October 5, 2025 • 46 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Michael Arry Shoe.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Well, mister Chairman, the Joint Chiefs, Generals, admirals, commanders, officers,
senior enlisted, NCOs, enlisted in, every member of our American military,
Good morning, Good morning, and welcome to the War Department.
(00:26):
Because the era of the Department of Defense is over.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You see, the.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Motto of my first platoon was those who longed for
peace must prepare for war.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
This is, of course, not a new idea. This crowd
knows that the.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Origin dates to the fourth century Rome and has been
repeated ever since, including by our first Commander in Chief,
George Washington, the first leader of the War Department. It
captures a simple yet profound truth. To ensure peace, we
might prepare for war. From this moment forward, the only
(01:04):
mission of the newly restored Department of War is this
war fighting, preparing for war, and preparing to win, unrelenting
and uncompromising in that pursuit. Not because we want war,
No one here wants war. But it's because we love peace.
(01:26):
We love peace for our fellow citizens. They deserve peace,
and they rightfully expect us to deliver it.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Our number one job.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Of course, is to be strong so that we can
prevent war in the first place. The President talks about
it all the time. It's called peace through strength, and
as history teaches us, the only people who actually deserve
peace are those who are willing to wage.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
War to defend it.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
That's why pacifism is so naive and dangerous. It ignores
human nature and it ignores human history. Either you protect
your people and your sovereignty, or you will be subservient
to something or someone.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
It's a truth as old as time.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And since waging war is so costly in blood and treasure,
we owe our republic a military that will win any war.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
We choose, or any war that is thrust upon us.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Should our enemies choose foolishly to challenge us, they will
be crushed by the violence, precision, and.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Ferocity of the War Department.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
In other words, to our enemies fa fo.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
If necessary. Our troops can translate that for you. Another
way to put it is peace through.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Strength brought to you by the warrior ethos, and we
are restoring both. As President Trump has said, and he's right,
we have the strongest, most powerful, most lethal, and most
prepared military on the planet. That is true, full stop.
Nobody can touch us. It's not even close. This is
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true largely because of the historic investments that he made
in his first term, and we will continue in this term.
But it's also true because of the leaders in this
room and the incredible troops that you all lead. But
the world, and as the chairman mentioned, our enemies.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Get a vote. You feel it, I feel it.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
This is a moment of urgency mounting urgency, enemies gather,
threats grow.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
There is no time for games. We must be prepared.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
If we're going to prevent and avoid war, we must
prepare now. We are the strength part of peace through strength,
and either we're ready to win or we are not.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
You see this urgent moment.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Of course, requires more troops, more munitions, more drones, more patriots,
more submarines, more B twenty one bombers. It requires more innovation,
more AI in everything and ahead of the curve, more
cyber effects, more counter uas, more space, more speed. America
is the strongest, but we need to get stronger and quickly.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
The time is now and the cause is urgent.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
The moment requires restoring and refocusing our devents, industrial base,
our shipbuilding industry, and on shoring all critical components. It requires,
as president Trump has done getting our allies and.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Partners to step up and share the burden. America cannot
do everything.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
The free world requires allies with real hard power, real
military leadership, and real military capabilities. Apartment is tackling and
prioritizing all of these things. And I'll be giving a
speech next month that'll showcase the speed, innovation and generational
acquisition reforms we are undertaking urgently. Likewise, the nature of
(05:14):
the threats we face in our hemisphere and in deterring
China is another speech for another day coming soon. This
speech today, as I drink my coffee, this speech today
is about people and it's about culture. The topic today
(05:38):
is about the nature of ourselves, because no plan, no program,
no reform, no formation will ultimately succeed unless we have
the right people and the right culture at the War Department.
If I've learned one core lesson in my eight months
in this job, it's that personnel is policy.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Personnel is policy.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
The best way to take care of troops is to
give them good leaders committed to the war fighting culture
of the Department.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Not perfect leaders.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Good leaders competent, qualified, professional, agile, aggressive, innovative, risk taking,
a political faithful to their oath and.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
To the Constitution.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Eugene Sledge, in his World War II memoir wrote quote,
war is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste. Combat leaves
an indelible mark on.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Those who are forced to endure it.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
The only redeeming factors are my comrade's incredible bravery and
their devotion to each other. In combat, there are thousands
of variables. As I learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
as so many of you did in so many more places.
Leaders can only control about three of them. You control
how well you're trained, mostly how well you're equipped, and
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the last variable is how well you lead. After that,
you're on your own. Our warfighters are entitled to be
led by the best and most capable leaders. That is
who we need you all to be. Even then, in combat,
even if you do everything right, you may still lose
people because the enemy always gets a vote.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
We have a sacred duty to ensure.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
That our warriors are led by the most capable and
qualified combat leaders. This is one thing you and I
can control, and we owe it to the force to
deliver it.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
For too long we have simply not done that.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
The military has been forced by foolish and reckless politicians
to focus on the wrong things. In many ways, this
speech is about fixing decades of decay, some of it obvious,
some of it hidden, Or as the Chairman has put it,
we are clearing out the debris, remove the distractions, clearing
(08:02):
the way for leaders to be leaders.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
You might say we're ending the war on warriors. I
heard someone wrote a book about that.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
For too long, we've promoted too many uniform leaders for
the wrong reasons, based on their race, based on gender quotas,
based on historics, so called firsts. We've pretended that combat
arms and non combat arms are the same thing. We've
weeded out so called toxic leaders under the guise of
double blind psychology assessments, promoting risk averse go along to
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get along conformists instead.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
You name it. The Department did it. Foolish and reckless political.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
We became the Woke Department, But not anymore.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Right now, I'm looking out at a sea of Americans
who made a choice when they were young men and
young women to do something most Americans will not, to
serve something greater than yourself, to fight for God and country,
for freedom and the Constitution. You made a choice to
serve when others did not, and I commend you.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
You are truly the best of America.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
But this does not mean, and this goes for all
of us, that our past to this auditorium on this
day was a straight line, or that the conditions of
the formations we lead are where we want them to be.
You love your country and we love this uniform, which
is why we must do better.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
We just have to be honest. We have to say
with our.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Mouths what we see with our eyes, to just tell
it like it is in plain English, to point out
the obvious things right in front of us.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
That's what leaders must do.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
We cannot go another day without directly addressing the plank
in our own eye, without addressing the problems in our
own commands and in our own formations. This administration has
done a great deal from day one to remove the
social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had
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infected our department.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
To rip out the politics.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
No more identity months, dei offices, dudes in dresses, no
more climate change worship, no more division distraction or gender delusions.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
No more debris.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
As I've said before, and we'll say again, we are
done with that shit. I've made up my mission to
uproot the obvious distractions that made us less capable and
less lethal. That said, the War Department requires the next step.
