1 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: Loot for us. 2 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 2: If it doesn't work, you're just not using enough. You're 3 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 2: listening to Software Radio, Special Operations, Military Nails on straight 4 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 2: talk with the guys in the community. 5 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,040 Speaker 3: Hey, what's going on? It is rad and welcome to 6 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 3: this episode of soft Rep Radio. As always, I have 7 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 3: to mention I have a merch store. We have a 8 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 3: soft Reap merch store. Go check it out on the 9 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 3: website at softwap dot com and just maybe pick up 10 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 3: something for you or for a loved one. Send a gift. Hey, 11 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 3: thanks for keeping our lights on. The other thing is 12 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 3: we have a book club, and I really want to 13 00:00:57,960 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 3: push that out there because reading is a really good 14 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 3: thing to do. So it's soft rep dot com Ford 15 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,279 Speaker 3: slash Book hyphen Club. So rewind what I just said 16 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 3: and listened to soft rep dot com Forward slash Book 17 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 3: hyphen Club. Now today I have someone who has written 18 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 3: a book, an author. He's also served our country. His 19 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 3: name is Peter Fever and he is the former National 20 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:22,560 Speaker 3: Security Council Member on Public Confidence in the Military. Am 21 00:01:22,560 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 3: I saying that correctly? 22 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:26,720 Speaker 1: Well, I've written a book on public commtists in the military, 23 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 1: but my job at the White House was for strategic 24 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: planning and institutional reform. So I was headed the Strategic 25 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: Planning Cell in the Bush White House, and before that, 26 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 1: I was worked in the Clint administration in the Defense 27 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 1: Policy and Arms Control Directorate. 28 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 3: Right, and here it also says, let me just drop 29 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 3: this in that there is a brewing crisis within the 30 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:51,720 Speaker 3: United States. Military recruitment and enlistments are down across multiple branches. 31 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 3: Countless veterans no longer want to see their family members 32 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 3: following in their footsteps and joined to serve. As the 33 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 3: nation's labor market remains pointly contested, becoming a new service 34 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 3: member isn't the same appealing option for long term financial 35 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 3: stability that once was, right, joining up, having these upfront 36 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:10,440 Speaker 3: bonuses and all this opportunity. Talk to me a little 37 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 3: bit about what I just read to you. 38 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 1: Well, this is actually the fiftieth anniversary of the All 39 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 1: Volunteer Force, So fifty years ago this summer, the nation 40 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 1: chose to transition from a draft based form of military 41 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 1: service to one where they just had volunteers. Of course, 42 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: they're not true volunteers, they're recruited, encouraged to join. And 43 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: that all Volunteer force has lasted longer and worked better 44 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: than anyone thought. But we're seeing some of the strains, 45 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 1: and you identified some of them in what you just 46 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: said that there is it's getting harder and harder to 47 00:02:47,680 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: recruit folks. They're still meeting their targets on retention. So 48 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,679 Speaker 1: people who are in are tending to stay, but we're 49 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: struggling to bring in new people. And so that's a 50 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 1: challenge for the US military as they shift from the 51 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: war on terror to meeting high intensity peer threats. But 52 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: all of this is happening against the backdrop of changing 53 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: public attitudes towards the military. And then that's really what 54 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 1: my book is about. 55 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:22,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, and the book is thanks for finishing for me, Thanks. 56 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: For your Service, The Causes and consequences of public confidence 57 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: in the US Military. That title thanks for your services, 58 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 1: that phrase that many of us have used. You know, 59 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: you go into the airport, you see somebody or you 60 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: learn that they're in the service or veterans, and you 61 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: might reflectively say thanks for your service. And often the 62 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 1: recipient of that may feel awkward by that. They may 63 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: may or may not want to be thanked or feel 64 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: you know, put on a pedestal in some way. So 65 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: the book looks really closely at public attitudes towards the 66 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 1: US military, and the premise or the basis of it 67 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: is this striking fact. As Americans, most of us don't 68 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 1: know much about the US military at all. Most of 69 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: us don't have personal connections to the military. We haven't 70 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: served ourselves, and increasingly we don't have family members who served. 71 00:04:16,240 --> 00:04:18,640 Speaker 1: But we all know one thing about the military, and 72 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,839 Speaker 1: that is that the public seems to hold the military 73 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 1: in high regard as a high competence. That's what political 74 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: scientists call a social fact, something that everybody seems to know. 75 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: They don't know why, but they kind of know that 76 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 1: other people seem to hold the public in high regard. 77 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: I mean hold the military in high regard. It's high 78 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: regard at high remove. You know, it's thanks for your service. 79 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:45,680 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're doing it so I don't have to. 80 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 3: Kind of like someone who rounds up their receipt at 81 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 3: the local drive through to give to charity and then 82 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:54,760 Speaker 3: they drive away for that extra thirty cents, saying, oh 83 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 3: I did my part today, so you know, instead of 84 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,200 Speaker 3: driving the meals on wheels vehicle to the dude's house 85 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:04,080 Speaker 3: to feed them, you know, going that extra Further, I'm 86 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,239 Speaker 3: not saying everybody can do that. Some people have time 87 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 3: to go and volunteer or hands on, and we're grateful 88 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:11,919 Speaker 3: for all of those helpers out there. But I would 89 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:16,040 Speaker 3: say that USURREC United States Army Recruiting Command has a 90 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 3: little bit of a challenge. And I find that, you know, 91 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 3: it's not always the football device at the fair that's 92 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 3: going to attract the individual to come and want to 93 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 3: join the military. And maybe if you're going to try 94 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 3: to pitch West Point and the football team, then you're 95 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 3: going to pull in that one dude that could throw 96 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 3: the football. But maybe if you brought out just some 97 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 3: dirty hum v's, some stinky canvas with some netting over 98 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 3: them and set them up. Hey, man, even have like 99 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:41,600 Speaker 3: a little radar thing from the local National Guard you 100 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 3: to set up at the fair, you know, like something 101 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 3: like that, like oh wow, is this is what's all 102 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 3: this camouflage? What's that big conduit thing going into that 103 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,680 Speaker 3: air conditioner? That's an air conditioner? You know, all these 104 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 3: different smells and the environment. Otherwise, somebody's sitting at usurrec 105 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 3: paying or excuse me, at somewhere high levels, paying for 106 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 3: these footballs and for like all these different NASCAR. Right, 107 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 3: let's talk about ROI per recruit, right, trying to get 108 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 3: them in the military. What's the ROI if you were 109 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 3: to work, it's around a quarter of a million dollars 110 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 3: per individual on advertising dollars. And that's taking the whole 111 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 3: aggregated amount of like NASCAR radio, now the Broadcasters Associations 112 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 3: of America, you know, like the FCC whatnot. Who runs 113 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 3: the radio? You have to give the military free airtime. Right, 114 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:29,040 Speaker 3: it's a long well. 115 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,919 Speaker 1: Part of this is valuable, setting aside whether it recruits 116 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: anyone into the military, because it at least introduces or 117 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:40,600 Speaker 1: keeps the military in the minds in the general. Otherwise 118 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,800 Speaker 1: they might not run in There's large sections of geographic 119 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: sections of the country where there's no military base within 120 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:50,279 Speaker 1: hundreds of miles, and so they're just not likely to 121 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: run into the military. So the way that the military 122 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: is prominent in public sports and national celebrations and it 123 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 1: almost becomes something of a civil religion. And so there 124 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 1: is a function for that. But one reason why it 125 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: matters is that going to the heart of the recruiting. 