Well stated! Recent accounts of the USS Lincoln’ s deployment is another indicator of Hegseth’s and Trump's compete lack of leadership and morale values. During my 39 years of service in the US Army, priveleged to retire as an E-9 (CSM), I learned from other senior NCO’s a real leader’s primary duty is to take care of our Soldiers. Hegseth and Trump fail, and no amount of chest pumping and fasle bravodo hides their collective and systemic failure and damage they have done to all service members and their families.
🎯 thank you so much, Command Sergeant Major. Perfect! Yes, taking care of the troops is the bottom line and summary of leadership. Exploiting troops for self-aggrandizement is definitely not leadership. It is sickening.
The behaviors are consistent with serious alcohol addiction. This is why professionals much lower on the ladder, at every level of responsibility to the public, get fired.
Yup. Alcoholism plus inexperience plus immaturity plus insecurity equals oppressive, belittling behavior. He demands to be the smartest person in the room. No one can be smarter than him, especially Minorities and women. This is not leadership.
Absolutely. These fisherman or even if they are drug runners, are not Enemy combatants. they should have been afforded an opportunity to surrender. They Presented no immediate threat to US military personnel. These are clearly extrajudicial killings. In part two, I will be discussing his erosion of the law, ethics, and morality.
Your piece made me tear up, I was both saddened by the truth of your analysis and happy that you are getting a far-reach platform to tell the truth. Important to remember: Hegseth bankrupted or damaged every business he supposedly lead, including two veterans' organizations. The Pentagon is just a bigger, more complex institution for his ruination. Thank you for shining the light; thank you for alarming like-minded, and maybe leaning like-minded, citizens and voters to the danger that Hegseth represents. There WILL be a reckoning.
Thanks, Robyn. Yes, he has failed in the leadership positions he held in other organizations. Other secretaries of defense have had distinguished careers prior to assuming the position. His only “success“ has been performing in front of the TV cameras. Just like the president, it’s all about appearances. Our military and the nation are suffering because of his deficit of leadership.
His tv performances were on a (low ratings) week-end show, bush league broadcasting for a bush league cosplayer. That he is somehow capable of running the US military is ludicrous.
Thank you! We have heard a lot about the lack of a clear strategy and objectives with concrete outcomes. What we have not heard about in public media is Hegseth’s lack of understanding of the Center of Gravity concept and how it should be determined. What the administration’s CoG seems to be is to bury any interest in the Epstein files and ability to conduct a complete and thorough investigation, no matter the cost to the economy or in human lives. It is a tactical, not strategic decision. To that extent, they have been somewhat successful in delaying or obfuscating formal inquiries at the federal level.
Yes, I agree. The administration’s CoG is its ability to capture and manipulate various sources of power and control — the Congress, the judiciary, law enforcement, financial institutions, centers/persons of wealth. Neutralizing the corruption and incompetence will require a change first in the make up of the US Congress in order to execute accountability.
"We follow those who demonstrate selfless intent for the good of others, integrity in keeping commitments, clearly visible capabilities, and a history of dependable performance. Leadership does not involve threats, intimidation, manipulation, or coercion. It involves mutual engagement on purpose, means, and ends."
If this is true, will someone please explain Donald Trump's rise to me?
Dr. Williams, your analysis identifies the institutional danger beneath Pete Hegseth’s conduct. The discussion of civilian control is especially important because Hegseth’s behavior affects far more than the reputation of one cabinet official. You show how contempt for legal restraint and professional military norms can alter the culture in which consequential decisions are made. Given your decades inside the Army and your work in military ethics, that warning deserves serious attention.
Thank you for this information; I am looking forward to the next installment.
Wendy, thank you so much for the kind words. I greatly appreciate your expertise and insight. You are always so thorough and well researched in your writing. Yes, he has had such a negative and adverse impact on our military. In part two, I will focus on how he has eroded and corrupted the military culture and climate.
I am very much a lay person when it comes to both politics and the military, having been raised and spent a large part of my life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. It's sometimes hard for me to understand all of the intricacies behind both politics and the military. Your articles was a tremendous help. It does make one wonder why the man is still holding his high position when the case against him is so clear. Thanks for a great article.
There is the American Military before Quantico and there is the American Military after. Ask the CNO the difference.
Where is the defense of DEI (not woke)? Where are the retired four stars? The Republic is hanging by a thread. Duck and Cover only gets you so far. The civil-military divide is no more. It has been abolished by a defacto Fuhrerprinzip. Ask the CNO about the loyalty oath he took. Even a toady like John Phelan was too much for the SecWar.
Societal Holocaust
Republican Party gone
Brains replaced with brawn
Voices of reason withdrawn
Asleep on the White House lawn
Allegiance to one man
A man without a plan
Who does whatever he can
To enrich himself and his clan
Obeisance whatever the cost
Limits ignored and crossed
Moral authority lost
Societal holocaust
Dale K. Nichols
https://nevertrumppoetry.substack.com/
Awesome. Love it.