Underneath the garbage is a deeper problem and a more
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important problem that we are fixing and fixing fast. Common
sense is back at the White House, so making the
necessary changes is.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Actually pretty straightforward.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
President Trump expects it and litmus test for these changes,
It's pretty simple. Would I want my eldest son, who
is fifteen years old, eventually joining the types of formations
that we are currently wielding. If in any way the
(11:41):
answer to that is no, or even yes, but then
we're doing something wrong because my son is no more
important than any other American citizen who dons the cloth
of our nation. He is no more important than your son,
all precious souls made in the image and likeness of God.
Every parent deserves to know that their son or their
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daughter that joins our ranks is entering exactly the kind
of unit that the Secretary of War would want his
son to join.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Think of it as the Golden rule test. Jesus said,
do unto others. That's which you would.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Have done unto yourself. It's the ultimate simplifying.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Test of truth.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
The new War Department golden rule is this, do onto
your unit as you would have done onto your own
child's unit. Would you want him serving with fat or
unfit or undertrained troops, or alongside people who can't meet
basic standards, or in a unit where standards were lowered
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so certain types of troops could make it, in in
a unit where leaders were promoted for reasons other than
merit performance and war fighting.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
The answer is not just no, it's hell no.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
This means at the War Department, first and foremost, we
must restore a ruthless, dispassionate, and common sense application of standards.
I don't want my son serving alongside troops who are
out of shape, or in combat unit with females who
can't meet the same combat arms physical standards as men,
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or troops who are not fully proficient on their assigned weapons,
platform or task, or under a leader who was the
first but not the best. Standards must be uniform, gender neutral.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And high.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
If not, they're not standards, they're just suggestions, suggestions that
get our sons and daughters killed when it comes to
combat arms units, and there are many different.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Stripes across our joint force. The era of political correct overly.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Sensitive, don't hurt anyone's feelings. Leadership ends right now.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
At every level.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Either you can meet the standard, either you can do
the job. Either you are disciplined, fit and trained, or
you are out. And that's why today, at my direction,
and this is the first of ten Department of War
directives that are arriving at your commands as we speak
and in your inbox today, at my direction, each service
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will ensure that every requirement for every combat mos, for
every designated combat arms position returns to the highest male standard.
Only because this job is life or death. Standards must
be met and not just met.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
At every level. We should seek to exceed the.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Standard, to push the envelope, to compete its common sense
and core to who we are and what we do.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
It should be in.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Our DNA today, at my direction, we are also adding
a combat field test for combat.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Arms units that must be executable.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
In any environment, at any time and with combat equipment.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
These tests they'll look familiar.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
They'll resemble the Army Expert Physical Fitness Assessment or the
Marine Corps combat Fitness Test.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
I'm also directing that warfighters in combat jobs execute their
service Fitness.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Test at a gender neutral, age normed MAIL standard scored
above seventy percent. It all starts with physical fitness and appearance.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
If the Secretary of.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
War can do regular hard PT, so can every member
of our Joint Force.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Now that I use Monday service, AI makes solving tickets
my form of meditation money.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations or
really any formation and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely
unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls
of the Pentagon and.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Leading commands around the country in the world. It's a
bad look. It is bad and it's not who we are.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So whether you're an airborne ranger or a chair borne ranger,
a brand new private or a four star general, you
need to meet the height and weight standards and pass
the PT test.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And as the Chairman said, yes there is no PT.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Test, but today, at my direction, every member of the
Joint Force at every rank is required to take a
PT test twice a year, as well as meet height
and weight requirements twice a year.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Every year of service.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Also today, at my direction, every warrior across our joint
force is required to do PT every duty day.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Should be common SATs.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
I mean most units do that already, but we're codifying
and we're not talking like hot yoga and stretching.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Real hard PT.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
There's either a as a unit or as an individual
at every level, from the joint chiefs to everyone in
this room to the youngest private leaders set the standard,
and so many.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Of you do this already active guard and reserve.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
This also means grooming standards, no more beards, long hair,
superficial individual expression. We're gonna cut our hair, sha shave
our beards, and adhere to standards because it's like the
broken windows.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Theory of policing. It's like when you let the small
stuff go, the.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Big stuff eventually goes, so you have to address the
small stuff. This is on duty, in the field and
in the rear. If you want a beard, you can
join special forces. If not, then shave. We don't have
a military full of Nordic pagans, but unfortunately we have
had leaders who either refuse to call bs and enforce standards,
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or leaders who felt like they were not.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Allowed to enforce standards.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Both are unacceptable and that's why today, at my direction,
the era of unprofessional appearance is over.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
No more Beardoz.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done.
Simply put, if you do not meet the male level
physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a PT test,
or don't want to shave and look professional, it's time.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
For a new position or a new profession.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
I sincerely appreciate the proactive efforts the secretaries have already
taken in some of those areas service secretaries.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
And these directives are intended to simply accelerate those efforts.
On the topic of standards, allow me.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
A few words to talk about toxic leaders Upholding and
demanding high standards is not toxic.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Enforcing high standards not toxic. Leadership. Leading warfighters toward the goals.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Of high, gender neutral and uncompromising standards in order to
forge a cohesive, formidable, and lethal department of War is
not toxic.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
It is our duty consistent with our constitutional oath. Real
toxic leadership is endangering subordinates with low standards.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Real toxic leadership is promoting people based on immutable.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Characteristics or quotas instead of based on merit.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Real toxic leadership is promoting destructive ideologies that are an
anathema to the Constitution and the laws of nature and
Nature's God. As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence,
the definition of toxic has been turned upside down, and
we're correcting that. That's why today, at my direction, we're
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undertaking a full review of the Department's definitions of so
called toxic leadership, bullying, and hazing to empower leaders to
enforce standards without fear of retribution or second guessing. Of course,
you can't do like nasty bullying and hazing. We're talking
about words like bullying and hazing and toxic. They've been
weaponized and bastardized inside our formations, undercutting commanders and NCOs.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
No more.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Setting, achieving and maintaining high standards is what you all do.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
And if that makes me toxic, then so be it. Second.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Today, in our direction, we're ensuring that every service, every unit,
every schoolhouse, and every form of professional military education conduct
an immediate review of their standards. Now we've done this
in many places already, but today it goes across the
entire Department of War. Any place where tried and true
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physical standards were altered, especially since twenty fifteen when combat
arms standards were changed to ensure females could qualify, must
be returned to their original standard.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Other standards have been manipulated to hit.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Racial quotas as well, which is just as unacceptable. This too,
must end, merit only the President talks about it all
the time, Merit based. Here are two basic frameworks I
urge you to pursue in this process, standards I call
my staffs at all about them. The nineteen ninety test
and the E six test. The nineteen nineties test is simple,
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what were the military standards in nineteen ninety and if
they have changed, tell me why? Was it a necessary
change based on the evolving landscape of combat or was
the change due to a softening, weakening, or gender based
pursuit of other priorities. Nineteen nineties seems to be as
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good a place to start as any.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
And the E six test. Ask yourself, does what you're.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Doing make the leadership accountability and lethality efforts of an
E six or frankly an O three?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Does it make it easier or more complicated?
