# Hegseth calls all of the top military brass together for an in person meeting **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [September 26, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409 "2025-09-26T02:40:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/121 "2025-09-30T12:53:56Z")
Live-streaming now. No more DEI focus. Go after troops bitching anonymously online. Cut out the nonessential education. Tougher boot camp “they can put their hands on recruits,” ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/122 "2025-09-30T13:02:19Z")
And of course “no more rules of engagement. You break things and kill people for a living.” https://www.youtube.com/embed/4JoacW7woBY?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RD4JoacW7woBY ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/123 "2025-09-30T13:04:26Z")
Will be interesting to see how quickly and thoroughly details leak out, especially following the Pentagon’s recent desire for a media loyalty pledge. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/124 "2025-09-30T13:11:29Z")
What’s old is new again??? > **[Tailhook scandal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailhook_scandal)** > > The Tailhook scandal was a military scandal in which United States Navy and Marine Corps aviation officers were alleged to have assaulted up to eighty-three women and seven men, or otherwise engaged in "improper and indecent" conduct at the Las Vegas Hilton in Las Vegas, Nevada. The events took place at the 35th Annual Tailhook Association Symposium from September 5 to 8, 1991. The event was subsequently abbreviated as "Tailhook '91" in media accounts. > The alleged sexual assaults mainly occu... Asking for a friend. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/125 "2025-09-30T13:25:33Z")
Woodrow Wilson’s secretary of war Josephus Daniels called for “Every battleship a university,” But screw that. We’re focused on war now. Who wouldn’t enlist for that? One night in 1956 a drunken DI came back to the barracks at Parris Island and marched his company into the swamp, killing more Marines than the Spanish army had in 1898. Who wouldn’t enlist for that? I happened to watch some of John Wayne’s No Substitute for Victory the other day. There is an ignorant belief that we lost in Vietnam and Iraq and Afghanistan while we won in Germany and Japan because (and simply because) we could kill every German and Japanese until any German and Japanese wouldn’t fight back. Now it’s Trump’s turn to go on. And on and on… ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/126 "2025-09-30T13:37:02Z")
I’ve never been in the military and won’t pretend to have any deep understanding of the culture. But just as a purely logistical concern… So you don’t want any “fat generals”. OK. The really smart officer who runs a very high tech department.. something to do with cryptography or missile trajectories… They can’t do five pull-ups, or whatever. So now they’re gone. Anyone want to explain to me how this helps anybody except our military adversaries? I admire professionalism and the military folk I know have a lot of it. But when will they say very simply and publicly, “These people don’t know what they’re doing, they’re cowards and nobody should follow them anywhere.” ??? I suppose Mark Milley did so, very politely, and it didn’t make much impact. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/127 "2025-09-30T13:39:24Z")
Why comment on Trump’s cognitive decay? _Res ipsa loquitor_ And boy, is the loquitorin’ ugly! ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/128 "2025-09-30T13:57:43Z")
For too large a swath of the country, DJT’s insanity has been thoroughly and unbelievably normalized. But I am agape and aghast watching this idiotic, narcissistic media whore _blow_ himself in front of our nation’s top military brass and the world. And he _really_ seems to have found himself his own personal Theodor Morell: > **[Theodor Morell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodor_Morell)** > > Theodor "Theo" Karl Ludwig Gilbert Morell (22 July 1886 – 26 May 1948) was a German medical doctor known for acting as Adolf Hitler's personal physician. Morell was well known in Germany for his unconventional treatments. He assisted Hitler daily in virtually everything he did for several years and was beside Hitler until the last stages of the Battle of Berlin. Hitler granted Morell high awards, enabling the latter to become a multi-millionaire through business deals with the Nazi government, ... This is truly unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/129 "2025-09-30T14:09:37Z")
I remain flabbergasted, and dumbfounded that this Hegseth, just knowing what little we really know of him, would be entrusted with this department. It’s insanity that they were so intent on satisfying trump’s every diseased whim that they would give him the keys. The clearer thinking brass have to be experiencing all kinds of anxiety about now. ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/130 "2025-09-30T14:30:26Z")
I remember thinking about this when he was nominated. I think I would like to experience, at least once in my life, what it’s like to walk around with such an inflated sense of self, such complete arrogance, and such little self-awareness of my own flaws, that I could credibly think to myself, “yeah. Despite no prior experience or relevant qualifications, I can run the Department of Defense.” I mean - I’d probably be an unbearable ass for as long as that lasted, but I’d love to know what it feels like. I’m trying to imagine a U.S. President asking me to take any Cabinet position. It would take every ounce of self-control for me to _not_ respond, “are you out of your f#%king mind?!?” ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/131 "2025-09-30T14:43:34Z")
_loquitur_, ¿no? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/132 "2025-09-30T14:50:23Z")
If I was Kegbreath, I’d be keeping my head down and my mouth shut, knowing that it was a miracle that I ever landed a gig like that and would do whatever it took to keep the job. This shitty podcaster is being chauffeured around and flying in his jet like an entitled prick. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/133 "2025-09-30T16:38:02Z")
He’s doing the only thing he knows how to do: Put on a show that appeals to the rubes. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/134 "2025-09-30T16:58:53Z")
As Lincoln said, for those that like that sort of thing, that’s the sort of thing they like. I don’t get the no beard requirement or physical fitness requirements for generals. Would Kegsbreath have fired Eisenhower if he couldn’t do 20 pushups on demand? It the primary asset of an individual is his mind and experience, who cares if he can do a mile run in blazing heat? ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/135 "2025-09-30T17:04:29Z")
I’m not sure I’m with you on that one. Having once been a troop, it there are fitness and appearance standards for troops, everyone in the chain of command had better meet them. Anything else leads to serious discipline and morale problems. Also, making the senior troops meet the same standards as everyone else, helps to keep things from getting too out of hand. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/136 "2025-09-30T17:06:17Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > Having once been a troop, it there are fitness and appearance standards for troops, everyone in the chain of command had better meet them. Does that include the Secretary of ~~Defense~~ War, and the Commander-in-Chief? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/137 "2025-09-30T17:06:34Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I don’t get the no beard requirement Some African-Americans (and others) get nasty razor bumps if they shave too often. It is a known medical condition, and this new requirement is a known and open attempt at racial discrimination. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/138 "2025-09-30T17:07:19Z")
No. They are not troops, by definition. Civilian control of the military is pretty fundamental. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/139 "2025-09-30T17:12:21Z")
When I was in, back in the early '80s you could get a special waiver if you had that condition, but there was always some asshole in the chain of command who would give people guff about it. That nonsense lightened up when we got a black officer over our unit. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409/140 "2025-09-30T17:13:56Z")
They’ve removed those waivers, government by asshole. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hegseth-calls-all-of-the-top-military-brass-together-for-an-in-person-meeting/1023409.md?page=8)