126 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: The way people are recruited into the military is through 127 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:20,440 Speaker 1: influencers people coaches, parents, uncles, aunts, whatever, who say, yeah, 128 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:22,280 Speaker 1: I think going into the military might be a good 129 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: option for you. And public confidence in the military helps 130 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,360 Speaker 1: promote influencers promoting others to join. That's why people are 131 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: worried because public confidence has dropped in the last several years. 132 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: And if public confidence declines, that's going to make recruiting 133 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: even more difficult as people begin to say, you know, 134 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,080 Speaker 1: I'm not sure I want you my beloved nephew or whatever. 135 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 1: I don't want you to go into the military. I'm 136 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 1: worried about sexual assault or what have you. 137 00:07:51,640 --> 00:07:53,240 Speaker 3: What do you think about this, Peter, let me throw 138 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:54,960 Speaker 3: this so I've got friends. Let me just think a 139 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:56,560 Speaker 3: little bit more on my background for you. I do 140 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 3: airsoft war games here in Utah on a large scale 141 00:07:59,720 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 3: where I have everybody from like a nine year old 142 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 3: to a ninety nine year old running out playing war 143 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 3: games with all the gear on. Right. It's a really 144 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,120 Speaker 3: fun time, large scale sometimes small little operations that we do. 145 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 3: We love it all. But at that point you get 146 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,040 Speaker 3: these folks that come out that want to join the military, 147 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 3: and then they step off from something so simple as 148 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 3: what we're doing out there, and then they go to 149 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:22,960 Speaker 3: the National Guard. And so the National Guards are like, oh, hey, 150 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 3: I've got a lot of friends in the National Guards 151 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 3: through this exact thing I'm talking about, just playing some 152 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 3: war games. You know. They're like, how come you know 153 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 3: all these guys are joining the Guard? If they want 154 00:08:31,240 --> 00:08:33,640 Speaker 3: to put put two and two together, right, where's the 155 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 3: positive information coming from? Because a lot of folks say 156 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 3: I want to join the military to me and I'm like, well, 157 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:41,679 Speaker 3: you should go guard. Why do I say don't go 158 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 3: active duty? Why do I say don't go reserves? Because 159 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 3: they take them away for like two years to some 160 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 3: place and they need to go. But Guard will still 161 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:51,320 Speaker 3: deploy if it's needed, right, you know what I mean? 162 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 1: I do. And let's be clear that the number one challenge, 163 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,400 Speaker 1: by far and away, the biggest challenge for recruitment is 164 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:04,679 Speaker 1: the condition of the civilian labor market. So if you 165 00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: need to know only one fact, learn what is the 166 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,360 Speaker 1: how easy it is it to get a job in 167 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: the civilian labor market. When it's easy, recruiters suffer when 168 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:18,560 Speaker 1: it's hard. That's a good recruiting environment. So part of 169 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: the challenge that we're experiencing today is just the fact 170 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: that the labor market has been so tight for several years. 171 00:09:24,120 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 3: Yes it has, and some of that thing has been 172 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,280 Speaker 3: just Rubik's cubed out of our control. 173 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's one thing. The second thing is the pool, 174 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: the size of the folks who are eligible to serve, 175 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 1: and that pool is shrinking. People aren't meeting the conditions 176 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: on health. You know, they can't have felony convictions, they 177 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:46,400 Speaker 1: have to pass the aptitude tests and so forth, and 178 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 1: only about twenty three to twenty seven percent of the 179 00:09:48,679 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: American youth actually are even meeting those criteria. And then 180 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 1: so that's you know, a shrinking pool. That's that's a challenge. 181 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: Obesity for instance. 182 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,599 Speaker 3: Well even the same as pe then you know, like 183 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 3: when I would in junior high in the nineties, we 184 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:04,719 Speaker 3: still had pees and you know, hit the showers right 185 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:06,720 Speaker 3: and like calesthetics up and downs and everything. 186 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: So, I mean, and here's two other two other challenges 187 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,600 Speaker 1: that are significant, and that is the pandemic made it 188 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: difficult for recruiters to get into high schools because it 189 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: was yeah, it was lockdown. 190 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,600 Speaker 3: They was a recruiter jumps in on your zoom class. Hey, everybody, 191 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:25,840 Speaker 3: anybody want to join the army? 192 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 1: If you think, if you think it's hard to learn, 193 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: you know, math on zoom, imagine trying to recruit something. 194 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 3: Oh man. 195 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:35,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, So there's that. And then the last thing, which 196 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: is not widely known but is is a real challenge 197 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: for recruiters is that as national health records improve, then 198 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: the military finds out more about health issue, whether you, 199 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: for instance, have are taking certain riddle in and other 200 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: other kinds. 201 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 3: I've got That's what I was gonna say, is I've 202 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 3: got moms who've written prescriptions, gotten their kids prescriptions prior 203 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 3: right eighteen. 204 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: And it used to be the case that, you know, 205 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:07,319 Speaker 1: recruiters had some wiggle room, they could waffle around those waivers, 206 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: but now all of that information is right there in 207 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 1: the file, and that makes it harder to get those waivers. 208 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: So those are the long pools on the tent. Those 209 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 1: are kind of things that we don't have much control over. 210 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: And I'm homing in on the what is not the 211 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: most important fact, but it's still a relevant one, and 212 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: that is the way the public thinks about the military. 213 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: That's important too, and we need to pay attention to 214 00:11:31,440 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 1: that because we as civilians are unwittingly undermining public confidence 215 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:43,560 Speaker 1: in the military by dragging the military into partisan culture wars. 216 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 1: So we've made I've got this modest proposal I'm trying 217 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: to get both sides to agree to. That's treat the 218 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: uniformed military as non combatants in the culture war. Right, Okay, 219 00:11:57,280 --> 00:11:59,439 Speaker 1: you have a culture war, you have an argument. Those 220 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: are legit policy disputes. Are you civilian to the civilian, republican. 221 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 3: To the uniform out of it, we don't. 222 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,960 Speaker 1: Shoot at the military, but right now we're shooting at 223 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: the military, and we're making the military of the target. 