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Does the change in power staff sergeants, petty officers, and
tech sergeants. To get back to basics, the answer should
be a resounding yes. The E six tests or zero
three test clarifies a lot, and it clarifies quickly because
war does not care if you're a man or a woman.
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Neither does the enemy, nor does the weight of your rucksack,
the size of an artillery round, or the body weight
of a casualty on the battlefield who must be carried
this and I want to be very clear about this,
This is not about preventing women from serving. We very
much value the impact of female troops. Our female officers
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and NCOs are the absolute best.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
In the world.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
But when it comes to any job that requires physical
power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be
high and gender neutral. If women can make it excellent.
If not, it is what it is. If that means
no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it.
That is not the intent, but it could be the result,
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so be it. It will also that we mean that
weak men won't qualify because we're not playing games.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
This is combat.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
This is life or death, as we all know. This
is you versus an enemy hell bent on killing you.
To be an effective lethal fighting force, you must trust
that the warrior alongside you in battle is capable, truly
physically capable of doing what is necessary under fire. You
know this is the only standard you would want for
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your kids and for your grandkids. Apply the War Department
Golden Rule, the nineteen ninety test, and the East sixth Test,
and it's really hard to go wrong. Third, we are
attacking and ending the walking on eggshells and zero defect
command culture. A risk averse culture means officers execute not
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to lose instead of to win. A risk averse culture
means NCOs are not empowered to enforce standards. Commanders and
NCOs don't take necessary risks or make tough adjustments.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
For fear of rocking the boat or making mistakes.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
A blemish free record is what peacetime leaders covet the most,
which is the worst of all incentives.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
You.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
We as senior leaders, need.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
To end the poisonous culture of risk aversion and empower
our NCOs at all levels to enforce standards.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Truth be told. For the most part, we don't need
new standards.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
We just need to reestablish a culture where enforcing standards
is possible, and that's why today, at my direction, I'm
issuing new policies that will overhaul the IG, EO ANDMEO processes.
I call it the no more walking on eggshells policy.
We are liberating commanders and NCOs. We are liberating you.
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We are overhauling an inspector general process, the IG that
has been weaponized, putting complainers, ideologues and.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Poor performers in the driver's seat.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
We're doing the same with the Equal Opportunity and Military
Equal Opportunity policies the EO and MOO at our department,
no more frivolous complaints, no more anonymous complaints, no more
repeat complainants, no more smearing reputations, no more endless waiting,
no more legal limbo, no more side tracking careers, no
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more walking on eggshells. Of course, being a racist has
been illegal in our formations since nineteen forty eight. The
same goes for sexual harassment. Both are wrong and illegal.
Those kinds of infractions will be ruthlessly enforced. But telling
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someone to shave or get a haircut, or to get
in shape or to fix their uniform and to show
up on time or to work hard, that's exactly the
kind of discrimination we want we are not civilians. You
are not civilians. You are set apart for a distinct purpose.
So we as a department need to stop acting and
thinking like civilians and get back to basics and put
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the power back in the hands of commanders and NCOs.
Commanders and NCOs who make life and death decisions. Commanders
and NCOs who enforce standards and ensure readiness. Commanders and
NCOs who in this war department have to look in
the mirror and have to pass the Golden Rule test.
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My kids, your kids, because sons and daughters. So I
urge you all here today and those watching, take this
guidance and run with it. The core of this speech
is the ten directives were announcing today. They were written
for you. For Army leadership, for Navy leadership, for Marine
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Corps leadership, for Air force leadership, space force leadership. These
directives are designed to take the monkey off your back and.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Put you the leadership back in the driver's seat. Move
out with urgency because we have your back.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I have your back, and the Commander in Chief has
your back. And when we give you this guidance, we
know mistakes will be made.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
It's the nature of leadership.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
But You should not pay for earnest mistakes for your
entire career, and that's why today, at my direction, we're
making changes to the retention of adverse information on personnel
records that will allow leaders with forgivable, earnest or minor
infractions to not be encumbered by those infractions in perpetuity.
People make honest mistakes, and our mistakes should not define
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an entire career. Otherwise, we only try not to make mistakes,
and that's not the business we're in. We need risk
takers and aggressive leaders and a culture that supports you.
Fourth at the War Department, promotions across the Joint Force
will be based on one thing, merit color blind, gender
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neutral merit based. The entire promotion process, including evaluations of
war fighting capabilities, is being thoroughly re examined. We've already
done a lot in this area, but more changes are
coming soon. Will promote top performing officers and NCOs faster
and get rid of poor performers more quickly. Evaluations, education,
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and field exercises will become real evaluations, not box checks,
for every one of us at every level. These same
reforms happened before World War Two as well. General George
Marshall and Secretary of War Henry Stimpson did the same thing,
and we won a world war because of it. As
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it happens, when he started the job, Chairman Kane gave
me a frame and a photo to hang in my office.
A matching frame and photo hangs in his. It's a
photo of Marshall and Stimpson preparing for World War two.
