Military Minute 9 Jan 24

I’m Papa Penguin and welcome back to your Military Minute.

The Space Force and Air Force are looking to more folks to Ranger school. In the piece I just mention Space Force and not the Air Force. In my defense it sounds much cooler to be a Space Ranger than it does to be an Air Force Ranger.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/08/wanted-airmen-and-guardians-urged-apply-grueling-army-ranger-school.html

The SECDEF recently had elective surgery for prostate cancer. He had complications and got readmitted. He was in the hospital for 4 days before the White House or Congress were notified. This is the guy who is part of the nuclear football protocols and knows about little green men at Area 51. And he was out of circulation for half a week before anyone saw fit to tell the President or Congress! This is a problem.

Instead of taking the Pentagon and the SECDEF taking their well earned lumps, they are point blame at subordinates. Not a good look for the head of the DoD. And it certainly sends a message to subordinate leaders of don’t accept responsibility, assign blame.

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/08/inside-pentagons-failure-notify-white-house-congress-of-defense-secretarys-hospitalization.html

Lastly, we have another tragedy at a VA clinic. A couple of veterans with serious mental health issues needed care and couldn’t get it. Even the staff at the clinic recognized there was a serious issue with staffing. Guess how well senior folks listened to their concerns….

People talk about systematic this and systematic that nowadays. The VA is systematically broken
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/01/08/staff-warned-about-lack-of-psychiatric-care-va-clinic-they-couldnt-prevent-tragedy.html