You wonder if we were ever forced into a true shooting war with a Russia or China would some of this end. There are numerous stories of ineffectual desk jockey generals who climbed through the ranks during the interwar years by being politically correct. Once the shooting started men like MacArthur, Patton, LeMay, Halsey and others were soon found languishing in backwaters and put into leadership roles because we needed men who could fight not kiss butt. The problem is in a new war will we have the time to effect that wholesale change? We lost a lot of good men early in WWII because of the leadership of the 30’s.
We face the similar challenges today. Recognizing that makes it imperative to immediately change military leadership. There are something like three to four times the number of four star generals and admirals today than there were in WWII. Under them is a bloated bureaucracy in both rank and function that is not needed. The military needs to rightsized. Our national security needs to be laser focused only on tangible threats to American interests. Focus is one key to strength and competence. We cannot afford from either a dollar or security standpoint to be less than focused on real threats to national sovereignty and interests. Anything else dilutes our strength, makes us weak, wastes tax dollars, and positions America to be bullied and/or defeated.