224 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: And that has the effect of politicizing the military by 225 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: dragging it into partisan politics. 226 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 3: Completely. And we're seeing that today. You know, I don't 227 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 3: usually like to date my shows, you know, because I 228 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,280 Speaker 3: like people have this like timeless classicis But I mean, 229 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 3: you got a book coming out Thanks for your Service. 230 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 3: It's that time of year, and right now you've got 231 00:12:32,240 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 3: people holding out on the aisle for getting our generals 232 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 3: elected and uh confirmed excuse me, yeah, I'm so apologize. 233 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 3: It's frustrating, right, and I'm sure my listeners all aware 234 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 3: of it, and it's and it's and it's really harming 235 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 3: our talent. It's really like why would someone want to 236 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,160 Speaker 3: have to put all of this time to go to school, 237 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 3: all of this time to learn strategic planning, put all 238 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 3: this time into West Point, just to be put on 239 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 3: hold if they ever get the shot. 240 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:00,960 Speaker 1: Right, And it's not just one individual. 241 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 3: Right, hundreds thousands. 242 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,960 Speaker 1: Well, it's hundreds of individuals. But each individual is also 243 00:13:06,040 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: a family, right right, and they can't their family is 244 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: on hold, they can't move, they can't start school, and 245 00:13:12,920 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 1: each one of them is sitting in a job that 246 00:13:15,120 --> 00:13:17,679 Speaker 1: someone else is supposed to go into. So it has 247 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 1: a second order effect. 248 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 3: Of correct that they move up, they move up. 249 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 1: Right, and their families and so it's reaching thousands of 250 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: you know, individual humans, even though it's only only I 251 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: say only, it's several hundred, now close to three hundred. 252 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 3: And these politicians are going to think that these military 253 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 3: men and women who'd sworn oath to the nation of 254 00:13:39,840 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 3: the US of USA. That's what it says on their 255 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:44,920 Speaker 3: name tape. US. It doesn't say anything else. It says 256 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 3: US Army, US Marine Corps, US Coast Guard, you know, 257 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:53,800 Speaker 3: US Air Force, US Space Force. Yes, Yes, there we go, right, 258 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 3: I mean, come on, man, you know these guys are 259 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 3: sitting here looking at you like, what are you doing? 260 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 3: What are you doing? What are you doing? Who's holding 261 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:01,400 Speaker 3: up the Tubberville? What are you doing? 262 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:01,559 Speaker 1: Man? 263 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 3: Are you picking up a spear? Are you going to war? 264 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,160 Speaker 1: Let me be clear, there's a legitimate policy dispute at 265 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:11,360 Speaker 1: the root of it, and so you know, Senator Tuberville, first, 266 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 1: he has the prerogative to do this, but he also 267 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: has you know, it's part of his job as senator 268 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: to argue the policy. My proposal is argue the policy, 269 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,560 Speaker 1: have the vote on the policy, but don't target the 270 00:14:26,600 --> 00:14:30,440 Speaker 1: military in order to achieve the policy debate. 271 00:14:30,520 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 3: That's the point and the reason why he's even doing 272 00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:38,040 Speaker 3: this is because he wants abortions to not be favored 273 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:41,760 Speaker 3: to women, to personnel who need to go have the 274 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 3: procedure in a place where they didn't choose to be, 275 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 3: but they're serving, and so they have the right to 276 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 3: go to wherever they need to go. But he's saying 277 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:52,800 Speaker 3: you don't have that right. He is saying that, he's 278 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:55,040 Speaker 3: saying he doesn't want to he doesn't want to confirm 279 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 3: these generals until they take that out of the entire situation. 280 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 3: And they're going off of this whole you know, urban dictionary, 281 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:05,240 Speaker 3: woke definition out there that's like just made up by themselves. 282 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 3: This is all made up. You know, I'm on the ground, 283 00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 3: I'm forty five years old. It's all these guys that 284 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 3: are just like saying these words that don't have any 285 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:14,600 Speaker 3: They're just making up this like what am I trying 286 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 3: to say? This narrative? 287 00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: Well, the generals and flag officers that are currently being 288 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:27,120 Speaker 1: having their confirmations held did not make the policy. The 289 00:15:27,120 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 1: Biden political appointees made the policy. So the argument is 290 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: between correct publics and Congress and. 291 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,479 Speaker 3: The executive and the les the branches. 292 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: That's where they're the ones that are going to have 293 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: to sort this out. But in the meantime, both sides 294 00:15:44,280 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 1: in effect are you know, hurting the US military. The 295 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:53,040 Speaker 1: uniform military are not resolving this, and of course the 296 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: people who are suffering. I mean, the long downstream consequences 297 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 1: are that the military will be less rich to meet 298 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 1: the national security threats. If we lived in a benign 299 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:06,760 Speaker 1: time when we didn't really need the military and we 300 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: weren't facing serious challenges, and maybe we you know, the 301 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 1: consequences wouldn't matter all that much. But precisely because it's 302 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: a dangerous time. This is a very risky maneuver to 303 00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: be doing, to be playing politics with the military promotions 304 00:16:24,440 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: this way. But it's not just the promotions, all of 305 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:31,920 Speaker 1: the debates about you know what, it's called diversity, equity, 306 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: and inclusion. That term just now has become a trigger 307 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 1: term and it doesn't mean what it may have meant originally. 308 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:44,280 Speaker 1: Here's the facts. We have to recruit from all walks 309 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 1: of life. We can't just recruit people who look like 310 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,200 Speaker 1: you and me. First of all, that happen to get 311 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: a haircut. 312 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 3: No, No, I've been lost in Afghanistan. I'm a peronel. Now, 313 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:59,080 Speaker 3: it's been twenty years. I've been lost with my unit. Right. 314 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 1: But the point is they can't just recruit from one 315 00:17:03,360 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: subset of the Americans. They need to recruit across the board. 316 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, a color palette. All walks of please. 317 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 1: And all walks of life have to be able to 318 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 1: work together and get along with their differences and learn 319 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: how to put mission first. All of that requires socialization effort. 320 00:17:22,200 --> 00:17:25,080 Speaker 1: The military has learned how to do this, but they've 321 00:17:25,119 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 1: done this by not ignoring the elephants in the room. 322 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 1: And when they did, in the you know, they took 323 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: a while. 324 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:36,960 Speaker 3: Where Colon Powell really kind of kicked off, you know, 325 00:17:37,160 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 3: the don ask hotel to allow everybody just to be 326 00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:42,479 Speaker 3: in the military and don't ask it, don't tell Okay 327 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:46,399 Speaker 3: that he was an advocate for that community to say 328 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 3: let's have this in place. 329 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,120 Speaker 1: That was a compromise from the nineteen nineties. It was 330 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:52,400 Speaker 1: very controversial at the. 331 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 3: Time, that's right, and it was a. 332 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:58,160 Speaker 1: Change from what had gone before. But take the issue 333 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: of race. You know, this is also so the seventy 334 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 1: fifth anniversary of the Executive Order nine nine to eighty 335 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:09,160 Speaker 1: one that Truman did to integrate it. Before yeah, before 336 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:12,640 Speaker 1: nineteen forty eight, we had African Americans serving, but they 337 00:18:12,640 --> 00:18:14,720 Speaker 1: had to serve in black only. 338 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,679 Speaker 3: Units, segregated units, segregated. 