Those two leaders famously kept the door open between their
offices for the entirety of the war. They worked together,
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civilian and uniform. Every single day. Chairman Kane and I
do the same. There is no daylight between us. Our
doors are always open. Our job together is to ensure
our military is led by the very best, ready to
answer the nation's call.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Fifth.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
As you have seen and the media has obsessed over,
I have fired a number of senior officers since taking
over the previous chairman, other members of the Joint Chiefs,
combatant commanders, and other commanders.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
The rationale for me has been straightforward.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
It's nearly impossible to change a culture with the same
people who helped create or even benefited from that culture,
even if that culture was created by a previous president
and previous secretary.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
My approach has been simple.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
When in doubt, assess the situation, follow your gut, and
if it's the best for the military.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Make a change.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
We all serve at the pleasure of the President every
single day, but in many ways it's not their fault.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
It's not your fault.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
As foolish and reckless as the Woke Department was, those
officers were following elected political leadership. An entire generation of
generals and admirals were told that they must parrot the
insane fallacy that quote our diversity is our strength.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Of course, we know our unity is our strength. They
had to put out dizzying.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
DEI and LGBTQI plus statements. They were told females and
males are the same thing, or that males who think
they're females totally normal. They were told that we need
a green fleet and electric tanks. They were told to
kick out Americans who refused an emergency vaccine.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
They followed civilian.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Policies set by foolish and reckless political leaders. Our job,
my job has been to determine which leaders simply did
what they must to answer the prerogatives of civilian leadership,
and which leaders are truly invested in The Woke depart
and therefore incapable of embracing the War Department and executing
(32:04):
new lawful orders.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
That's it. It's that simple.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
So for the past eight months we've gotten a good
look under the hood of our officer Corps. We've done
our best to thoroughly assess the human terrain.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
We've had to make trade offs and some difficult decisions.
It's more of an art than a science.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
We have been and will continue to be judicious but
also expeditious. The new Compass heading is clear. Out with
the Sharellis, the Mackenzie's and the Millies, and in with
the Stockdales, the schwartz Coughs, and the patents. More leadership
changes will be made of that, I'm certain, not because
(32:48):
we want to, but because we must. Once again, this
is life and death. The sooner we have the right people,
the sooner we can advance the right policies. Personnel is policy.
But I look out at this group and I see
great Americans, leaders who have given decades to our great
Republic at great sacrifice, to yourselves and.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
To your families.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
But if the words I'm speaking today are making your
heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
We would thank you for your service, but I suspect.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
I know the overwhelming majority of you feel the opposite.
These words make your hearts full. You love the War
Department because you love what you do, the profession of arms.
You are hereby liberated to be an apolitical, hard charging,
no nonsense constitutional leader that you joined the military to be.
(33:57):
We need you locked in on the M, not the D,
the E, or the not the or the die of dime.
By that, I mean the M military of the instruments
of national power.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
We have entire departments across.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
The government dedicated to diplomatic, informational and economic lines of effort.
We do the M nobody else does, and our gofos
need to master it in every domain and every scenario.
No more distractions, no more political ideologies, no more debris. Now,
of course, we're going to disagree at times. We would
(34:34):
not be Americans if we didn't. Being a leader in
a large organization like ourds ME means having frank conversations
and differences of opinion. You will win some arguments and
you will lose some arguments. But when civilian leaders issue
lawful orders we execute. We are professionals in the profession
(34:55):
of arms. Our entire constitutional system is predicated upon this understanding.
Now seems like small thing, but it's not. This includes
as well the behavior of our troops online. To that end,
I want to thank and recognize the services for their
new proactive social media policies.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
Use them. Anonymous online or keyboard complaining is not worthy
of a warrior. It's cowardice masquerading as conscience.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Anonymous unit level social media pages that trash commanders, demoralized troops,
and undermine unit cohesion must not be tolerated.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
Again. Three's E sixes six. We must train and we
must maintain.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Any moment that we are not training on our mission
or maintaining our equipment is a moment we are less
prepared for preventing or winning the next war. That is
why today at MY we are drastically reducing the ridiculous
amount of mandatory training that individuals and units must execute.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
We've already ended the most egregious.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Now we're giving you back real time, less PowerPoint briefings
and fewer online courses, more time in the motor pool,
and more time on the range. Our job is to
make sure you have the money, equipment, weapons and parts
to train and maintain, and then you take it from there.
You all know this because it's common sense. The tougher
(36:31):
and the higher the standards in our units, the higher
the retention rates in those units. Warriors want to be challenged,
Troops want to be tested. When you don't train and
you don't maintain, you demoralize, and that's when our best
people decide to take their talents to the civilian world.
The leaders who created the Woke Department have already driven
(36:53):
out too many hard chargers. We reverse that trend right now.
There is no word world in which high intensity war
exists without pain, agony, and human tragedy. We are in
a dangerous line of work. You are in a dangerous
line of work. We may lose good people, but let
(37:16):
no warrior cry out from the grave if only I
had been properly trained. We will not lose war fighters
because we fail to train, or equip them or resource them.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Shame on us.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
If we do train like your warriors' lives depend on it,
because they do. To that point, basic training is being
restored to what it should be scary, tough, and disciplined.
We're empowering drill sergeants to instill healthy fear in new recruits.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Ensuring that future war fighters are forged.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Yes they can shark attack, they can toss bunks, they
can swear, and yes they can put their hands on recruits.
This does not mean they can be reckless or violate
the law, but they can use tried and true methods
to motivate new recruits to.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Make them the warriors.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
They need to be back to basics at basic as well,
of course, and you know this basic training is not
where mission readiness should end. The nature of the evolving
threat environment demands that everyone in every job must be
ready to join.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
The fight if needed.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
A core crew of the Marine Corps is every marine
a rifleman. It means that everyone, regardless of MOS, is
proficient enough to engage an enemy threat at sea, in
the air, or in a so called rear area. We
need to ensure that every member of our uniform military
maintains baseline proficiency and basic combat skills, especially because the
(38:52):
next war, like the last, will likely.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
Not have a rear area.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Finally, as President Trump rightly pointed out when he changed
the department name, the United States has not won a
major theater war since the name was changed. To the
Department of Defense in nineteen forty seven. One conflict stands
out in stark contrast, the Gulf War.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Why Well, there's a.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Number of reasons, but it was a limited mission with
overwhelming force and a clear end state. But why do
we execute and win the Golf War the way we
did in nineteen ninety one?
Speaker 1 (39:31):
There's two overwhelming reasons.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
One was President Ronald Reagan's military build up gave an
overwhelming advantage, and two, military and Pentagon leadership had previous
formative battlefield experiences. The men who led this department during
the Gulf War were mostly combat veterans of the Vietnam War.
(39:55):
They said never again to mission creep or nebulous end states.
The same holds true today. Our civilian and military leadership
is chalk full of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who
say never again to nation building and nebulous end states.
This clear eyed view all the way in the White House,
(40:16):
combined with President Trump's military build up, postures us for
future victories if and we will and when we embrace
the War Department, and we must. We are preparing every day.
We have to be prepared for war, not for defense.
We're training warriors, not defenders. We fight wars to win,
(40:38):
not to defend. Defense is something you do all the time.