Thank you! Please check out my daily Never Trump Poetry Substack.
Well stated! Recent accounts of the USS Lincoln’ s deployment is another indicator of Hegseth’s and Trump's compete lack of leadership and morale values. During my 39 years of service in the US Army, priveleged to retire as an E-9 (CSM), I learned from other senior NCO’s a real leader’s primary duty is to take care of our Soldiers. Hegseth and Trump fail, and no amount of chest pumping and fasle bravodo hides their collective and systemic failure and damage they have done to all service members and their families.
🎯 thank you so much, Command Sergeant Major. Perfect! Yes, taking care of the troops is the bottom line and summary of leadership. Exploiting troops for self-aggrandizement is definitely not leadership. It is sickening.
Superb analysis!
The behaviors are consistent with serious alcohol addiction. This is why professionals much lower on the ladder, at every level of responsibility to the public, get fired.
Yup. Alcoholism plus inexperience plus immaturity plus insecurity equals oppressive, belittling behavior. He demands to be the smartest person in the room. No one can be smarter than him, especially Minorities and women. This is not leadership.
Thank you, Ken. Hegseth should have been dismissed and jailed long ago for his war crime/murder of innocent Venezuelan fishermen.
Absolutely. These fisherman or even if they are drug runners, are not Enemy combatants. they should have been afforded an opportunity to surrender. They Presented no immediate threat to US military personnel. These are clearly extrajudicial killings. In part two, I will be discussing his erosion of the law, ethics, and morality.
Your piece made me tear up, I was both saddened by the truth of your analysis and happy that you are getting a far-reach platform to tell the truth. Important to remember: Hegseth bankrupted or damaged every business he supposedly lead, including two veterans' organizations. The Pentagon is just a bigger, more complex institution for his ruination. Thank you for shining the light; thank you for alarming like-minded, and maybe leaning like-minded, citizens and voters to the danger that Hegseth represents. There WILL be a reckoning.
Thanks, Robyn. Yes, he has failed in the leadership positions he held in other organizations. Other secretaries of defense have had distinguished careers prior to assuming the position. His only “success“ has been performing in front of the TV cameras. Just like the president, it’s all about appearances. Our military and the nation are suffering because of his deficit of leadership.
His tv performances were on a (low ratings) week-end show, bush league broadcasting for a bush league cosplayer. That he is somehow capable of running the US military is ludicrous.
A Secretary of Defense perfectly suited to his President, who appointed him. His ineptitude should come as no surprise.
Thank you! We have heard a lot about the lack of a clear strategy and objectives with concrete outcomes. What we have not heard about in public media is Hegseth’s lack of understanding of the Center of Gravity concept and how it should be determined. What the administration’s CoG seems to be is to bury any interest in the Epstein files and ability to conduct a complete and thorough investigation, no matter the cost to the economy or in human lives. It is a tactical, not strategic decision. To that extent, they have been somewhat successful in delaying or obfuscating formal inquiries at the federal level.
Yes, I agree. The administration’s CoG is its ability to capture and manipulate various sources of power and control — the Congress, the judiciary, law enforcement, financial institutions, centers/persons of wealth. Neutralizing the corruption and incompetence will require a change first in the make up of the US Congress in order to execute accountability.
"We follow those who demonstrate selfless intent for the good of others, integrity in keeping commitments, clearly visible capabilities, and a history of dependable performance. Leadership does not involve threats, intimidation, manipulation, or coercion. It involves mutual engagement on purpose, means, and ends."
If this is true, will someone please explain Donald Trump's rise to me?
Dr. Williams, your analysis identifies the institutional danger beneath Pete Hegseth’s conduct. The discussion of civilian control is especially important because Hegseth’s behavior affects far more than the reputation of one cabinet official. You show how contempt for legal restraint and professional military norms can alter the culture in which consequential decisions are made. Given your decades inside the Army and your work in military ethics, that warning deserves serious attention.
Thank you for this information; I am looking forward to the next installment.
Wendy, thank you so much for the kind words. I greatly appreciate your expertise and insight. You are always so thorough and well researched in your writing. Yes, he has had such a negative and adverse impact on our military. In part two, I will focus on how he has eroded and corrupted the military culture and climate.
I am very much a lay person when it comes to both politics and the military, having been raised and spent a large part of my life as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. It's sometimes hard for me to understand all of the intricacies behind both politics and the military. Your articles was a tremendous help. It does make one wonder why the man is still holding his high position when the case against him is so clear. Thanks for a great article.
There is the American Military before Quantico and there is the American Military after. Ask the CNO the difference.
Where is the defense of DEI (not woke)? Where are the retired four stars? The Republic is hanging by a thread. Duck and Cover only gets you so far. The civil-military divide is no more. It has been abolished by a defacto Fuhrerprinzip. Ask the CNO about the loyalty oath he took. Even a toady like John Phelan was too much for the SecWar.
I don’t mind. Please do.