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Posted
2 hours ago, dkkim73 said:

 

The military has definitely been subjected to the social re-shaping (experimentation is not a bad word but it's more intentional than that) even more in the current administration. It was subtlely there under Obama but more brazen now. 

Many of the directions, as well as some of the mandates, have driven out or kept away a lot of people who would normally serve. Some of that is probably intentional. I've had some interesting conversations with former colleagues who chose to leave in the last few years. 

You also hint at another issue which is corrosive to the meritocracy, mirroring similar programs in the civilian world, about identity-based favoritism. Totally corrosive to good order and discipline. 

The generational things re: fitness, werewithal, baby wants his iPhone, etc, are all true, but they just affect the #s. The above things are more systemic and qualitative. 

I've definitely adopted more cautionary advice to my own children in the last few years about military service. 

I try my best to not let my political beliefs out, let politics even a little bit sneak into this forum and it would ruin it, once out it’s hard to put it back in the bag, so if I inadvertently slip I apologize and please believe me it wasn’t intentional. 

Militarily though I’m nearly certain that we are right now in a more dangerous time than any since WWII with the exclusion of the Cuban missile crisis, we came phenomenally close to a Nuclear exchange one day with only one very brave and determined Soviet Officer that saved the day.

The world knows for certain that we have zero taste for military activity, we telegraphed that as plain as possible with the Afghanistan withdrawal, we were already leaving, it was a planned drawdown that of course could have been accelerated, but to cut and run in the middle of the night abandoning many people we had promised that we wouldn’t and to abandon an entire Army’s worth of equipment reeked of the retreat at Dunkirk, it reeked of fear and frankly desperation.

People were so desperate that they were clinging to transports and falling off to their deaths, yet we continued, handing their babies over barbed wire to foreign soldiers in the hope they would live a better life, think about that, how bad does it have to get for a Mother to do that?

Then we decided that if we played nice and bought off the Iranians that they would behave. Guess what they didn’t and I believe they are very likely a Nuclear power now. 

Follow that with just ignoring North Korea which now is a Nuclear power with likely dozens of nuclear weapons and has most probably a delivery system now.

Oh and on edit, It’s my belief that our capabilities are reduced very significantly, we have drawn dow no telling how many arms and material that hasn’t and can’t be replaced short term. Procurement of military equipment even simple ammunition is a long involved process beginning with submitting for bids etc. 

You can’t just go to the military store and purchase things off of the shelf, one just doesn’t exist so the current inventory is all there is, draw it down and even on a hurry up basis it takes a long time to replace it.

Combine that with the lack of serious training and manpower of the Military and I believe our loss of capability to be substantial.
In short I think we are in as bad a shape as we were after Vietnam

This is a publication sort of known as being a cheerleader for the Military, not the press that always is negative.

https://www.stripes.com/opinion/2023-10-24/us-military-has-readiness-problem-11817159.html

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Posted

Discussion of electric cars, the military, and why children are "different" (Don't want to learn to fly or drive) have been done here before. ;) ...Jack boots will squash "it" soon.

Posted
11 hours ago, Echo said:

Discussion of electric cars, the military, and why children are "different" (Don't want to learn to fly or drive) have been done here before. ;) ...Jack boots will squash "it" soon.

It’s obviously WAY off topic and has nothing at all to do with aviating, but I’m hoping that as long as it’s polite and respectful that it will be allowed.

Being polite and respectful no matter how badly you disagree or just how wrong the other guy is ought to be the standard, it’s just civilized behavior.

Traffic that is posts is usually good for a forum I’ve heard, I think advertising pays based on traffic, but really don’t know, it’s just what I have heard

Of course I have nothing to do with moderating this forum, so I’m just hoping, which of course you do in one hand while you know what in the other.

  • Like 1
Posted
9 minutes ago, A64Pilot said:

It’s obviously WAY off topic and has nothing at all to do with aviating, but I’m hoping that as long as it’s polite and respectful that it will be allowed.

Being polite and respectful no matter how badly you disagree or just how wrong the other guy is ought to be the standard, it’s just civilized behavior.

Traffic that is posts is usually good for a forum I’ve heard, I think advertising pays based on traffic, but really don’t know, it’s just what I have heard

Of course I have nothing to do with moderating this forum, so I’m just hoping, which of course you do in one hand while you know what in the other.

Good luck.  :) 

Posted

At one time long ago the topic was insurance quotes, I just received mine and I’m breathing better, I was renewed with no increase, every year now I’ll hold my breath hoping to stay insured. My only stipulation is an annual IPC. 

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