It's inherently reactionary and can lead to overuse, overreach, and
mission creep. War is something you do sparingly on our
own terms and with clear aims.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
We fight to win.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enid me.
We also don't fight with stupid rules of engagement. We
untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt,
and kill the enemies of our country. No more politically
correct and overbearing rules of engagement. Just common sense, maximum.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Lethality, and authority for war fighters. That's all I ever.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Wanted as a platoon leader, and it's all my E
six squad leaders ever wanted.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Back to that six rule.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
We let our leaders fight their formations, and then we
have their back. It's very simple, yet incredibly powerful. A
few months ago, I was at the White House when
President Trump announced his Liberation Day for America's trade policy.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
It was a landmark day.
Speaker 2 (41:50):
Well, today is another liberation day, the liberation of America's
warriors in name, indeed and inauthorities. You kill people and
break things for a living. You are not politically correct
and don't necessarily belong always in polite society. We are
(42:10):
not an army of one. We are a joint force
of millions of selfless Americans.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
We are warriors.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
We are purpose built not for fair weather, blue skies
or calm seas. We were built to load up in
the back of helicopters five tons or zodiacs in the
dead of night, in fair weather or foul, to go
to dangerous places to find those who would do our
nation harm and deliver justice on behalf of the American
(42:43):
people in close and brutal combat if necessary. You are different.
We fight not because we hate what's in front of us.
We fight because we love what's behind us. You see,
the Ivy League faculty loungers will never understand us, and
that's okay because they could never.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Do what you do. The media will.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Mischaracterize us, and that's okay because deep down they know
the reason they can do what they do is you.
In this profession, you feel comfortable inside the violence so
that our citizens can live peacefully. Lethality is our calling card,
and victory our only acceptable end state. In closing a
(43:33):
few weeks ago at our monthly Pentagon Christian Prayer service,
I recited a commander's prayer. It's a simple yet meaningful
prayer for wisdom for commanders and leaders. I encourage you
to look it up if you've never seen it, but
the prayer it ends like this, And most of all, Lord,
(43:54):
please keep my soldiers safe, lead them, guide them, protect them,
watch over them. And as you gave all of yourself
for me, help me give all of myself for them.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
And Amen.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
I have prayed this prayer many times since I've had
the privilege of being your secretary, and I will continue
to pray this prayer for each of you as you
command and lead our nation's finest. Go forth and do
good things, hard things. President Trump has your back, and
(44:34):
so do I, and you'll hear from them shortly, move
out and draw fire, because we are the War Department.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
God Speak.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
If you like the Michael Berry Show and podcast, please
tell one friend, and if you're so inclined, write a
nice review of our podcast. Comments, suggestions, questions, and interest
in being a corporate sponsor and partner can be communicated
directly to the show at our email address, Michael at
(45:10):
Michael Berryshow dot com or simply by clicking on our
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Podcast is produced by Ramon Roeblis, The King of Ding.
Executive producer is Chad Knakanishi. Jim Mudd is the creative director.
(45:35):
Voices Jingles, Tomfoolery and Shenanigans are provided by Chance McLean.
Director of Research is Sandy Peterson. Emily Bull is our
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into our production. Where possible, we give credit. Where not,
(45:57):
we take all the credit for ourselves. God bless the
memory of Rush Limbaugh. Long live Elvis, be a simple
man like Leonard Skinnard told you, and God bless America. Finally,
if you know a veteran suffering from PTSD, call Camp
Hope at eight seven seven seven one seven PTSD and
(46:23):
a combat veteran will answer the phone to provide free counseling.
The Michael Arry Shoe.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Well, mister Chairman, the Joint Chiefs, Generals, admirals, commanders, officers,
senior enlisted, NCOs, enlisted in, every member of our American military,
Good morning, Good morning, and welcome to the War Department.
(00:26):
Because the era of the Department of Defense is over.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You see, the.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Motto of my first platoon was those who longed for
peace must prepare for war.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
This is, of course, not a new idea. This crowd
knows that the.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Origin dates to the fourth century Rome and has been
repeated ever since, including by our first Commander in Chief,
George Washington, the first leader of the War Department. It
captures a simple yet profound truth. To ensure peace, we
might prepare for war. From this moment forward, the only
(01:04):
mission of the newly restored Department of War is this
war fighting, preparing for war, and preparing to win, unrelenting
and uncompromising in that pursuit. Not because we want war,
No one here wants war. But it's because we love peace.
(01:26):
We love peace for our fellow citizens. They deserve peace,
and they rightfully expect us to deliver it.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Our number one job.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Of course, is to be strong so that we can
prevent war in the first place. The President talks about
it all the time. It's called peace through strength, and
as history teaches us, the only people who actually deserve
peace are those who are willing to wage.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
War to defend it.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
That's why pacifism is so naive and dangerous. It ignores
human nature and it ignores human history. Either you protect
your people and your sovereignty, or you will be subservient
to something or someone.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
It's a truth as old as time.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
And since waging war is so costly in blood and treasure,
we owe our republic a military that will win any war.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
We choose, or any war that is thrust upon us.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Should our enemies choose foolishly to challenge us, they will
be crushed by the violence, precision, and.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
Ferocity of the War Department.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
In other words, to our enemies fa fo.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
If necessary. Our troops can translate that for you. Another
way to put it is peace through.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
Strength brought to you by the warrior ethos, and we
are restoring both. As President Trump has said, and he's right,
we have the strongest, most powerful, most lethal, and most
prepared military on the planet. That is true, full stop.
Nobody can touch us. It's not even close. This is
(03:21):
true largely because of the historic investments that he made
in his first term, and we will continue in this term.
But it's also true because of the leaders in this
room and the incredible troops that you all lead. But
the world, and as the chairman mentioned, our enemies.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Get a vote. You feel it, I feel it.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
This is a moment of urgency mounting urgency, enemies gather,
threats grow.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
There is no time for games. We must be prepared.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
If we're going to prevent and avoid war, we must
prepare now. We are the strength part of peace through strength,
and either we're ready to win or we are not.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
You see this urgent moment.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Of course, requires more troops, more munitions, more drones, more patriots,
more submarines, more B twenty one bombers. It requires more innovation,
more AI in everything and ahead of the curve, more
cyber effects, more counter uas, more space, more speed. America
is the strongest, but we need to get stronger and quickly.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
The time is now and the cause is urgent.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
The moment requires restoring and refocusing our devents, industrial base,
our shipbuilding industry, and on shoring all critical components. It requires,
as president Trump has done getting our allies and.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Partners to step up and share the burden. America cannot
do everything.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
The free world requires allies with real hard power, real
military leadership, and real military capabilities. Apartment is tackling and
prioritizing all of these things. And I'll be giving a
speech next month that'll showcase the speed, innovation and generational
acquisition reforms we are undertaking urgently. Likewise, the nature of
(05:14):
the threats we face in our hemisphere and in deterring
China is another speech for another day coming soon. This
speech today, as I drink my coffee, this speech today
is about people and it's about culture. The topic today
(05:38):
is about the nature of ourselves, because no plan, no program,
no reform, no formation will ultimately succeed unless we have
the right people and the right culture at the War Department.
