“Currently the DOD has 44 four star generals with 1.2 million serving. In WW2 there were only seven 4 star generals and 21 million serving. It’s ripe for firings without replacements.”
-Pete Hegseth, The War on Warriors.” P.42.
How did Donahue last for 17 months under Trump? The entire officer corps needs to be thinned out starting with those that have already put in their 20-exceptions for the warrior types. Following orders is no excuse for putting up with the woke crap. I could see putting up with it while Biden’s in office but if my 20 ended there I wouldn’t look back. Some of the most bitter military men I’ve met were lifers just doing their time.
Retiring after 34 years is hardly “ being fired”
Some scuttle says his billet was being downgraded to 3-stars which is why it was time to pack it in
The entire DOD command staff has gotten bloated with little reform across both Dim and GOP admins. When the command staff has too many “in command” and the whole command structure has to be much leaner to be efficient and effective, it is natural that commanders at many levels will have to retire or take a rank one notch down, IF a post in the lower rank is vacant/available.
And yes, the DOD too-numerous generals, and the friends they always leak to in the media, will complain.
I spent 30 years in the USAF, the last 10 as an O6 trying to protect some semblance of unbiased professionalism in my beloved JAG Corps while seeing 80% of my superiors become woke. Made the GO-eligible list (”Screened”) for GO 3 times, never got placed in an eligible billet (White male Christian, don’cha know).
Colonel, USAF JAGC (Ret)
Thanks for the reference to Hegseth’s book, just bought it.
My son, was a Navy Captain with 25+ years and was working at the Pentagon and NSA when obummer was President and had a real shot at a promo, but could not stand the way the President was screwing with the military and took retirement.
He never talks about particulars {Top Secret} but says he doesn't regret his choice.
He is one of many officers and ncos that took an early reirement rather than serve with that man born in africa lead our country.
I understand there are some commands that did not exist 50 years ago. Things like Space force and cyber defense.
But there seems to be a lot of support commands that did not exist (at least in that form) 50 years ago. There are a lot of staff jobs, especially at the O5 and O6 level (where a lot of my classmates went for their last 4 years. It’s where my son in law is headed for his next positon.)
In the business world we would undergo a 10-15% headcount cut every 10 years or so. It’s like pruning a tree so it will produce more in the coming years.