It seemed more like a Saturday Night Live skit than stark reality. Picture 800 accomplished generals and admirals, leaders who rose through the ranks over their professional lifetimes to command the world’s greatest military forces, all gathered in one room. They have been summoned from strategic military posts around the world. On the stage lecturing to them is Secretary of Defense Brian “Pete” Hegseth, a former National Guard major, volunteer warrior, and Bronze Star recipient who rose to become a mouthpiece on Fox and Friends Weekend.
“It’s completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon and leading commands around the country and the world, it’s a bad look,” Hegseth says. “So whether you’re an Airborne Ranger or a chair-borne Ranger, a brand new private or a four-star general, you need to meet the height and weight standards and pass your PT test.” There is no PT test, so Hegseth announces he is creating one. “Today, at my direction, every member of the joint force at every rank is required to take a PT test twice a year, as well as meet height and weight requirements twice a year, every year of service.” “It all starts with physical fitness and appearance,” he says. “If the Secretary of War (himself) can do regular, hard PT, so can every member of our joint force.” In America, the leader of our joint force is the commander-in-chief. Right after Hegseth’s fitness speech out walks our protuberant, overweight Commander-in-Chief Donald J. Trump. A bad look Pete? Not to be outdone, the president, who did not comment on his physical fitness, had his own surreal moment.
The generals and admirals sat stoically with their hands clasped during and at the end of Hegseth’s 45-minute oration. The lack of applause caught Trump’s attention. That is not the sort of audience he likes. So he begins with this: “I never walked into a room so silent before. (Laughter) If you want to applaud you applaud. And if you want to … do anything you want, you can do anything you want. If you don’t like what I’m saying you can leave the room. And there goes your rank, there goes your future.” (Laughter) He got them to laugh, but after an hour of rambling, self-adulating, anti-Biden remarks there is no applause. Watch on YouTube and see if you would applaud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhGeNPJlIK4 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” – Romans 2:12. Crawford is an author and syndicated columnist from Jackson.
56 comments:
Bill, it’s still WAY BETTER than any tranny in obama blue lecturing about bullshit dei
SNL sux and it’s attempt to stay relevant is lame
These are this blogs people. Good luck
with the previous 4 years administration, who put men in dresses who believed they were women, how sure are you that there truly was 800 accomplished generals.......and frankly, you comment on the presidents fitness, did we all simply miss your commentary on the previous occupant of the white house?
The gathering was cover for another meeting.
Crawford, you may want to write this down: Get a life!
In Crawford's mind Dick Levine was a fine leader.
“It’s Pat” snl skit was the BEST!!
Bill reminds me of Pat
What irritates the Left is not so much what Trump does so much as it how Trump says it.
The generals needed to hear what they heard. Leadership starts from the top down, not bottom up. Every person sitting in that audience should meet the very standard they push on everyone else. I agree with him, get with the program or step aside.
He has an interesting personal history which includes 3 marriages and 7 children ( 3 biological and 4 step- children). His " Deus vult " ( a phrase of Crusaders in Pope Urban's religious in the 11th century) is a tattoo often seen on neo-Nazis and White Supremacists and Biden didn't want to see that paraded. That it didn't occur to Hegseth that such a tattoo might not be helpful to a political career and that he didn't remove it is puzzling. His military career is also an unusual not trajectory with more "service" than "combat" and I don't see that he has any combat V's only clusters but like other things in his bio. He was approved by a single vote.
As for me, I would prefer am always sober Sec of War with actual combat experience and better yet, a graduate of a military academy who also learns strategy and military history.
That some of you assume anyone who isn't MAGA is a leftist is a sign of your ignorance. Also , you assume that the 1% of the population who are gender confused constitutes a serious national issue and think those under 18 can get surgery without their parent's permission. Are you clueless to believe such nonsense.
Frankly, I think the extremists in both parties are nuts and would like to return to the time that being rational and not being a convicted felon and not having a unstable personal history was key to getting elected.
Deus Vult is Latin for “God Wills It”
Make that clear whenever you say democrats don’t like something. We all know what democrats don’t like. That is God, Family, Christians, and White men. And they also consider focusing on those things to be White supremacy.
Because everyone else can focus on supporting their religion, family, race, culture, etc., except White Christians.
I get the fact most generals are in their 60's and spend the day holding down a desk. Leadership is lead by example. Why does a young PFC have to maintain a standard that his superior does not. Ive seen Marines discharged because they couldn't maintain height and weight standards. Having the generals and admirals stay in shape is only right. Accountability is needed. Name a previous SecDef that could pt with active duty soldiers.
I also question why do we have so many generals and admirals? How many of those are dei promoted?
Pete Hegseth has done what has been needed in the military, end of dei, no more beards, dudes in skirts and no more fat generals/admirals. Its high time the military returns to a show of strength.
