A Weak Military

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By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

Recently, an event I was scheduled to speak at was canceled.  The nearby military base, which participates each year in the festivities of the annual fundraiser that focuses on recognizing the sacrifices and hard work of women in the military, and wives of active duty spouses, withdrew their color guard, and the high-ranking officer that provides a few words and attends each year was told if he attended he must not wear his uniform, nor verbalize that he was active duty in the military, nor could he indicate his rank.  Ticket sales plummeted, as well, as ticket holders from the base decided to cancel their orders.  The reason?  Because I was supposed to be the speaker.

I have not revealed in this article the names of the base, the branch of service the base is connected to, the name of the affair that had been planned, nor who the organizers were because I do not want a backlash against the command that made the decision because they are too woke to be connected to in any way with a Jeffersonian-minded constitutionalist.  The way to fix our problem is not to go around poking each other in the chest, or acting like some punk on the street with his chest stuck out, throwing threats around, as he prepares to take a swing.

The incident does, however, reveal to us how far into the insanity our military has dropped.  I served in the Armed Forces during the eighties, all during the four years of President Reagan’s second term in office.  I had plenty of opportunities to go to college, but I decided not to take advantage of those blessings afforded to me.  My path wound up leading me, instead, to an enlistment in the United States Navy.  For me, a brash and immature young man, military service was exactly what I needed.  It was strict, hard work, and taught me disciplines that I was aware of, but refused to implement into my life.  In short, the military had a very significant impact on who I am today and my journey to become the man I needed to be.

Since my time in the Navy it seems that the military has softened, becoming a weaker version of itself as it succumbs to outside influences, and political pressure.  In short, the Democrats and their new “woke” narrative have dang-near ruined our military.

Under Democrat U.S. Presidents in the past, the goal by them seemed to always be to do what they could to reduce the strength of America’s military.  To make our fighting force less ready, and render it less capable of successfully responding to the threats we face as a country.  To make us more dependent upon global cooperation with other countries who, to be frank, desire the destruction of the System of Liberty America enjoys.

The Heritage Foundation recently released its 2023 edition of their Index of Military Strength, and for the first time in its nine years of publication, Heritage’s Index of U.S. Military Strength rates our military as “weak.”

According to Heritage: “Our military is at significant risk of not being able to meet the demands of a single major regional conflict while attending to various presence and engagement activities.”

Every branch was found to be in poor shape, from the Marine Corps to the Army.

“Enemies at the gate: The erosion of our military’s readiness and capabilities across all branches is made all the more perilous by the fact that our enemies are growing stronger and stirring up trouble, from the nuclear threat in North Korea to Russia’s and China’s aggressive expansions.  As the Wall Street Journal puts it, ‘The Heritage report is a warning that you can’t deter war, much less win one, on the cheap.’”

I used to recommend to young men to enlist or pursue becoming an officer in the military.  Military service has always been good for young men and fulfills the desire in some of them to carry out their patriotic duty to their country.

I don’t make those recommendations, anymore.  I am saddened at the damage the progressive left has inflicted on our once proud and strong armed forces.

We need to pray for our country, and our military, and we need to take action to make sure the enemy’s grip on our ability to defend ourselves as a country is removed, and that patriots who understand the necessity of a strong military (peace through strength) regain control of the reins.

– Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary