Pentagon Prioritizes Gender Over Combat Readiness, Again
The newly unveiled Pentagon memo (via AP, June 2024 update) is a masterclass in misdirection. While the media frames this as a culture war skirmish, the real story is the military's continuing obsession with internal 'social' issues while external threats multiply. This latest tweak, permitting review of medical decisions by non-medical commanders, ironically mirrors past policy flip-flops, like
the 2017 Trump administration ban, then the Biden reversal in 2021. It’s almost as if the Pentagon operates under the maxim 'if it ain't broke, fix it until it is, then unfix it, then refix it.' One might wonder if the efficacy of a drone strike or the integrity of highly sensitive intelligence hinges on a service member's gender identity, or rather, the military's incessant need to project an
image of rigid, unquestionable 'tradition.' Perhaps if as much bureaucratic energy was spent auditing the billions in 'lost' defense spending, or scrutinizing the arms deals that fuel conflicts abroad, instead of micromanaging the uniforms of American citizens willing to serve, the national security landscape might look a touch more secure. But then, that wouldn't make for good cable news fodder,
would it?