If I've learned one core lesson in my eight months
in this job, it's that personnel is policy.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Personnel is policy.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
The best way to take care of troops is to
give them good leaders committed to the war fighting culture
of the Department.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
Not perfect leaders.
Speaker 2 (06:11):
Good leaders competent, qualified, professional, agile, aggressive, innovative, risk taking,
a political faithful to their oath and.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
To the Constitution.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
Eugene Sledge, in his World War II memoir wrote quote,
war is brutish, inglorious, and a terrible waste. Combat leaves
an indelible mark on.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Those who are forced to endure it.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
The only redeeming factors are my comrade's incredible bravery and
their devotion to each other. In combat, there are thousands
of variables. As I learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, and
as so many of you did in so many more places.
Leaders can only control about three of them. You control
how well you're trained, mostly how well you're equipped, and
(07:01):
the last variable is how well you lead. After that,
you're on your own. Our warfighters are entitled to be
led by the best and most capable leaders. That is
who we need you all to be. Even then, in combat,
even if you do everything right, you may still lose
people because the enemy always gets a vote.
Speaker 1 (07:22):
We have a sacred duty to ensure.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
That our warriors are led by the most capable and
qualified combat leaders. This is one thing you and I
can control, and we owe it to the force to
deliver it.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
For too long we have simply not done that.
Speaker 2 (07:39):
The military has been forced by foolish and reckless politicians
to focus on the wrong things. In many ways, this
speech is about fixing decades of decay, some of it obvious,
some of it hidden, Or as the Chairman has put it,
we are clearing out the debris, remove the distractions, clearing
(08:02):
the way for leaders to be leaders.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
You might say we're ending the war on warriors. I
heard someone wrote a book about that.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
For too long, we've promoted too many uniform leaders for
the wrong reasons, based on their race, based on gender quotas,
based on historics, so called firsts. We've pretended that combat
arms and non combat arms are the same thing. We've
weeded out so called toxic leaders under the guise of
double blind psychology assessments, promoting risk averse go along to
(08:40):
get along conformists instead.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
You name it. The Department did it. Foolish and reckless political.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Leaders set the wrong compass heading and we lost our way.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
We became the Woke Department, But not anymore.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
Right now, I'm looking out at a sea of Americans
who made a choice when they were young men and
young women to do something most Americans will not, to
serve something greater than yourself, to fight for God and country,
for freedom and the Constitution. You made a choice to
serve when others did not, and I commend you.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
You are truly the best of America.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
But this does not mean, and this goes for all
of us, that our past to this auditorium on this
day was a straight line, or that the conditions of
the formations we lead are where we want them to be.
You love your country and we love this uniform, which
is why we must do better.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
We just have to be honest. We have to say
with our.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Mouths what we see with our eyes, to just tell
it like it is in plain English, to point out
the obvious things right in front of us.
Speaker 1 (10:01):
That's what leaders must do.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
We cannot go another day without directly addressing the plank
in our own eye, without addressing the problems in our
own commands and in our own formations. This administration has
done a great deal from day one to remove the
social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had
(10:25):
infected our department.
Speaker 1 (10:27):
To rip out the politics.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
No more identity months, dei offices, dudes in dresses, no
more climate change worship, no more division distraction or gender delusions.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
No more debris.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
As I've said before, and we'll say again, we are
done with that shit. I've made up my mission to
uproot the obvious distractions that made us less capable and
less lethal. That said, the War Department requires the next step.
Underneath the garbage is a deeper problem and a more
(11:09):
important problem that we are fixing and fixing fast. Common
sense is back at the White House, so making the
necessary changes is.
Speaker 1 (11:18):
Actually pretty straightforward.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
President Trump expects it and litmus test for these changes,
It's pretty simple. Would I want my eldest son, who
is fifteen years old, eventually joining the types of formations
that we are currently wielding. If in any way the
(11:41):
answer to that is no, or even yes, but then
we're doing something wrong because my son is no more
important than any other American citizen who dons the cloth
of our nation. He is no more important than your son,
all precious souls made in the image and likeness of God.
Every parent deserves to know that their son or their
(12:03):
daughter that joins our ranks is entering exactly the kind
of unit that the Secretary of War would want his
son to join.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
Think of it as the Golden rule test. Jesus said,
do unto others. That's which you would.
Speaker 2 (12:20):
Have done unto yourself. It's the ultimate simplifying.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Test of truth.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
The new War Department golden rule is this, do onto
your unit as you would have done onto your own
child's unit. Would you want him serving with fat or
unfit or undertrained troops, or alongside people who can't meet
basic standards, or in a unit where standards were lowered
(12:47):
so certain types of troops could make it, in in
a unit where leaders were promoted for reasons other than
merit performance and war fighting.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
The answer is not just no, it's hell no.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
This means at the War Department, first and foremost, we
must restore a ruthless, dispassionate, and common sense application of standards.
I don't want my son serving alongside troops who are
out of shape, or in combat unit with females who
can't meet the same combat arms physical standards as men,
(13:22):
or troops who are not fully proficient on their assigned weapons,
platform or task, or under a leader who was the
first but not the best. Standards must be uniform, gender neutral.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And high.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
If not, they're not standards, they're just suggestions, suggestions that
get our sons and daughters killed when it comes to
combat arms units, and there are many different.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Stripes across our joint force. The era of political correct overly.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
Sensitive, don't hurt anyone's feelings. Leadership ends right now.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
At every level.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Either you can meet the standard, either you can do
the job. Either you are disciplined, fit and trained, or
you are out. And that's why today, at my direction,
and this is the first of ten Department of War
directives that are arriving at your commands as we speak
and in your inbox today, at my direction, each service
(14:32):
will ensure that every requirement for every combat mos, for
every designated combat arms position returns to the highest male standard.
