05-13-2023, 08:12 AM
(05-12-2023, 08:53 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: There's a reason that our military budget is astronomical, and that reason is because the US is "expected" to be the protectors of the free world. We are now in a period where the armed forces are struggling and in some instances failing to meet recruiting numbers. We live in a country so comfortable that our young are not willing to sign up to defend, that is a warning signal. That in itself isn't the barometer of failure that I'm leaning toward as much as our youth are more caught up in social issues that they no longer care about being a part of keeping those rights to do so sovereign.
Your failure to recognize that the US is currently in a parallel situation as Rome under the rule of Caligula, is just baffling to me.
The reason our military budget is astronomical is that their military dollars provide a windfall to far too many congressional districts and every state. This is done directly through military bases and facilities as well as contractor spending or As Eisenhower called it the military industrial complex. Shoot even. In this latest budget battle, Republicans refuse to touch the DOD budget despite the fact it’s wasteful spending is legendary. Program cost overruns are ignored and obsolete programs continue while are low ranking enlisted guys need food stamps to feed their family.
There are far more practical reasons than simply being out of shape or social issues affecting recruiting. The economy has been good and good paying jobs available. Civilian wages are much better than military wages. Military housing is inadequate, old and moldy. Congress has not allocated the money to fix this. The US has been involved in long standing going no where wars and then playing games with Vet benefits. Even now, military promotions are being held up for 1 Senator’s political reasons. That affects every officer down the chain of command who can’t get promoted because his boss hasn’t. TV commercials like the always running Camp LeJeune poisoned water lawsuits don’t help.
My nephew just got out of the marines. He planned to be there for his career. He lasted 2 enlistments. One of the reasons he got out, and you won’t like this, wasn’t the “woke” military but the evangelical, right wing, extreme conservative turn of the military. Call it thr Fox News mentality. It has become prevalent among officers and senior enlisted people. If you don’t follow their beliefs you don’t have much of a future. And my nephew comes from a multi generational conservative military family. He wanted to serve his entire life. If asked he advises others to avoid military service, esp the marines, at all costs.
Fueled by the pursuit of greatness.