@9:17 Your side lost. So your opinion is irrelevant. Same with Bill’s. This is what we, the winners, voted for. You have no say. Go sit down.
They still live in the Biden administration
Good now all the support rates, chairborne rangers, and other members of the Chair Force can get some quality PT time in.
It's tough maintaining my height. Any advice?
A fat columnist attacks a fit departmental leader who sends a wise message to a fat audience.
Thank you!
The role of a 19 year old infantryman and a 60 year old general are different. Don’t discount decades of actual war experience simply due to belt line.
Just because a general doesn’t have steroid veins bulging from his forehead doesn’t mean his war experiences are suddenly worthless.
This stunt is the kind of stuff the left is going to use against the right and Trump. They can try Jerrymanding in every state, they are still going to lose the House in the mid/terms. The senate is going to get tighter too.
Billy: YOU are an example of what plagues our military and what this administration is trying to overcome. However, as a liberal democrate you should think that way.
It’s a tough time right now for the military industrial complex. Our ballistic missile defense systems have proven ineffective against hypersonic weapons in Israel and Ukraine. Our tanks are rolling coffins in Ukraine. All of our stealth aircraft are easily detectable now. And every third world country can build drones as good or better than ours. Plus, China could sink our carrier groups in the Sea of Japan and the Philippines Sea in minutes with hypersonic missiles. We are looking like a paper tiger, or maybe a paper eagle. 🦅
Let’s compare Hegseth with probably the best Secretary of Defense we’ve ever had, General George C. Marshall. Gen. Marshall was a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, and was the first and still only VMI cadet to graduate without ever receiving a single demerit. Decorated during the First World War, head of the infantry school, and probably the most important American general during the Second WW. The only soldier to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. In ‘44 he was 64 years old, and I have to think he may have struggled with a PT test. The man was apolitical to the point that he never voted.
Hegseth was a major in the National Guard, and he bankrupted not one but two Veterans organizations. He seems to struggle with marital fidelity, and has documented issues of sexual harassment and abuse. Apparently his work as a weekend Fox News host is his primary qualification for his current job.
In other words, he couldn’t carry George Marshall’s jock in a wheelbarrow.
9:23 AM gives us the typical “its only 1%” Leftist (especially White) Democrat talking point.
Kind of like the White Democrat so-called journalist that said Venezuelan gangs had only taken over “a few” apartment complexes.
Or, there’s only a few innocent children that get murdered in pro-lawlessness Democrat controlled cities each year.
In other words, since it’s not their kids dying or suffering due to these evil leftist Democrat platforms, the Bill “Penning Away” Crawford’s and 9:23’s of this country, could not care less.
Do not judge by appearance, but judge with righteous judgment. John 7:24
You will have to choose one side of the fence eventually....and some advice: Satan owns the fence.
We don't need a Legend to save the Republic.....merely a man of conviction with competence will do.
Too many failed generals and admirals. Even ring knockers need to be called to account
... you assume that the 1% of the population who are gender confused constitutes a serious national issue ...
When you're shoving the troons down the rest of the nation's throat for, per you, only 1% of the population then yes, it is a serious national issue to regain control from the lunatics.
Sometimes I've agreed with Mr. Crawford 100% on his columns and other times I have disagreed 100%. However, I have never found a column of his disagreeable but I can not say it for this one.
Make no mistake, H is not the guy I would've picked. He didn't have any managerial or executive experience. I would've preferred someone like Cap. However, he is dead on the money in restoring the warrior culture in our military, including the Pentagon.
Mr. Crawford is more concerned with pointing out Trump is fat than he is our military. He did not say a word as standards were lowered over the last 20 years . He said nothing about the reduction of PT standards so women could qualify. When I was in AIT a long time ago, we had women coming fresh out of basic unable to run a mile because they were pencil whipped through. The use of racial quotas destroys cohesion and morale. It hurts performance in the long run as less qualified people are placed in command. Of course, he never said a word as his friend Mabus lowered training standards for the Marine Corps either. Quite a few REMFs are squawking about SecDef's speech and that's a good thing. They need it. Where is Colonel Hackworth when we need him?
Kingfish- He DOES have managerial and executive experience. He managed two veterans organizations into bankruptcy.
If you were not anonymous, I'd talk you into a five hundred dollar bet.
Not so sure about that. There are plenty of indicators that say democrats are not doing so well with their nonsense. But, you can dream about Biden taking over again. You have that right.
2:17, 100% correct.
@12:24 I'm afraid you speak the truth, or close to it. And you fail to mention that the leadership in those other countries are not comprised of idiots who focus on the name of their department or whether their top brass can still pass the fitness tests that they excelled in for a few decades. Or whether they have facial hair (except for their #2, who insists on keeping his.)
