# What's wrong about a lethal military? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 2, 2025, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584 "2025-10-02T02:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/111 "2025-10-05T13:47:08Z")
I think the demographics of the United States mean that you can’t maintain the military at current staffing levels if all members are white men only. Perhaps their fantasy is white men only at the general officer level? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/112 "2025-10-05T13:53:29Z")
They have no intention of maintaining current staffing levels. They want to dramatically reduce our overseas presence, axe whole policy divisions that they consider too woke, and eliminate whole capabilities that they don’t consider masculine enough. ---
**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:** [October 5, 2025, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/113 "2025-10-05T13:57:57Z")
Didn’t the Army know that when they performed that birthday parade it was virtually the same as _Office Space_ where everyone had to go in front of the Bobs and re-apply for their jobs? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/114 "2025-10-05T15:42:05Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > eliminate whole capabilities that they don’t consider masculine enough. Like drone pilots. Bunch of wimps. Putin has likely told Trump to eliminate these, because obviously, drones will never be of any use in future wars. Putin is our friend. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/115 "2025-10-05T15:51:59Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I think the demographics of the United States mean that you can’t maintain the military at current staffing levels if all members are white men only. Perhaps their fantasy is white men only at the general officer level? Or perhaps the fantasy is drafting large numbers of white men to fill out the ranks. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/116 "2025-10-05T16:04:47Z")
My guess is that the MAGA base will _hate_ that. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/117 "2025-10-05T16:11:44Z")
Given their track record, if Trump says it’s good they’ll suddenly decide it’s the best thing ever. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/118 "2025-10-05T16:53:08Z")
> [@On another topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/1023706/14): > > But should the military be interested in that in the first place? It’s not an academic setting. Next time YOU fly an F111 you tell me it doesn’t take serious training. You know ‘academics’ ---
**Author:** ![Dissonance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/85f322/32.png) [@Dissonance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dissonance)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/119 "2025-10-05T22:23:37Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > driving a tank Just in the interests of fighting ignorance, the job of a tank driver isn’t limited to just driving the tank. Tanks require a lot of daily maintenance, and we’re talking about something that weights 70 tons with a crew of 4. Everyone has to help with maintenance. Which runs the gamut of the relatively easy like loading shells into the magazine, when there are 40 shells each weighing between 18-25kg, all the way to even more fun activities like replacing a track section when a track gets thrown. > **[Sullivan Cup Day 1, Breaking Track](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbFh8lY_z5U%2F)** > > Competitors will need to replace an eight block section of track in the fastest time possible. That said, Hegseth’s “fat generals and admirals” comment was asinine horseshit and him trying to show off what he imagines is his Alpha-maleness. If there is any position in the military that doesn’t have physical fitness as a job requirement, its high command. By Hegseth’s standards, Norman Schwartzkopf would have been kicked out of the Army for being a fatty. And Winfield Scott, the man who devised the winning strategy in both the Mexican-American and US Civil War would definitely have been thrown out on his ass, he weighed 300 pounds. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/120 "2025-10-05T22:53:41Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > They are looking for _white male_ soldiers. Clean-shaven, strong, low body fat white male soldiers… …hmmm 😏 Pete? Anything you want to share? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/123 "2025-10-06T00:20:22Z")
I’m going to leave this open for now. But the Trock is gone. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584/124 "2025-10-06T19:05:53Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Or perhaps the fantasy is drafting large numbers of white men to fill out the ranks. Nah, just lower the standards, particularly for education and minimum scores on tests like the ASVAB, so Cletus and his cousin/son Cletus Jr. qualify. After all, hypocrisy is only a liberal lefty concern. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-wrong-about-a-lethal-military/1023584.md?page=5)