Only because this job is life or death. Standards must
be met and not just met.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
At every level. We should seek to exceed the.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Standard, to push the envelope, to compete its common sense
and core to who we are and what we do.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
It should be in.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Our DNA today, at my direction, we are also adding
a combat field test for combat.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
Arms units that must be executable.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
In any environment, at any time and with combat equipment.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
These tests they'll look familiar.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
They'll resemble the Army Expert Physical Fitness Assessment or the
Marine Corps combat Fitness Test.
Speaker 1 (15:22):
I'm also directing that warfighters in combat jobs execute their
service Fitness.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Test at a gender neutral, age normed MAIL standard scored
above seventy percent. It all starts with physical fitness and appearance.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
If the Secretary of.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
War can do regular hard PT, so can every member
of our Joint Force.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
Now that I use Monday service, AI makes solving tickets
my form of meditation money.
Speaker 2 (15:52):
Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations or
really any formation and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely
unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals in the halls
of the Pentagon and.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Leading commands around the country in the world. It's a
bad look. It is bad and it's not who we are.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So whether you're an airborne ranger or a chair borne ranger,
a brand new private or a four star general, you
need to meet the height and weight standards and pass
the PT test.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
And as the Chairman said, yes there is no PT.
Speaker 2 (16:24):
Test, but today, at my direction, every member of the
Joint Force at every rank is required to take a
PT test twice a year, as well as meet height
and weight requirements twice a year.
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Every year of service.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Also today, at my direction, every warrior across our joint
force is required to do PT every duty day.
Speaker 1 (16:49):
Should be common SATs.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
I mean most units do that already, but we're codifying
and we're not talking like hot yoga and stretching.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
Real hard PT.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
There's either a as a unit or as an individual
at every level, from the joint chiefs to everyone in
this room to the youngest private leaders set the standard,
and so many.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
Of you do this already active guard and reserve.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
This also means grooming standards, no more beards, long hair,
superficial individual expression. We're gonna cut our hair, sha shave
our beards, and adhere to standards because it's like the
broken windows.
Speaker 1 (17:28):
Theory of policing. It's like when you let the small
stuff go, the.
Speaker 2 (17:30):
Big stuff eventually goes, so you have to address the
small stuff. This is on duty, in the field and
in the rear. If you want a beard, you can
join special forces. If not, then shave. We don't have
a military full of Nordic pagans, but unfortunately we have
had leaders who either refuse to call bs and enforce standards,
(17:52):
or leaders who felt like they were not.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
Allowed to enforce standards.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
Both are unacceptable and that's why today, at my direction,
the era of unprofessional appearance is over.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
No more Beardoz.
Speaker 2 (18:07):
The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done.
Simply put, if you do not meet the male level
physical standards for combat positions, cannot pass a PT test,
or don't want to shave and look professional, it's time.
Speaker 1 (18:21):
For a new position or a new profession.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
I sincerely appreciate the proactive efforts the secretaries have already
taken in some of those areas service secretaries.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
And these directives are intended to simply accelerate those efforts.
On the topic of standards, allow me.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
A few words to talk about toxic leaders Upholding and
demanding high standards is not toxic.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
Enforcing high standards not toxic. Leadership. Leading warfighters toward the goals.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Of high, gender neutral and uncompromising standards in order to
forge a cohesive, formidable, and lethal department of War is
not toxic.
Speaker 1 (19:09):
It is our duty consistent with our constitutional oath. Real
toxic leadership is endangering subordinates with low standards.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Real toxic leadership is promoting people based on immutable.
Speaker 1 (19:21):
Characteristics or quotas instead of based on merit.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
Real toxic leadership is promoting destructive ideologies that are an
anathema to the Constitution and the laws of nature and
Nature's God. As Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence,
the definition of toxic has been turned upside down, and
we're correcting that. That's why today, at my direction, we're
(19:46):
undertaking a full review of the Department's definitions of so
called toxic leadership, bullying, and hazing to empower leaders to
enforce standards without fear of retribution or second guessing. Of course,
you can't do like nasty bullying and hazing. We're talking
about words like bullying and hazing and toxic. They've been
weaponized and bastardized inside our formations, undercutting commanders and NCOs.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
No more.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Setting, achieving and maintaining high standards is what you all do.
Speaker 1 (20:19):
And if that makes me toxic, then so be it. Second.
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Today, in our direction, we're ensuring that every service, every unit,
every schoolhouse, and every form of professional military education conduct
an immediate review of their standards. Now we've done this
in many places already, but today it goes across the
entire Department of War. Any place where tried and true
(20:45):
physical standards were altered, especially since twenty fifteen when combat
arms standards were changed to ensure females could qualify, must
be returned to their original standard.
Speaker 1 (20:58):
Other standards have been manipulated to hit.
Speaker 2 (21:00):
Racial quotas as well, which is just as unacceptable. This too,
must end, merit only the President talks about it all
the time, Merit based. Here are two basic frameworks I
urge you to pursue in this process, standards I call
my staffs at all about them. The nineteen ninety test
and the E six test. The nineteen nineties test is simple,
(21:25):
what were the military standards in nineteen ninety and if
they have changed, tell me why? Was it a necessary
change based on the evolving landscape of combat or was
the change due to a softening, weakening, or gender based
pursuit of other priorities. Nineteen nineties seems to be as
(21:46):
good a place to start as any.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
And the E six test. Ask yourself, does what you're.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
Doing make the leadership accountability and lethality efforts of an
E six or frankly an O three?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Does it make it easier or more complicated?
Speaker 2 (22:04):
Does the change in power staff sergeants, petty officers, and
tech sergeants. To get back to basics, the answer should
be a resounding yes. The E six tests or zero
three test clarifies a lot, and it clarifies quickly because
war does not care if you're a man or a woman.
(22:24):
Neither does the enemy, nor does the weight of your rucksack,
the size of an artillery round, or the body weight
of a casualty on the battlefield who must be carried
this and I want to be very clear about this,
This is not about preventing women from serving. We very
much value the impact of female troops. Our female officers
(22:46):
and NCOs are the absolute best.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
In the world.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
But when it comes to any job that requires physical
power to perform in combat, those physical standards must be
high and gender neutral. If women can make it excellent.
If not, it is what it is. If that means
no women qualify for some combat jobs, so be it.
That is not the intent, but it could be the result,
(23:14):
so be it. It will also that we mean that
weak men won't qualify because we're not playing games.
Speaker 1 (23:21):
This is combat.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
This is life or death, as we all know. This
is you versus an enemy hell bent on killing you.
