworthy. It reminds me of what in the Corps (long, long ago) a new Commanding Officer showing right off the bat they were a “Rock Painter.” It’s a term of derision, meaning someone who has no imagination or leadership skills but wants to make an impression so they have the big rocks lining the entrance to Headquarters painted a new color. The official Corps’ colors are Scarlett and Gold so if the big stones were gold they’d get painted red and if red changed to gold.
In other words, a bit of show but more importantly it was a signal to the rank and file that their NCOs, especially the staff NCOs and officers up through the company level were going to be dealing with truckloads of bullshit that would have two negative results. One would be a hampered ability to help troops work through situations (family, pay, extra help learning new tasks etc.) but more importantly more time would have to be spent dealing with the C.O.’s nonsense. Which would impact training.
THAT is what Hegseth is doing. His speech at Quantico was widely panned. As the linked article states it was a scolding about the need to “return to standards” (WTF?) in which he emphasized a return to things like grooming/fitness, ‘lethality’ and cutting back on ‘non-warfighting’ stuff. Hegeseth framed it as a course correction. Critics (and not just in the pundit ranks be they civilian journalists or former military) called it something else according to the linked article: “a culture war sermon disguised as a readiness initiative.”
As I’ve said the whole event was a huge, expensive and time wasting flop. It also posed an actual risk to national security to have EVERY top leader (and their top staff) away from their posts all at the same time! As for this new cry for attention, a “Pay attention to and respect me dammit!’ cry from Hegseth the reaction doesn’t seem to be any better:
Inside the ranks, the order is landing like an anvil. “We have other things we need to work on,” a Defense Department staffer told one Huffington Post, adding that the mass compliance push felt like “throwing manpower at enforcing the mandatory viewing of a Trump rally.” An active-duty airman told another publication that the mandate “feels like propaganda being forced down our throats,” describing it as a loyalty test, not a readiness tool. A Pentagon spokesperson countered that the memo simply “reinforces” guidance meant for the entire force.
As you’d expect Hegseth’s allies are rallying round him. They claim this reaction proves his point. Speaking like the grunt I once was I say they and Hegseth are full of shit. It proves just how little leadership ability he has. Even MAGAs in the ranks have to be wondering why Trump couldn’t come up with someone better than this fool.
In a perverse way it’s possible in the long run this could be a good thing. Exposing himself the way he’s doing WILL affect morale but more importantly cause troops, both officers and enlisteds to question certain orders we know Trump is itching to give. It’s possible that even if Trumpty invoke the Insurrection Act he won’t be able to effectively implement it. An awful lot of officers, as well as NCOs remember the leadership they had under now retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milly. And the rest of JCS.
I believe the reminders they got about their oaths, their duty being to the CONSTITUTION and not to any person, even a President will have been parked deep enough in their heads it will rise us if Trump issues illegal orders deploying massive numbers of active duty military to our streets. It’s one thing to pull a couple hundred jarheads from 29 Palms out in California and send them to LA, or a company or two of federalized National Guard troops to some city. It’s quite another to order Battalion and larger sized units into street to possible fire upon American citizens.
We’ll see what happens. In the meantime now that this idiocy is public I’m wondering if Trumpty will have a conniption. Call up Hegseth all pissed off asking Petey why HIS “way better, PERFECT” speech wasn’t also part of the order? It could happen. Troops who haven’t yet been subjected to Hegesth’s failed Patton cosplay having to also sit through Trump’s rambling. What about those who have already had to sit through Hegeseth? Will they be called back to then listen to Trump? This could really turn into such a massive self-own that even gutless Republicans on the Hill, and Fox News will be telling Trump to forget about the Insurrection Act. Maybe.
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And we wondered how in the world fragging happened in Nam. I don’t wonder. I know why. This drunk rapist is asking for trouble. FACT. You don’t belittle warriors without consequences.