339 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:21,160 Speaker 1: Units, and that you know, was recognized as an approach 340 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:22,959 Speaker 1: that would not work in the long run. It was 341 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:27,199 Speaker 1: undermining military effectiveness. And as you you know, as Truman 342 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: looks to the future in a Cold war, he's going 343 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 1: to need to tap the full strength, and so he did. 344 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: But here's the crucial point. Just merely signing the order 345 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: didn't take away the problem of race in the military. 346 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: It actually took several decades of tough work, and there 347 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: were times we had race riots in the military in 348 00:18:47,600 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: the late sixties early seventies, real racial strife within the units, 349 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:56,199 Speaker 1: and it you know, there's still some concerns about racism 350 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 1: in the military even today. You talk to men and 351 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 1: women of color who serve and their experience is a 352 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 1: little different from the experience of say, white soldiers, and 353 00:19:06,280 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: so it's still an issue today that has to be addressed. 354 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: Of course, with the militaries made leaps and bounds progress. 355 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:15,560 Speaker 3: I could never imagine it not being, you know, such 356 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 3: a colorful unit. When I was in my squadron. It 357 00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 3: was just like I met Shytown from Shytown, you know, 358 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:22,919 Speaker 3: I was like I would never I could never imagine 359 00:19:23,240 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 3: not being friends and having all of these comrades and 360 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 3: you know, fellow soldiers and airmen next to me from 361 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:32,480 Speaker 3: everywhere because they accepted me. 362 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,159 Speaker 1: Right well, and and just you know, go back to 363 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: the Korean War, so just a few years after the 364 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: integration through in order, the Marines are fighting the rearguard 365 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:48,560 Speaker 1: action and Chosen reservoir and chosen and it's it's one 366 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: of the great you know, heroic tales of the US 367 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:55,280 Speaker 1: Marine Corps. They couldn't achieved that without the integrated units 368 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 1: that they had from just a few years before. And 369 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,840 Speaker 1: so when you're in the foxhone, you're being shot at, 370 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 1: you know, all you care about is that the person 371 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 1: next to you has got your back, and so the 372 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:08,439 Speaker 1: person next to you has to have your back. And 373 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: if they're poisoned by whatever, you know, bias or prejudice, 374 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: then that's a problem for you and for the unit. 375 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:20,359 Speaker 1: But if they are mission first, then then the race is. 376 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 3: Secondary a hundred and again that goes back to like 377 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,919 Speaker 3: the draft and conscription. Right, wouldn't you say that's kind 378 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 3: of the same thing where you're goind of getting forced 379 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:35,120 Speaker 3: to join a military is conscription? Right, here's my. 380 00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:38,159 Speaker 1: View on the draft. Yeah, I think it's a cure 381 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:39,560 Speaker 1: that's worse than the disease. 382 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:40,240 Speaker 3: Yeah. 383 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: So if you say, well, we I'm worried that Americans 384 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 1: have not come together, Let's have a draft to bring 385 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:46,639 Speaker 1: Americans together. 386 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:47,480 Speaker 3: I don't think that works. 387 00:20:47,600 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 1: I don't think it works. That's not been that was 388 00:20:49,400 --> 00:20:50,680 Speaker 1: not the experience. 389 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 3: For patriotism is not. Yeah, all volunteer army military where 390 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 3: you want to go and do it, you're like wholeheartedly 391 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 3: in it. I choose to do this. That's a patriot well, 392 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 3: and the. 393 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: And the factors that are all volunteer force is much 394 00:21:06,400 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 1: more capable, much more competent, much more professional than was 395 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,199 Speaker 1: the draft. They want to be there, and we expect 396 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 1: our US military today to fight according to the laws 397 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 1: of war, to meet a standard that the draft army 398 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 1: just never could meet. And they didn't fight that way. 399 00:21:24,600 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 1: It couldn't fight that way. 400 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:27,640 Speaker 3: Are you speak like the Geneva Convention. 401 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 1: Style, Yes, well, not targeting, so okay, and of course, 402 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,960 Speaker 1: you know, not committing war crimes, et cetera. And our 403 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: current force is far more professional because there's so much 404 00:21:39,720 --> 00:21:42,600 Speaker 1: better trained and they're able to use high tech weapons 405 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,959 Speaker 1: that are more precise rather than the you know, area 406 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: blanket of bombing that was the case. 407 00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:51,919 Speaker 3: In just the brutal aspect of like you know, trench 408 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:53,360 Speaker 3: warfare or you know. 409 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:58,639 Speaker 1: That that requires the professional military that we have. And 410 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,880 Speaker 1: that's why I prefer making the all volunteer force viable 411 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: and then solving the problem of national civic pride through 412 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: some other way. I'm open to the national service and 413 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: opportunities to serve, but a military draft is a cure 414 00:22:16,040 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: that's worse than the disease unless we meet you know, 415 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 1: some you know World War three situation where now we 416 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:24,280 Speaker 1: need everybody. 417 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,199 Speaker 3: So Terminator is here, yeah, you know, and it's you know, 418 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 3: it's it's coming to life, right. The movies from the eighties, 419 00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 3: these guys that are getting older are like, how do 420 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 3: I win my war? I need terminators? I need something crazy? Man, 421 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,960 Speaker 3: we got it? What video was that? Blade Runner? What 422 00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 3: are we? How are we gonna do it? Man? 423 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: Come on, you need the Wolverines from Red Dawn? 424 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 3: So oh please Wolverines all day? Huh, all day? Go ahead, 425 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:51,399 Speaker 3: go back to town, you go to your daddy, go 426 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:53,199 Speaker 3: on the sideline. 427 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:55,480 Speaker 1: Maybe you'll have me back for this. But I teach 428 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 1: a course with General Dempsey, the retired Chairman of the 429 00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:58,639 Speaker 1: Joint Jesus Staff. 430 00:22:58,760 --> 00:22:59,160 Speaker 3: That's awesome. 431 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: I teach your course here called American Grand Strategy through Film. 432 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: And I taught that. I teach the course because my 433 00:23:06,840 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 1: students were not getting my references to Red Dawn and 434 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:12,560 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, the average undergrad hasn't watched Red Don 435 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: and so I said, that does it. I'm teaching a 436 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,320 Speaker 1: course that will require you to watch Red Don and 437 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: many other movies. 438 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,720 Speaker 3: Oh, I've had Darren Dalton on the show from Red Dawn. 439 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 3: He plays Daryl, the mayor's son. He's like, uh, a 440 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:27,960 Speaker 3: student body president. I elect that we all go back 441 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 3: to town and gives ourselves up. 442 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 1: It's a. 443 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:34,639 Speaker 3: Oh he did. Oh yes, Thomas, No, is it a 444 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 3: different subject? 445 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: Is it? Though? 446 00:23:35,960 --> 00:23:37,440 Speaker 3: Is Red don a different subject? 