[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Mattis has been the biggest disappointment of the Trump administration, IMHO. I know there is a monumental amount of work to be done, much of it behind the scenes, but as of yet the military doesn't seem significantly more focused on effectiveness and less focused on left-wing politics than it did under Obama -- this incident being case in point.

I don't quite understand how not signing an unofficial, purely ceremonial and utterly trivial item can be unlawful? As there is no requirement or obligation involved at all, how can the officer in question be charged for refusing to sign? If it was merely the fact that it became known that his signature wasn't on the card because the guy was gay, just imagine the precedent that sets -- he didn't sign the greeting card because I'm gay. He also didn't smile at me in the hallway the other day, must also be because I'm gay. Let's get him up on charges for that too.

[amihow]

Social connservatism runs deep only in the pure of heart. Mattis a hard heart?

[5th MEB]

PLEASE USE THE WORD “QUEER”.
These perverts are NOT GAY, they ARE QUEER, as in HOMO.

[sargon]

Mattis has been the biggest disappointment of the Trump administration, IMHO. I know there is a monumental amount of work to be done, much of it behind the scenes, but as of yet the military doesn't seem significantly more focused on effectiveness and less focused on left-wing politics than it did under Obama -- this incident being case in point.

That's just not true. The President and Secretary of Defense have undertaken significant measures to enhance effectiveness in the field.

One of the most important steps was a complete rewriting and repudiation of the absurd Obama-era rules of engagement, allowing our warriors to take the fight to the Enemy without being hamstrung by impractical, tentative, and dangerous limits on their activity.

Another thing that has been done is to place much more authority and discretion in the hands of commanders on the ground, instead of having bureaucratic brass higher up micro-managing everything.

So, while some of the PC elements you're complaining about do still persist, it's simply inaccurate to claim that tangible measures haven't been taken to increase both the effectiveness and security of our soldiers on the ground.

Just look at the progress that has been made against ISIS in the nine months since President Trump assumed office. The improvement is unmistakable...