These retired officers are complete losers. The problem is that when they make it to Lt. Colonel (Commander in the Navy), nobody tells them when their ideas are stupid and they’re talking stupid. There’s no leadership, it’s all, “Yes, sir!! Right away, sir!! What a wonderful idea, sir!! You’re wonderful, sir!!” These guys need to work a few blue-collar jobs to get their heads right again.
These men literally spend years in the five-sided-puzzle-palace … thinking about advancement the whole time ….
Having spent a career in the military as an officer, I can tell you that IMHO, it is even worse than you have imagined in your post. The deep state is real and it is in every portion of government, including the military.
JoMa