447 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:37,639 Speaker 1: Is it? 448 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 3: Though? Really? No, you're great. I would love to have 449 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,399 Speaker 3: you back on, and uh you can even bring uh 450 00:23:42,680 --> 00:23:44,880 Speaker 3: General Dempsey on and we can have a three way 451 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:46,960 Speaker 3: here and just we could talk about it. Because I 452 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:48,920 Speaker 3: just had some guys on the other day, former Ranger, 453 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,760 Speaker 3: former Green Beret, and they have a show called Shift 454 00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:55,479 Speaker 3: Fire on YouTube and they'll pause movies. I said, well, 455 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 3: right there, that backlast from the RPG probably would have 456 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,320 Speaker 3: killed everybody in the POWs of Rambh. Let's keep playing it. 457 00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:03,120 Speaker 3: Uh huh oh and then he wakes you. 458 00:24:03,080 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 1: Know, yeah, a lot of problems with those kinds of movies, 459 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: and especially the Ramba. We watched the Rambo movie and 460 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: that you know it when he shoots down a helicopter 461 00:24:11,760 --> 00:24:13,880 Speaker 1: with a bow and arrow. It's a little you. 462 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:15,919 Speaker 3: Know, oh man though, but he does that draw on 463 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,040 Speaker 3: it so beautiful man on that rock, it's like, you 464 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 3: know what's going at. 465 00:24:20,800 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: It anyway, Well believe aggress But let me bring it 466 00:24:25,280 --> 00:24:30,520 Speaker 1: back to the topic. Because increasingly what the average American 467 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:34,240 Speaker 1: knows about the military may come from movies, right, right, 468 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: So the military can't ignore Hollywood, and of course it doesn't. 469 00:24:38,920 --> 00:24:41,199 Speaker 1: It works closely with Hollywood to try to get its 470 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: message out, and that's right. It should do so because 471 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: for many Americans that's their connection to the military. They 472 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 1: they see the military, you know, before an NFL football 473 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:55,320 Speaker 1: game on TV, and they go to a movie Top Gun, 474 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:58,360 Speaker 1: Maverick or something, and that tells them what they think 475 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,040 Speaker 1: they know about the military. And so that's a concern 476 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,439 Speaker 1: we public confidence of the military is a function of 477 00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:08,320 Speaker 1: how much your personal connection is to the military. People 478 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: with a personal connection or who know more about the 479 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 1: military have higher confidence in the military as well. 480 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:16,720 Speaker 3: I have some pretty high confidence in them. 481 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:19,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's because you have personal connections. 482 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 3: I sure do. I sure do. Now with thanks for 483 00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 3: your service, are you referencing you know, folks that come 484 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:28,360 Speaker 3: back from you know, their time over there and they 485 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 3: have the same perspective that actually happened to them and 486 00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 3: occurred over there, or they kind of like exaggerate on 487 00:25:33,880 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 3: what took place to them even though they already were 488 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:37,640 Speaker 3: wounded anything like that. 489 00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:40,159 Speaker 1: So that's not the book doesn't look into that. But 490 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: I know what you're you're talking about. That's there's a 491 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 1: whole other field of study that looks at what's the 492 00:25:45,960 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 1: experience of war and combat on the individual, and then 493 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 1: what's it like for them to go back to civilian 494 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:55,880 Speaker 1: society and to imagine I mean all the way back 495 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: to Homer's Odyssey, Right, that's what that's about. This is 496 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 1: a a longstanding concern in Western literature, and I teach 497 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 1: about that in other courses, But that's not what the 498 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:08,360 Speaker 1: focus of. 499 00:26:08,359 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 3: This book is on that. No, Nope, and sow. So 500 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,280 Speaker 3: the public confidence in the military impacts the enrollment numbers, 501 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 3: and then our foreign policy initiatives and defense spending are 502 00:26:18,600 --> 00:26:20,199 Speaker 3: also involved. I mean, if they're going to try to 503 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 3: cut defense spending from the military, won't that make me 504 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:25,120 Speaker 3: feel like if I'm trying to join, then there might 505 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 3: not be enough for me to get paid. 506 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:30,479 Speaker 1: Well, you're right. People with higher confidence of the military 507 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 1: are also more likely to support defense spending, right, And 508 00:26:35,560 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 1: people who have higher confidences of the military are more 509 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 1: likely to trust the military tool in a foreign policy crisis. 510 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 1: So the attitude is linked to all these other attitudes 511 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 1: that people care about as well. Now sometimes too much confidence, right. 512 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,400 Speaker 1: So one of the things that we do in America 513 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: is we use the military when we don't think we 514 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 1: have a civilian tool that could handle it, when there 515 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:07,359 Speaker 1: should be civilian tools. Like a good example is this 516 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: is in the COVID crisis, they were going to ask 517 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,639 Speaker 1: the military to distribute the vaccines. Well, that doesn't require 518 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:19,400 Speaker 1: any military expertise, that was just we have a crisis. 519 00:27:19,720 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 1: The military is our only institution that works. Let's ask 520 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 1: the military to you know, take over and distribute the vaccines. 521 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:31,600 Speaker 1: And that can sometimes backfire by taking the military out 522 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:36,119 Speaker 1: of where they are best used and putting them in 523 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 1: situations where you know they're not well trained for. And 524 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 1: a good example of that is when you're trying to 525 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: bring the military in for law enforcement and crowd control. 526 00:27:49,800 --> 00:27:53,119 Speaker 1: That's while they get some training for that and the 527 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:55,800 Speaker 1: National Guard gets more training for that, that's really a 528 00:27:55,880 --> 00:28:00,159 Speaker 1: law enforcement function and it's not good to bring the 529 00:28:00,240 --> 00:28:02,679 Speaker 1: military into that. Every time the military has been dragged 530 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 1: into one of those settings, it's not gone well. 531 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:08,840 Speaker 3: No, because they blend in with each other. Because the 532 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 3: uniform that the police wear today was denied years ago 533 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:15,719 Speaker 3: when it was offered to the military. And then the 534 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 3: military said we're going to rock this ACU pattern in 535 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 3: the army and the Marines had their marpat and so 536 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 3: the civilians were like, well, we have this pattern that 537 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:27,560 Speaker 3: we have to sell, this multi cam patterns that we 538 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 3: have to sell. So they start selling it to law enforcement, 539 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 3: civilians and hunters and all this kind of stuff. Air 540 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 3: Softwares were really buying it. So now it's on the 541 00:28:33,960 --> 00:28:36,080 Speaker 3: civilian market, and now you have police departments and swat 542 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 3: teams wearing multi cam okay. 543 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 1: And it's blurring the distinction, correct, And. 544 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:43,120 Speaker 3: Now you have people saying we need to defund defund 545 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 3: but the police and all this kind of stuffcause where 546 00:28:45,200 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 3: they getting it. But it's really demilitarized, see, because they 547 00:28:48,560 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 3: get access to It's not so much they have all 548 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 3: this money these departments need to be defunded. It's that 549 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 3: they wrote off requisites to get old surplus that are 550 00:28:56,920 --> 00:28:59,360 Speaker 3: drmos getting rid of through the military, which is a 551 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 3: warehouse of old vehicles and gear and night vision and 552 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:06,640 Speaker 3: all that stuff that the war no longer needs and 553 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:08,800 Speaker 3: it's getting thrown away. So instead of throwing it away, 554 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,720 Speaker 3: they say, hey, write us a letter and we'll send 555 00:29:11,720 --> 00:29:14,200 Speaker 3: you some stuff to your departments. And so you get 556 00:29:14,240 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 3: like a three cop department in like say somewhere southern Utah. 557 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:20,480 Speaker 3: Here that's just all of a sudden, now got fourteen 558 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,479 Speaker 3: m force, an m RAP and a bunch of combat 559 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 3: a bunch of stuff, and maybe two of those guys 560 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 3: on that team are veterans from the military. And so 561 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 3: now you get those guys wearing their multicams, okay, because 562 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:35,360 Speaker 3: that's a civilian pattern. And then they get these vehicles 563 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:38,640 Speaker 3: in these things that were tan at the soul or green, 564 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,240 Speaker 3: and they paint them black so it looks civilian. But 565 00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 3: then you put the same guy who has the heartbeat 566 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 3: of driving that thing in that thing, how can he 567 00:29:46,840 --> 00:29:50,880 Speaker 3: not be military already and try to uphold the law. Right, 568 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 3: So go ahead. 