by Brad Miller at armedforces.press
I have completely lost confidence in the ability of the Department of Defense’s top officials to effectively and dutifully lead the military.
Military Leaders
The military is currently undergoing a change in some of its top officers, whether at the Pentagon or prominent commands across the force. These changes are routine in nature and don’t necessarily signify in and of themselves that something is out of order. Therefore, what is disturbing to many Americans, including military troops and veterans, is not the fact that leadership changes are occurring but rather who these key positions may soon be held by.
After all, many of us are glad to see the top military officers leave their positions, though we may feel that the departure of some of these key leaders should be in handcuffs. I’ve written extensively about my feelings on senior military leadership in a piece appropriately titled Treason and Cowardice. However, I personally brook no illusion that their replacements will be any better. In fact, I assume that it will be more of the same.
Sadly, it’s apparent that senior military leaders are passing loyalty tests of some sort, whether formal or informal. These loyalty tests have nothing to do with their oath to the Constitution or their love of country. In fact, these loyalty tests are clearly in direct tension with those ideals and even appear to supersede them.
One couldn’t be blamed for wondering if the military actually operates as a type of secret society. On an exoteric plane, everyone is taught that the Department of Defense exists to protect the country, secure our freedoms, and ensure the integrity of the republic. However, perhaps at some esoteric level deep within the inner bowels of the organization, priorities and objectives are deliberately inverted and far more sinister agendas are pushed by individuals whose allegiances have nothing to do with American interests or values.
After all, it’s painfully obvious that the defense of our country, whether it be our borders or values, is not the concern of Pentagon leadership. In fact, it seems that one of their primary objectives is to enfeeble national security by destroying military readiness and directly attacking traditional values.
This has led to widespread distrust of these leaders by currently serving troops, veterans, and family members.
Loss of Confidence
When commanders within the military are relieved of their positions, it’s common for the relieving authority (typically, a higher commander) to cite a “loss of confidence” as a justifying reason for why the relief must occur. In other words, the higher commander no longer trusts that the subordinate commander can effectively carry out his command duties. This could be because the higher commander no longer trusts his subordinate’s judgment or because the higher commander feels that the subordinate commander’s troops no longer reliably trust him. This may have occurred because of a series of infractions or because of a single significant act of impropriety or misconduct.
Given this accepted usage of “loss of confidence” as a justifiable reason for declaring commanders or other senior leaders unfit, it’s time that we reverse the script and express our loss of confidence in top military leaders and the cowards who support them. We must convey our sincere and complete distrust of their ability to carry out their duties faithfully. We must declare our disbelief that they possess the character to fulfill their oaths to the Constitution or to put the law ahead of their own careers. We must demand that in order to restore our confidence in our military, those who willingly seek to destroy it from within — regardless of the number of stars they may wear — must be removed, and where applicable, prosecuted.
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