Discussion: Military, The Defense Budget, The Pentagon, War

[squeekness]

I would never encourage any female to enlist. It's just not safe.

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

 

[squeekness]

Somebody musta got paid under the table for this.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

U.S. Constitution at Center of Military Transfer of Responsibility Ceremony

Officials emphasized the importance of the U.S. Constitution to the military as Army Gen. Mark A. Milley transferred responsibility as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Air Force Gen. CQ Brown,

www.defense.gov

Milley in farewell speech: ‘We don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator’

The remarks come one week after former President Donald Trump suggested the retiring general should be killed.

www.politico.com

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

US Space Force pauses use of AI tools like ChatGPT over data security risks

The U.S. Space Force has paused the use of web-based generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT for its workforce over data security concerns, according to a memo seen by Reuters.

www.reuters.com

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Big Bonuses, Relaxed Policies, New Slogan: None of It Saved the Military from a Recruiting Crisis in 2023

Of the five Defense Department service branches, only two met their active-duty enlisted recruiting goals for fiscal 2023.

www.military.com

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Younger veterans feel uncomfortable when told thank you for service: Poll

A majority of younger veterans said they feel uncomfortable when they are told “thank you for your service,” a new poll found. Ahead of Veterans Day on Saturday, a survey found disparities between …

thehill.com

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

'We have to talk': Veteran pushes for support of women in combat roles

Women in the U.S. military take on various positions supporting the country's interests around the world, including combat roles. Army veteran Valerie Lewis says she has seen a lack of understanding of the role women play in the armed forces and is pushing for more support.

scrippsnews.com

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Dozens of Troops Suspected of Advocating Overthrow of US Government, New Pentagon Extremism Report Says

The report released by the Defense Department inspector general revealed that in fiscal 2023 there were 183 allegations of extremism across all the branches of military.

www.military.com

 

[squeekness]

Well that's scary. Just another sign that democracy is dying in this country.

 

[DJ Kornphlake]

 

[squeekness]

$100 for a hammer? Lol....

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

So we waste 3 trillion in lost money toward military contractors but Republicans are mad about 115 billion for food stamps?

The math ain't mathin.

 

[squeekness]

So we waste 3 trillion in lost money toward military contractors but Republicans are mad about 115 billion for food stamps?

The math ain't mathin.

They want the poor to starve and eliminate the surplus population.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Congress approves bill barring any president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO

Congress has approved legislation that would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without approval from the Senate or an Act of Congress. The measure, spearheade…

thehill.com

 

[squeekness]

Congress approves bill barring any president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO

Congress has approved legislation that would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without approval from the Senate or an Act of Congress. The measure, spearheade…

thehill.com

Fine by me. Maybe that's too big of a decision to be made by one person.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Troops do not have an extremism problem, but veterans do, study finds

Even a single incident of violent extremism by a service member can lead to significant negative repercussions for the nation as a whole, the study found.

www.militarytimes.com

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

Army Sees Sharp Decline in White Recruits

The shift in demographics for incoming recruits would be irrelevant to war planners, except it coincides with an overall shortfall of about 10,000 recruits for the Army in 2023.

www.military.com

In 2018, 56.4% of new recruits were categorized as white. In 2023, that number had fallen to 44%. During that same five-year period, Black recruits have gone from 20% to 24% of the pool, and Hispanic recruits have risen from 17% to 24%, with both groups seeing largely flat recruiting totals but increasing as a percentage of incoming soldiers as white recruiting has fallen.

The rate at which white recruitment has fallen far outpaces nationwide demographic shifts, data experts and Army officials interviewed by Military.com noted. They don't see a single cause to the recruiting problem, but pointed to a confluence of issues for Army recruiting, including partisan scrutiny of the service, a growing obesity epidemic and an underfunded public education system.

Whites were over counted in the last census too, so it’s probably not that far off for the new generation.

These folks want to live in another reality, because according to the 2020 census whites are 47.3% of the population under the age of 18 in the United States, though obviously it varies by state.

Associated Press - Census shows US is diversifying, white population shrinking

NPR - The 2020 census had big undercounts of Black people, Latinos and Native Americans

NY Times - 2020 Census Undercounted Hispanic, Black and Native American Residents
The Census Bureau said the overall population total of 323 million was accurate but counts of minorities were skewed. Advocacy groups promised to go to court.



That means that 57.8% non-Hispanic white percentage nationally was overcounted for 2020 and it was lower that year (and even lower now).

 

[blueharvest]

The US failed to track more than $1 billion in military gear given Ukraine, Pentagon watchdog says

Shortfalls in monitoring by American officials mean the U.S. cannot account for more than $1 billion in weapons and military equipment provided to Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces.

apnews.com

 

[squeekness]

The US failed to track more than $1 billion in military gear given Ukraine, Pentagon watchdog says

Shortfalls in monitoring by American officials mean the U.S. cannot account for more than $1 billion in weapons and military equipment provided to Ukraine to fight invading Russian forces.

apnews.com

Outstanding.

 

[MagnarTheGreat]

US military academies focus on oaths, loyalty to Constitution

The U.S. military isn't immune to the country’s deep political polarization and the service academies are trying to update how they teach future officers to navigate that divide

abcnews.go.com

 

[squeekness]

US military academies focus on oaths, loyalty to Constitution

The U.S. military isn't immune to the country’s deep political polarization and the service academies are trying to update how they teach future officers to navigate that divide

abcnews.go.com

Hope they teach the Constitution itself so that when the militias come calling after they get out they won't fall for the sovereignty bs.

 

[blueharvest]

Nearly 50,000 veterans used free emergency suicide prevention in first year of program, VA says

In January 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs instituted a new policy allowing eligible veterans in acute suicidal crisis to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility to receive emergency care at no cost.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[squeekness]

Nearly 50,000 veterans used free emergency suicide prevention in first year of program, VA says

In January 2023, the Department of Veterans Affairs instituted a new policy allowing eligible veterans in acute suicidal crisis to go to any VA or non-VA health care facility to receive emergency care at no cost.

www.cbsnews.com

I'm just concerned as to why so many veterans feel suicidal. Is there something that needs to be changed?