569 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,840 Speaker 1: And one of the things that the polls show is 570 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 1: that these distinctions which mean something to experts like you, 571 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: but blurred and lost in the general public as a whole, right, 572 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:09,200 Speaker 1: because they'll just the public doesn't really draw sharp distinctions 573 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: between Army, Air Force or regular versus guard versus reserve. 574 00:30:15,560 --> 00:30:18,080 Speaker 1: The public doesn't even draw much of a distinction between 575 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:23,479 Speaker 1: current and retired. The public doesn't know who's retired or not. 576 00:30:23,640 --> 00:30:27,360 Speaker 1: And in retirement, the senior officers, they keep their rank, right, 577 00:30:27,400 --> 00:30:30,280 Speaker 1: you're a retired. If you're a retired general, your first. 578 00:30:30,320 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 3: General general the rest of your life the general, I'm like, oh, hey, 579 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 3: what's that general? Still general? 580 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,880 Speaker 1: Exactly? And so that speaks to yet a different issue, 581 00:30:42,880 --> 00:30:47,479 Speaker 1: which is that the professional norms that we ask the 582 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 1: active duty to live by, we must also be encouraging 583 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,960 Speaker 1: the retired to live by as well. And this is 584 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: a problem because retired, of course, have more civil rights 585 00:30:58,040 --> 00:31:00,880 Speaker 1: than the active duty. Active duty. A lot of Americans 586 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,280 Speaker 1: don't know this. Active duty don't have the same First 587 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 1: Amendment rights that you and I have. They are restricted 588 00:31:08,160 --> 00:31:10,959 Speaker 1: in what they can say. In particular, they can't speak 589 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:13,760 Speaker 1: ill of the president as commander in chief. That would 590 00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:16,800 Speaker 1: be an Article eighty eight violation of the of their 591 00:31:17,000 --> 00:31:20,959 Speaker 1: Uniform Code of Military Justice. So they have to be careful. 592 00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,640 Speaker 1: But then you get retired military whose first name is 593 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: still admiral or general going on TV and lace, you know, 594 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:33,320 Speaker 1: and speaking in the most bitter partisan terms, and that 595 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:37,120 Speaker 1: creates confusion in the public, and it helps to politicize 596 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:41,040 Speaker 1: the military. So your point about you know, fine distinctions 597 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: and bluring those lines is it's exactly right. They the 598 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: public is not seeing that, and so that's incumbent on 599 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: the military and retired community to say, we're going to 600 00:31:50,160 --> 00:31:54,239 Speaker 1: hold ourselves to a higher standard, and otherwise we're going 601 00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:58,360 Speaker 1: to be dragging the military down. The non partisan active 602 00:31:58,400 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 1: duty force, which has to obey the president no matter 603 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,479 Speaker 1: who he or she is, we're gonna be dragging that 604 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 1: into the partisan monk. 605 00:32:07,720 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 3: And just to piggyback on that uniform conversation, I was 606 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 3: just mentioning, you know, years later multi that color, that 607 00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:17,360 Speaker 3: pattern was adopted finally by the Army, right, and then 608 00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 3: the Army is now using it today, and so is 609 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 3: the Air Force. And so you get these guys. If 610 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 3: you have a law enforcement team and then the Army 611 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:26,720 Speaker 3: or air Force together, they're just gonna look like one unit. 612 00:32:27,120 --> 00:32:30,920 Speaker 1: Right, right. Yeah, And this is a this is a challenge, 613 00:32:30,960 --> 00:32:33,640 Speaker 1: and we ran into this in twenty. 614 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 3: Twenty with the protests and the whole night, yeah. 615 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:38,880 Speaker 1: And trying to maintain civil order. 616 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 3: It was a challenge, and so even General Millie said, 617 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 3: I would never have walked out there in my uniform 618 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,600 Speaker 3: if I knew that I was being walked out there 619 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:51,320 Speaker 3: in my uniform like that. He's like, I would not 620 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,880 Speaker 3: have crossed the line of the US because with respect 621 00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:56,400 Speaker 3: to you and to others that I have on the 622 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,800 Speaker 3: show who have that kind of rank, I asked them, 623 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 3: how do you stay for one, you know, like one 624 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:03,680 Speaker 3: brand like the Bush to the Clinton's, how do you 625 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 3: stay that way? And one one general said, Brad, it 626 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 3: says us right here, and that's why I quote it. 627 00:33:08,120 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 3: I say US army, US, you know us. It says us. 628 00:33:13,440 --> 00:33:17,960 Speaker 1: Well, our military officers they sign an oh or not signed. 629 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 1: They they give an oath of allegiance to the Constitution, 630 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: not to the President of the United States or not 631 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: to an individual. Now, of course, by registring an oath 632 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 1: to obey the Constitution, that means they will obey the 633 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 1: president's commander in chief when he gives a lawful order. 634 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: So of course it has direct implications of how they 635 00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,880 Speaker 1: interact with any individual president. But their loyalty is not 636 00:33:45,960 --> 00:33:49,200 Speaker 1: to that person, to that individual, it's to the office 637 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 1: as reflected under the Constitution. And this is an important 638 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:59,040 Speaker 1: distinction that the uniform military have drilled in them. They 639 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 1: understand that. But you know who doesn't understand that so well. 640 00:34:02,880 --> 00:34:05,400 Speaker 3: Civilian civilian population, well. 641 00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:07,640 Speaker 1: Civilian population, but even civilian politicians. 642 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:09,720 Speaker 3: That's what I yeah, yeah, I agreed, Yeah, the people 643 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 3: that become the boss. 644 00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: It's like, yeah, it's very hard. If you're you know, 645 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:18,960 Speaker 1: a civilian political leader, those ideas blur in your mind. 646 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:19,719 Speaker 1: You know. 647 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:21,680 Speaker 3: I once asked my dad. I said, Dad, you know, 648 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:25,440 Speaker 3: how come we don't just elect all veterans? And he 649 00:34:25,520 --> 00:34:27,719 Speaker 3: was just like, well, Aaron, you don't really want to 650 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:31,880 Speaker 3: have the military running the whole show, right, That's what 651 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 3: he told me. As a younger man, I had asked 652 00:34:33,840 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 3: them that, like, how come you know we're all great? 653 00:34:35,840 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 3: You know, the perception is perfect, and how come veterans 654 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,680 Speaker 3: aren't just every congressman's a veteran or whatever. What's your 655 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:44,680 Speaker 3: thoughts on that same thing? My dad mentioned, So, I. 656 00:34:44,640 --> 00:34:48,279 Speaker 1: Think it's good for veterans to run. I think if 657 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 1: the percentage of veterans is too low, then you lose 658 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 1: a certain amount of awareness and you know, knowledge base. 659 00:34:57,560 --> 00:35:00,520 Speaker 1: And one of the reasons why I like veterans in Congress, 660 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:05,120 Speaker 1: in the executive branches veterans will hold the military accountable. 661 00:35:05,600 --> 00:35:08,480 Speaker 1: So some people might think, well, if their veterans are 662 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:11,040 Speaker 1: going to go easy on the military, No, because their 663 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:16,040 Speaker 1: veterans they'll go harder. Senator McCain was ruthless in holding 664 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 1: their military accountable precisely because he had served and new 665 00:35:20,239 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: So I think there's value in it. But I think 666 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:27,680 Speaker 1: veterans may overstate the value in it. And many people 667 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:30,799 Speaker 1: run for office thinking, well, because I served, that makes 668 00:35:30,840 --> 00:35:34,359 Speaker 1: me a good politician. Not necessarily. If the only thing 669 00:35:34,400 --> 00:35:37,160 Speaker 1: you've got going for you is your heroic military service, 670 00:35:37,719 --> 00:35:40,720 Speaker 1: then chances are you won't do well as a civilian 671 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:43,560 Speaker 1: political leader because it is a different skill set. And 672 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 1: of course we had we've had generals who were very 673 00:35:47,719 --> 00:35:53,839 Speaker 1: capable presidents, General Washington, President Washington, General Eisenhower, President Eisenhower. 