Trump as a military leader is worse than our previous failure, LBJ, who was willing to sacrifice military men like fodder as long as he had a warm place to defecate while holding conferences on passing his civil rights bills. Our current 'leader' (whatever position he currently holds - president, king, dictator, entreprenuer.... - is more interested in profiting financially for both himself and his family than actually leading the world. As long as he can bestow titles and honors on himself (kinda like his golf championships in his own clubs - just declare himself the best) as far as he is concerned to hell with the rest of the country.
KF, your diatribe missise the point, while making and addressing other good points. The failure of the military to maintain PT standards over the past decade (plus??) is truly a failure. Agreed. But to require that a 70 year old general meet the same standards that a recruit, or a Lt, or a Major - anywhere from 18 to 50 years old - is ridiculous. Generals don't have to perform the same functions as that woman Marine recruit you refer. Generals don't have to lead men (or women) into battle as do Lts and Majors. Generals don't have to fly our sophisticated aircraft or command our subs. That's not what we have them for.
Should they maintain some degree of fitness? Absolutely. But to think that the standards should be the same shows nothing but your Marine jarhead thought process is as failed as the failure we have attempting to lead the Dept of Defense while he shares confidential information to his friends and family.
Don't be afraid, show us on the doll where Trump touched you.
Wish I could buy Crawford for what he's actually worth and sell him for what he thinks he's worth.
The Dems only need 3 in the house, I predict a gain of 6, last time Trump was in office they got 40.
4:41 PM by far wins the Retard Post Award for this thread and all that I’ve read anywhere in recent memory.
If anyone wants an absolute perfect example of how beyond fried the Trump Derangement Syndrome brain is, just print our and frame 4:41’s post stating that “Trump as a military leader is worse than our previous failure, LBJ.”
You literally cannot make up this level of stupidity and it should cause cold chills down the spine of every freedom loving American knowing that 4:41 PM most likely is actually old enough to vote.
For the non-military types… the pt requirements decrease as you age. Therefore the “70 year old general vs the 18 year old pfc” argument is invalid. Body fat allowance also goes up with age.
The standards are different for age groups. They do not expect a 50 year old to meet the same PT standards as a 20 year old but you knew that.
Fair enough.
Nothing you say has any basis in reality. Trump hasn't gotten us into wars as Bush did. Remember Iraq and Afghanistan? Carter screwed the military too. Remember Desert 1? Obama continued the overseas adventures. Look at recruiting numbers under Biden. They are up now. How many soldiers did LBJ get killed? How many has Trump gotten killed? I'm waiting.
Insane rambling of TDS.
Yea, the Afghan withdrawal showed all that expertise. What was it 13 service members killed? You might not know due to the Biden Administration not talking about them.
12:48- Remember, your girl lost. Also remember, we didn't need anything more than a new president. One who could close the border down, appoint competent professionals, sweep the room and kick some ass. You sound as if you got yours kicked.
My father was a non-commissioned officer for more than 30 years. As are most lifers, he was appalled that the secretary of war was only a weekend warrior and not in the real Army. Although, he would have given Peter credit for cancelling all beards, tattoos and piercings.
That should never have been allowed to the point of obesity.
There will never be another Winston Churchill who's allowed to live and look they way he did.
Trump and his advisers correctly surmised that the top brass is not quite ready to submit to a personal loyalty oath to Donald Trump. This meeting and it's tenor is designed to bring the military leadership to that mindset without a formal oath. But make no mistake, we're close. The naysayers must first be weeded out.
He served in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. Two bronze stars, CIB, Army Commendation Medal... To belittle National Guard members is disgusting!
Mr. Crawford “did not say a word as standards were lowered” likely since it’s not his life that would be lost due to those standards being lowered.
9:33am Thanks but I knew the Latin translation. Now let's think please. It assumes that the person who "sports it" knows God's will. A bit " puffed up" don't you think? (Bible reference) It was used to force one extreme religious doctrine on everyone and used as justification to kill everyone who didn't agree with their narrow view... to burn them at the stake for being a witch or Jewish. Try to study history and actually read the Bible all the way through from start to finish so you won't look foolish.
In my 34 year Military career there is always someone you remember that made an everlasting impact on your career, Lieutenant Colonel Mark Smith, Commander of the 210th Finance Battalion of the Mississippi National Guard is one of those Leaders. In 2003 @ Fort Hood Tx I was 48 years of age, a Section Leader out of shape and could not pass the required Physical Training Test. I was instructed to do additional PT after hours. In addition I struggled to run 4 miles every morning. After several attempts during the next 3 months I passed the APFT test as required. I went from a size 37 to 33 and lost about 20 pounds. I felt like my head was cut off and put on the body of a 20 year old and I looked good in my uniform. I could not ask my Soldiers to perform tasks I could not perform. I went on to serve 10 additional years on Active Duty all because of that one push.
Retired Brigadier General Smith you will always be remembered!
Thank you for being a true LEADER.
WDavis
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