Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia
On Monday, a shocking new report revealed that half of U.S. armed forces service members want to quit because of the policies and poor leadership of President Donald Trump and his officials. Experts warn that the situation has become a full-blown “readiness crisis” that reduces the country’s military capabilities.
According to Military.com, a poll conducted by Common Defense “found that 53 percent of active-duty service members want to separate from service sooner because they said the military is becoming more politicized.” The survey revealed that 45 percent of service members are considering quitting specifically because of policy changes and uncertainty under the Trump administration, and that “67 percent agree that decisions affecting service members are being made for political gain, not mission readiness, compared to 25 percent who disagreed.” These findings come amid Trump’s ongoing conflict with Iran, and as the president considers resuming an all-out war following this week’s midterm elections.
"Veterans know what real leadership looks like: you take care of the people under your command and you keep politics out of the mission," said Jose Vasquez, U.S. Army veteran and executive director of Common Defense. "Right now, nearly 8-in-10 veterans and military families say they're being left behind, and active-duty troops are telling us that politicization is pushing them toward the exit. That's not a talking point; it's a readiness crisis.”
And service members have not been shy about admitting which leaders they blame. According to the poll, “Roughly 50 percent of veterans and active-duty service members said they disapproved of Trump as commander-in-chief, while 47 percent said they approved of him. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had a similar approval rating. Roughly 45 percent of respondents said they approved of him, while 50 percent said they disapproved. Another 56 percent said they approved of senior uniformed military commanders, such as top generals and admirals, while 27 percent said they disapproved.”
Over the course of the past two years, Hegseth has been responsible for major military shakeups, prioritizing emphasis on culture war issues while ousting top generals and other leaders with a lifetime of service under their belts. Last week brought another example, when Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia, a highly regarded officer and combat veteran, was fired from his position as Joint Staff Director of Strategy over leaking accusations.
According to the New York Times, “The general’s dismissal shocked and angered many current and retired senior Army officers. They described him as a loyal officer who had served bravely in combat and thought deeply about how the military needed to adapt and embrace new technology to fight future wars.”
As the Times notes, “Hegseth has dismissed or sidelined more than 80 generals and admirals, or about 10 percent of the force. In most cases those officers were fired without being told the reason.” At the same time, reporting has revealed that under Trump and Hegseth’s leadership, the military’s ability to respond to threats has been greatly diminished by depleted munition stockpiles and other failings, while the war in Iran has spiraled into a disaster of historic proportions.
Reprinted with permission from AlterNet
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