674 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 1: What they both had in common, though, was they were 675 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:03,400 Speaker 1: exceptionally able political figures even while they were in military office. 676 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:07,200 Speaker 1: They weren't partisan, they were not partisan, but they had 677 00:36:07,239 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 1: political skills. That's why Eisenhower was chosen for his job. 678 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: It was his political skills as opposed to his combat 679 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,720 Speaker 1: skills that made him, you know, the five star commander 680 00:36:17,760 --> 00:36:21,160 Speaker 1: that he was. That was political skills also translated into 681 00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 1: being a good president. And so it's not the case 682 00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:27,680 Speaker 1: that every veteran will be a good political leader. But 683 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 1: I do want some of our political leaders to be veterans. 684 00:36:32,040 --> 00:36:34,680 Speaker 1: And it's also the case that when you run for office, 685 00:36:34,719 --> 00:36:35,960 Speaker 1: you become a partisan. 686 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 3: So what do you mean by that? What do you 687 00:36:40,239 --> 00:36:41,839 Speaker 3: mean by that? Yeah, tell me what you mean by that. 688 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:46,560 Speaker 1: Well, here's the point I'm trying to make. I want veterans, 689 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:51,320 Speaker 1: particularly senior retired you know, four stars, retired four stars. 690 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:53,960 Speaker 1: I want them not to be in the business of 691 00:36:54,120 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: endorsing candidates for president. You know the spectacle every four years, 692 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:02,600 Speaker 1: the Republicans trot out their list, the Democrats trot out 693 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:06,680 Speaker 1: their list. This is not a good look. This politicizes 694 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:10,239 Speaker 1: the military. These are retired for stars. They have the 695 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:12,840 Speaker 1: right to do this, so that's not the issue. But 696 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,280 Speaker 1: it's not the right thing for them to do, because 697 00:37:15,719 --> 00:37:19,640 Speaker 1: it's trading on the status that the military, as a 698 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:24,319 Speaker 1: non partisan institution, has to endorse a president and to 699 00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 1: say this president, not that president's politicizes the military. But 700 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:32,600 Speaker 1: if you run for office, okay, now you're no longer 701 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:35,960 Speaker 1: trying to keep one toe as a non partisan. You 702 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,799 Speaker 1: are a partisan, so you run for office now you're 703 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 1: a Republican or a Democrat, and that's okay. So crossing 704 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:46,400 Speaker 1: all the way over running as a veteran, that's okay. 705 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 1: But trying to say, well, I'm going to keep all 706 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:52,080 Speaker 1: the privileges that come from being a non partisan, but 707 00:37:52,120 --> 00:37:54,600 Speaker 1: I'm just going to do this very partisan act of 708 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:58,200 Speaker 1: endorsing this or that candidate. That's where the problem is. 709 00:37:58,640 --> 00:38:01,600 Speaker 1: And it makes the job of the current military that 710 00:38:01,719 --> 00:38:04,840 Speaker 1: much harder. And so that's why it's it's striking every 711 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:07,400 Speaker 1: chairman of the Joint Chiece of Staff, going back to 712 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:10,759 Speaker 1: Admiral Mullen, they've made a priority saying let's try to 713 00:38:10,800 --> 00:38:15,000 Speaker 1: get the military out of the endorsement business because they 714 00:38:15,120 --> 00:38:18,240 Speaker 1: worry that it will undermine it will politicize the military, 715 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:21,080 Speaker 1: and then undermine public confidence in the military. 716 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:26,239 Speaker 3: No, one hundred percent, and that's our show. No, No, 717 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:29,400 Speaker 3: that's great. No, it's true. You're you're so well spoken. 718 00:38:29,440 --> 00:38:31,839 Speaker 3: That was just really great. You know. Uh, it does 719 00:38:31,920 --> 00:38:35,200 Speaker 3: politicize it, it does put the spotlight like hey, now, 720 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:37,640 Speaker 3: all of a sudden, like this general says something and 721 00:38:37,680 --> 00:38:41,840 Speaker 3: that whole entire establishment is under his control. Still but 722 00:38:41,880 --> 00:38:44,480 Speaker 3: he's retired, and you know. 723 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:47,719 Speaker 1: And am the average American might be thinking, Aha, I 724 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:50,200 Speaker 1: bet this is what the active duties force would say 725 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:52,720 Speaker 1: if they were allowed to. But if that's the case, 726 00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:56,920 Speaker 1: now we've got the active duty force in the election, 727 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:01,279 Speaker 1: you know, as a partisan actor. Not good, because the 728 00:39:01,320 --> 00:39:05,440 Speaker 1: active duty force has to obey whoever wins, even if 729 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:11,080 Speaker 1: it's not quote unquote their candidate. And this is something 730 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:14,640 Speaker 1: that we have an extraordinarily proud record in the United 731 00:39:14,640 --> 00:39:20,200 Speaker 1: States of the military remaining subordinate to civilian control regardless 732 00:39:20,200 --> 00:39:22,680 Speaker 1: of who wins. And even if the new guy comes 733 00:39:22,719 --> 00:39:26,600 Speaker 1: in and changes all the policies, they salute, obey, and 734 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 1: implement it. That precious thing. And we shouldn't take it 735 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:32,120 Speaker 1: for granted or play loose with it. 736 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:36,880 Speaker 3: Officers and enlisted, you know, still have the duty to 737 00:39:36,920 --> 00:39:42,520 Speaker 3: themselves to disobey an immoral order, that illegal order, illegal order, right, 738 00:39:42,719 --> 00:39:46,200 Speaker 3: like right? I mean if they Tom. 739 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 1: Tells an important distinction. 740 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:51,680 Speaker 3: Let no, you know, okay, so in illegal order, right, 741 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 3: So tell me the difference between the illegal and immoral. 742 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 3: You know that they have to follow. 743 00:39:57,160 --> 00:40:03,240 Speaker 1: The difference is the lawyers. So the lawyers think about 744 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:11,480 Speaker 1: this legal immoral unwise. So illegal, immoral, unwise. Our system 745 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:17,600 Speaker 1: requires that the military not carry out an illegal order, 746 00:40:18,960 --> 00:40:22,719 Speaker 1: but they are supposed to carry out in order they 747 00:40:22,760 --> 00:40:28,400 Speaker 1: deem to be immoral or unwise if it's illegal, and 748 00:40:28,440 --> 00:40:30,759 Speaker 1: if they have a question, you know, is this legal 749 00:40:30,840 --> 00:40:33,720 Speaker 1: or illegal? Okay, that's what the jag is for the lawyer, 750 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:37,200 Speaker 1: the military lawyer. The military lawyer will say, sir, we 751 00:40:37,239 --> 00:40:43,080 Speaker 1: can't do that. That's illegal, that's against the laws of war. Okay, 752 00:40:43,560 --> 00:40:46,560 Speaker 1: I'm not going to carry it out. If they carry 753 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:50,680 Speaker 1: out an illegal order, they could be court martialed. But 754 00:40:50,960 --> 00:40:53,640 Speaker 1: if they refuse to carry out in order they deemed 755 00:40:53,680 --> 00:40:57,080 Speaker 1: to be immoral or unwise, they could also be court 756 00:40:57,080 --> 00:40:59,960 Speaker 1: martial And let me give you an example of a 757 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:05,440 Speaker 1: of you know, a boundary example. Take the order of 758 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:09,239 Speaker 1: President Biden's order to withdraw from Afghanistan no matter what, 759 00:41:09,640 --> 00:41:13,239 Speaker 1: no matter what the consequences. Many people, and you know, 760 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:15,280 Speaker 1: I was one of them, thought this was an unwise 761 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:19,719 Speaker 1: decision by the president, that it was going to hurt America, 762 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:22,960 Speaker 1: hurt American interests. I thought we should have stayed at 763 00:41:22,960 --> 00:41:26,279 Speaker 1: the low level we were in Afghanistan. Many other people 764 00:41:26,360 --> 00:41:29,520 Speaker 1: also thought it was an immoral decision because it broke 765 00:41:29,560 --> 00:41:33,760 Speaker 1: faith with the Afghans who had sacrificed, and it broke 766 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:36,879 Speaker 1: faith with those who had died, you know, Americans who 767 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:40,279 Speaker 1: had died on the mission, because he just you know, 768 00:41:40,320 --> 00:41:44,040 Speaker 1: sort of abandoned the Afghan government to their faith. And 769 00:41:44,080 --> 00:41:47,680 Speaker 1: of course the Taliban won in May. We can argue 770 00:41:47,719 --> 00:41:50,080 Speaker 1: about whether it was unwise, we can argue about whether 771 00:41:50,120 --> 00:41:54,759 Speaker 1: it was immoral, but it was legal. He had the 772 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 1: legal authority to order it, and so General Milly and 773 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:01,799 Speaker 1: the rest of the true did the right thing. They 774 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:05,279 Speaker 1: advised the president that said, we don't think this is good, sir, 775 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:07,399 Speaker 1: you should think about it a second or third time. 776 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:11,600 Speaker 1: Presidents that I have, I'm gonna do it. Okay, they 777 00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:13,879 Speaker 1: didn't like it, they thought it was unwise, and many 778 00:42:13,920 --> 00:42:18,120 Speaker 1: of them were disturbed by what the consequences were. But 779 00:42:18,239 --> 00:42:21,440 Speaker 1: they carried it out. And that's what civilian control in 780 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:26,120 Speaker 1: a democracy means. So