By Lt. Colonel Allen West
The motto of the U.S. Army is “This We’ll Defend.” In the modern Armed Services of the U.S. military, we all take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America. That is what separates our military from all others in the world–the oath that we take. And truthfully, for us as veterans, that oath should never cease.
Our military is charged with being the guardians of our constitutional republic, the instrument of protecting our national security. They stand, and many of you reading this missive have stood, on freedom ramparts, on watch, on patrol, Semper Paratus (Always Ready) to answer the call when our Nation needs.
However, today there is a growing concern about the preparedness, and indeed focus, of our current military. The recent news that our military is not meeting recruitment goals is very disconcerting. We have heard of this before, post-Vietnam War, when many were concerned with the all-volunteer force. But, this current episode of a drop in recruitment stems from a very different reason.
Our young men and women are not favorable to joining up with a “woke” military that is advancing progressive socialist ideological agendas that are anathema to the military culture.
First, consider the issue of discharging members of the military for refusing to get the COVID “jab.” Those of us who have served know very well that before deployments into certain regions there were vaccines one had to take because of specified diseases. However, the COVID vaccine being forced upon members of the military is an experimental vaccine that does not adhere to the military’s own guidelines.
There was not a major readiness risk to our military from a virus that has a 99.5% recovery rate. Members of the military were, in fact, at less risk than the general population because they do not possess the same comorbidities, such as obesity and heart disease, and they are not elderly. Matter of fact, evidence has shown more military members having adverse reactions, especially heart issues, due to the jab. And now we know that the vaccines did not prevent COVID.
Yet, our civilian and senior military leadership has discharged highly qualified troops and denied religious exemptions. There have been some 6,000 active duty troops dismissed, some under threat of a dishonorable discharge, along with some 60,000 National Guard troops who are having their pay and benefits cut, all because they have refused the shot–talk about coercive tactics.
And we all know that the whole vaccine mandate edict arose during the debacle in Afghanistan. Afghanistan will go down as the greatest strategic, operational, and tactical blunder in the history of the United States. The loss of life for thirteen Marines, sailors, and Soldiers did not have to happen. The fact that we restored to power the very people our men and women had fought so hard to remove from the battlefield was a slap in the face to those who served in Afghanistan…and sent a message to those who would want to join our military.
What may be the biggest reason why we are not seeing our armed forces meet recruitment goals must be the infiltration of cultural Marxism into the military. The fact that critical race theory has found its way into our armed services is highly disturbing. How can one build a cohesive fighting force when telling one group they are oppressors and the other they are oppressed?
Along with that, the recent video from the U.S. Navy addressing the use of proper pronouns is unconscionable. I thought it was a Babylon Bee spoof. Combine that with the drive towards the gender dysphoria wokeness where servicemembers are allowed to determine what gender they want on their ID card and must be addressed as such. And just recently, the Secretary of Defense, someone with whom I served at Ft. Bragg, declared that troops just have to get used to gender dysphoric troops in bathroom facilities with them, even though they have not undergone any transition…and yes, the American taxpayer is paying for these transitions.
That is correct, female troops must shower with biological males in the military. Our military is being used as a project of leftist social engineering.
All of this is coming when our number one geo-political foe, China, has launched its third aircraft carrier. This is happening when America has its smallest Navy fleet in its modern history. We have gone from President Reagan’s 600-ship Navy down to under 300. We have had more designated illegal immigrant “got aways” in America over the past 18 months than we have active duty Soldiers and Marines currently serving!
Once upon a time in America young men who were not of age were lying to serve their Nation. Today we find ourselves in a situation in America where the recruitment base does not meet the minimal standards to serve this Nation in uniform. This has led current military leadership to waive high school diploma requirements.
I am witnessing all of this happen with a broken heart. In my family, there has been a long line of men who have served this Nation. Our family legacy of service started with my dad in World War II, my older brother who was a Marine infantryman (oops, can’t say infantryman anymore), my 22 years of service, and my nephew who currently is serving as a Lieutenant Colonel. Even in our extended family, that legacy exists–my Father-in-Law served in the Army for 24 years with two tours of duty in Vietnam. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Our oldest daughter’s husband served 13 years in the US Army Reserve, and as I write this piece, our youngest daughter’s husband is at Army Basic training in Ft. Jackson South Carolina. He will graduate at the end of July.
Why do we see these disturbing things happening in our military? Perhaps it is because some 45-50 years ago, the percentage of Members of Congress who had served in our military was over 70%. Today that percentage is down around 17-18%. Once upon a time, this Nation didn’t consider someone to be President who had never served our Nation in uniform, that was the model created by our first General and President, George Washington.
Our military serves a greater and higher purpose for this Nation, the profit margin is not in dollars but lives. The military does not take an oath to a person or a political party, or political ideology. If we continue down that path, the threat to our national security grows exponentially.
And the glee of our enemies grows by the same measure.
Today, our Nation needs its Veterans more than ever to stand, speak up, and continue to support and defend our Constitution. That is why the American Constitutional Rights Union has the Committee to Support and Defend. We need more of our Veterans who embrace their oath, continuing their service in other aspects of our Constitutional Republic. Our call to serve never ends!
Steadfast and Loyal.