illegal orders the military must not 781 00:42:26,239 --> 00:42:29,120 Speaker 1: carry them out. But orders that are they think are 782 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:32,960 Speaker 1: immoral or unwise, those they have to carry out. 783 00:42:33,520 --> 00:42:36,560 Speaker 3: Yeah. It's a tough job, absolutely, yeah, And. 784 00:42:36,480 --> 00:42:38,960 Speaker 1: This is why you need to have very highly trained, 785 00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:42,239 Speaker 1: yes military, and that's why we need the all launch job. 786 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:44,759 Speaker 3: You know, just the thought of, you know, that whole 787 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:49,560 Speaker 3: situation and having to Millie the guy to call. He's like, 788 00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 3: what's up, sir, sir? We have some people, sir, And 789 00:42:54,560 --> 00:42:57,279 Speaker 3: he's probably saying, I know, but what else can we do? 790 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,680 Speaker 3: And they went back to be a fly on the wall. 791 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:03,719 Speaker 3: Holy cow, you know, thoughts in the minds at night 792 00:43:03,719 --> 00:43:05,239 Speaker 3: when you're going to bed, you know, when you're trying 793 00:43:05,239 --> 00:43:07,160 Speaker 3: to make your ultimate business decisions, you're like. 794 00:43:09,480 --> 00:43:12,040 Speaker 1: Well, he served during in a very extraordinary time. So 795 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:15,680 Speaker 1: them's had and you know, the last six months of 796 00:43:15,719 --> 00:43:20,160 Speaker 1: the Trump administration very challenging time to be chairman, and 797 00:43:20,200 --> 00:43:23,040 Speaker 1: of course the last two years also a challenging time. 798 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:26,279 Speaker 3: He's a Green Beret, though, I believe well a college. 799 00:43:25,920 --> 00:43:28,319 Speaker 1: Of mine Corey Shockey and I like to say you 800 00:43:28,360 --> 00:43:31,800 Speaker 1: should judge a chairman of the Joint Us of Staff 801 00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:35,439 Speaker 1: the way you judge Olympic diving. That is, they get 802 00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:38,279 Speaker 1: points for the difficulty of the dive that they have 803 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:41,000 Speaker 1: to do. They kick up a little splash, but it's 804 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,200 Speaker 1: a very difficult dive. Okay, still we're going to grade 805 00:43:44,239 --> 00:43:47,319 Speaker 1: them high because it's a very difficult dive. 806 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:53,600 Speaker 3: Oh man, it's like forty meters up, you're gonna go back? 807 00:43:56,480 --> 00:43:59,960 Speaker 1: Oh man, I know you don't want to date the podcast, 808 00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:03,240 Speaker 1: but you know, right now, the Senate is considering whether 809 00:44:03,280 --> 00:44:08,279 Speaker 1: to confirm C. Q. Brown, who is President Biden's appointee 810 00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:10,960 Speaker 1: or nominee, I should say, to be Chairman of the 811 00:44:11,040 --> 00:44:14,080 Speaker 1: Joint Chiefs of Staff, and he I think is a 812 00:44:14,120 --> 00:44:19,399 Speaker 1: strong choice. He is a combat veteran. He he's an 813 00:44:19,440 --> 00:44:21,920 Speaker 1: Air Force pilot, and I think it's actually good just 814 00:44:21,920 --> 00:44:25,080 Speaker 1: to rotate the chairmanship across the services. It's been a 815 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:28,640 Speaker 1: while since we've had an Air Force leaders and he's 816 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:32,160 Speaker 1: really focused on accelerating the transition of the Air Force, 817 00:44:32,640 --> 00:44:36,319 Speaker 1: modernizing to meet, you know, the next gen threats. So 818 00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:39,640 Speaker 1: he's got a strong focus on that. And he's just 819 00:44:39,680 --> 00:44:42,480 Speaker 1: a down the middle kind of guy. You know, I 820 00:44:42,520 --> 00:44:45,080 Speaker 1: think that will calm some of the waters with the 821 00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:48,359 Speaker 1: waters have been roiling. Yeah, and General Brown is kind 822 00:44:48,360 --> 00:44:50,040 Speaker 1: of a straight, down the middle kind of guy. 823 00:44:50,320 --> 00:44:52,320 Speaker 3: What would get him not what would get him confirmed? 824 00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:54,680 Speaker 3: Right now? How can we what would get him to 825 00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:56,279 Speaker 3: be that? Who has to pass that? 826 00:44:56,840 --> 00:44:59,319 Speaker 1: You know, it's interesting Senator Tuberville has a hold on 827 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:02,839 Speaker 1: him right now. But Tuberville himself indicated that he thought 828 00:45:02,840 --> 00:45:04,960 Speaker 1: he'd be a good candidate and would vote for him 829 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:07,920 Speaker 1: once he lifts his own hold on him. So I 830 00:45:07,960 --> 00:45:11,240 Speaker 1: think the Congress recognizes that this is a good choice, 831 00:45:11,640 --> 00:45:14,439 Speaker 1: a good choice for America. They just we just got 832 00:45:14,440 --> 00:45:16,920 Speaker 1: to get the holds lifted so that the Congress the 833 00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:19,880 Speaker 1: Senate can vote on it. It's the Senate's got to 834 00:45:19,880 --> 00:45:20,560 Speaker 1: do it's job. 835 00:45:21,200 --> 00:45:23,600 Speaker 3: So with the Senate and the Congress and you serving 836 00:45:23,680 --> 00:45:27,359 Speaker 3: in a national position, you know, under different administrations, do 837 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:30,000 Speaker 3: you think that you're going to be back up to 838 00:45:30,080 --> 00:45:32,840 Speaker 3: bat at the White House or anything like that. Do 839 00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:35,640 Speaker 3: you foresee that? Do you want that? Do you want that? 840 00:45:36,280 --> 00:45:38,520 Speaker 1: Well, this is the old Woody Allen joke. Do I 841 00:45:38,560 --> 00:45:40,360 Speaker 1: want to join any club that would have me for 842 00:45:40,480 --> 00:45:45,520 Speaker 1: a member? You know? So if the president asked you 843 00:45:45,560 --> 00:45:48,960 Speaker 1: to serve, then you serve. And I if any president 844 00:45:49,000 --> 00:45:51,960 Speaker 1: asked me to serve, I would I would probably serve, 845 00:45:52,719 --> 00:45:56,879 Speaker 1: regardless of the party and regardless of the president. And 846 00:45:57,280 --> 00:45:59,920 Speaker 1: you know, I was one of those folks who saw 847 00:46:00,000 --> 00:46:02,600 Speaker 1: and a lot of letters saying that they would not 848 00:46:02,719 --> 00:46:05,319 Speaker 1: vote for President Trump, even though I'm a Republican and 849 00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:09,040 Speaker 1: critical point in a Republican, I signed all those letters 850 00:46:09,040 --> 00:46:11,360 Speaker 1: and said I would not vote for Trump, and I 851 00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:15,160 Speaker 1: did not vote for Trump President Trump, but if he 852 00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:17,440 Speaker 1: had asked me to serve, I would have thought seriously 853 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:20,440 Speaker 1: about doing so, because that's serving the country. Now. He 854 00:46:20,520 --> 00:46:23,160 Speaker 1: didn't ask me, precisely, because I signed those letters, I 855 00:46:23,200 --> 00:46:25,960 Speaker 1: recognize that, but I had many friends who went in 856 00:46:26,320 --> 00:46:29,319 Speaker 1: to serve and work for him. They served honorably, They 857 00:46:29,320 --> 00:46:30,920 Speaker 1: did the best they could, and I did what I 858 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:34,520 Speaker 1: could to help them from afar, and that's what the 859 00:46:34,560 --> 00:46:39,400 Speaker 1: country needs. The country. There's real disagreements between Democrats and Republicans, 860 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:41,440 Speaker 1: and I don't want to pretend that there's no difference 861 00:46:41,440 --> 00:46:44,200 Speaker 1: of opinion. There's real differences of opinion. But at the 862 00:46:44,320 --> 00:46:46,359 Speaker 1: end of the day, we're going to have to work 863 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:50,520 Speaker 1: together to move They're really big threats which are outside 864 00:46:51,200 --> 00:46:54,680 Speaker 1: and if we make our internal disagreements the big threats, 865 00:46:54,960 --> 00:46:55,800 Speaker 1: then we're in trouble. 866 00:46:56,080 --> 00:46:57,960 Speaker 3: We should be kicking our own butts. We should not 867 00:46:58,000 --> 00:47:00,799 Speaker 3: be in house fighting. We want to keep it from 868 00:47:00,880 --> 00:47:03,000 Speaker 3: our shores, right, So I. 869 00:47:03,040 --> 00:47:05,360 Speaker 1: Do what I can to help the current administration. I 870 00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:07,640 Speaker 1: do what I can to help Republicans on the hill 871 00:47:08,040 --> 00:47:12,279 Speaker 1: understand the issues better. And so whoever is president, I'll 872 00:47:12,320 --> 00:47:13,840 Speaker 1: do what I can to help them. 873 00:47:14,200 --> 00:47:16,239 Speaker 3: Well, I think that that's a wonderful way to wind 874 00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:18,319 Speaker 3: down our show. Okay, I've had your time for a 875 00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:20,799 Speaker 3: good hour, and I really want to thank you and 876 00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:23,680 Speaker 3: my listener for being on the show. It's thanks for 877 00:47:23,719 --> 00:47:28,040 Speaker 3: my service, Peter, thanks for your service. I'm looking right 878 00:47:28,080 --> 00:47:29,879 Speaker 3: at you though, and I just you know, we've all 879 00:47:29,920 --> 00:47:31,560 Speaker 3: been there, and I know a lot of service members 880 00:47:31,560 --> 00:47:34,200 Speaker 3: say it's a job. I'm doing a job. I'm getting 881 00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:36,319 Speaker 3: a paycheck, I put on a uniform, I'm doing a job. 882 00:47:36,640 --> 00:47:38,239 Speaker 3: You don't have to think me for my service. I 883 00:47:38,239 --> 00:47:39,839 Speaker 3: think a lot of civilians are always going to kind 884 00:47:39,840 --> 00:47:41,440 Speaker 3: of put them at that like thanks for their service. 885 00:47:41,880 --> 00:47:44,120 Speaker 3: Just accept that when you see them at the airport 886 00:47:44,160 --> 00:47:49,280 Speaker 3: and say you're welcome. Okay, and again, Peter Fever, former 887 00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:57,640 Speaker 3: National Security awesome guy, Duke professor theater, Wolverine. Okay, Wolverine 888 00:47:57,680 --> 00:48:00,520 Speaker 3: all day, and a shout out to my homeboy, Dar Dalton. 889 00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:02,480 Speaker 3: Let's see if we get C. Thomas Howell on the 890 00:48:02,520 --> 00:48:05,160 Speaker 3: show one of these days, and then yeah, let's have 891 00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:06,600 Speaker 3: you back. Maybe you can get the general on with 892 00:48:06,640 --> 00:48:09,520 Speaker 3: you and we can have like a fun theater versus 893 00:48:09,960 --> 00:48:12,000 Speaker 3: reality show or something Okay, you're great. 894 00:48:12,440 --> 00:48:14,200 Speaker 1: That would be fun. Great talking to you well. 895 00:48:14,239 --> 00:48:16,759 Speaker 3: Thank you, and to my listeners, please keep supporting us 896 00:48:16,800 --> 00:48:19,000 Speaker 3: and go check out that merch store. Thanks to Brandon 897 00:48:19,040 --> 00:48:21,520 Speaker 3: Webb who puts me on the air and believes in me. 898 00:48:21,800 --> 00:48:24,280 Speaker 3: And to you. Do something nice for your neighbor today 899 00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:27,440 Speaker 3: or someone that you see, so say hi, and that's 900 00:48:27,680 --> 00:48:29,359 Speaker 3: saying peace from software. 901 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:36,800 Speaker 2: You've been listening to self rep Radio