To be an effective lethal fighting force, you must trust
that the warrior alongside you in battle is capable, truly
physically capable of doing what is necessary under fire. You
know this is the only standard you would want for
(23:46):
your kids and for your grandkids. Apply the War Department
Golden Rule, the nineteen ninety test, and the East sixth Test,
and it's really hard to go wrong. Third, we are
attacking and ending the walking on eggshells and zero defect
command culture. A risk averse culture means officers execute not
(24:10):
to lose instead of to win. A risk averse culture
means NCOs are not empowered to enforce standards. Commanders and
NCOs don't take necessary risks or make tough adjustments.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
For fear of rocking the boat or making mistakes.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
A blemish free record is what peacetime leaders covet the most,
which is the worst of all incentives.
Speaker 3 (24:37):
You.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
We as senior leaders, need.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
To end the poisonous culture of risk aversion and empower
our NCOs at all levels to enforce standards.
Speaker 1 (24:49):
Truth be told. For the most part, we don't need
new standards.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
We just need to reestablish a culture where enforcing standards
is possible, and that's why today, at my direction, I'm
issuing new policies that will overhaul the IG, EO ANDMEO processes.
I call it the no more walking on eggshells policy.
We are liberating commanders and NCOs. We are liberating you.
(25:18):
We are overhauling an inspector general process, the IG that
has been weaponized, putting complainers, ideologues and.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Poor performers in the driver's seat.
Speaker 2 (25:29):
We're doing the same with the Equal Opportunity and Military
Equal Opportunity policies the EO and MOO at our department,
no more frivolous complaints, no more anonymous complaints, no more
repeat complainants, no more smearing reputations, no more endless waiting,
no more legal limbo, no more side tracking careers, no
(25:51):
more walking on eggshells. Of course, being a racist has
been illegal in our formations since nineteen forty eight. The
same goes for sexual harassment. Both are wrong and illegal.
Those kinds of infractions will be ruthlessly enforced. But telling
(26:13):
someone to shave or get a haircut, or to get
in shape or to fix their uniform and to show
up on time or to work hard, that's exactly the
kind of discrimination we want we are not civilians. You
are not civilians. You are set apart for a distinct purpose.
So we as a department need to stop acting and
thinking like civilians and get back to basics and put
(26:35):
the power back in the hands of commanders and NCOs.
Commanders and NCOs who make life and death decisions. Commanders
and NCOs who enforce standards and ensure readiness. Commanders and
NCOs who in this war department have to look in
the mirror and have to pass the Golden Rule test.
(26:56):
My kids, your kids, because sons and daughters. So I
urge you all here today and those watching, take this
guidance and run with it. The core of this speech
is the ten directives were announcing today. They were written
for you. For Army leadership, for Navy leadership, for Marine
(27:17):
Corps leadership, for Air force leadership, space force leadership. These
directives are designed to take the monkey off your back and.
Speaker 1 (27:26):
Put you the leadership back in the driver's seat. Move
out with urgency because we have your back.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
I have your back, and the Commander in Chief has
your back. And when we give you this guidance, we
know mistakes will be made.
Speaker 1 (27:43):
It's the nature of leadership.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
But You should not pay for earnest mistakes for your
entire career, and that's why today, at my direction, we're
making changes to the retention of adverse information on personnel
records that will allow leaders with forgivable, earnest or minor
infractions to not be encumbered by those infractions in perpetuity.
People make honest mistakes, and our mistakes should not define
(28:08):
an entire career. Otherwise, we only try not to make mistakes,
and that's not the business we're in. We need risk
takers and aggressive leaders and a culture that supports you.
Fourth at the War Department, promotions across the Joint Force
will be based on one thing, merit color blind, gender
(28:30):
neutral merit based. The entire promotion process, including evaluations of
war fighting capabilities, is being thoroughly re examined. We've already
done a lot in this area, but more changes are
coming soon. Will promote top performing officers and NCOs faster
and get rid of poor performers more quickly. Evaluations, education,
(28:53):
and field exercises will become real evaluations, not box checks,
for every one of us at every level. These same
reforms happened before World War Two as well. General George
Marshall and Secretary of War Henry Stimpson did the same thing,
and we won a world war because of it. As
(29:15):
it happens, when he started the job, Chairman Kane gave
me a frame and a photo to hang in my office.
A matching frame and photo hangs in his. It's a
photo of Marshall and Stimpson preparing for World War two.
Those two leaders famously kept the door open between their
offices for the entirety of the war. They worked together,
(29:39):
civilian and uniform. Every single day. Chairman Kane and I
do the same. There is no daylight between us. Our
doors are always open. Our job together is to ensure
our military is led by the very best, ready to
answer the nation's call.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
Fifth.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
As you have seen and the media has obsessed over,
I have fired a number of senior officers since taking
over the previous chairman, other members of the Joint Chiefs,
combatant commanders, and other commanders.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
The rationale for me has been straightforward.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
It's nearly impossible to change a culture with the same
people who helped create or even benefited from that culture,
even if that culture was created by a previous president
and previous secretary.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
My approach has been simple.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
When in doubt, assess the situation, follow your gut, and
if it's the best for the military.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Make a change.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
We all serve at the pleasure of the President every
single day, but in many ways it's not their fault.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
It's not your fault.
Speaker 2 (30:55):
As foolish and reckless as the Woke Department was, those
officers were following elected political leadership. An entire generation of
generals and admirals were told that they must parrot the
insane fallacy that quote our diversity is our strength.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Of course, we know our unity is our strength. They
had to put out dizzying.
Speaker 2 (31:18):
DEI and LGBTQI plus statements. They were told females and
males are the same thing, or that males who think
they're females totally normal. They were told that we need
a green fleet and electric tanks. They were told to
kick out Americans who refused an emergency vaccine.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
They followed civilian.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
Policies set by foolish and reckless political leaders. Our job,
my job has been to determine which leaders simply did
what they must to answer the prerogatives of civilian leadership,
and which leaders are truly invested in The Woke depart
and therefore incapable of embracing the War Department and executing
(32:04):
new lawful orders.
Speaker 1 (32:06):
That's it. It's that simple.
Speaker 2 (32:10):
So for the past eight months we've gotten a good
look under the hood of our officer Corps. We've done
our best to thoroughly assess the human terrain.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
We've had to make trade offs and some difficult decisions.
It's more of an art than a science.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
We have been and will continue to be judicious but
also expeditious. The new Compass heading is clear. Out with
the Sharellis, the Mackenzie's and the Millies, and in with
the Stockdales, the schwartz Coughs, and the patents. More leadership
changes will be made of that, I'm certain, not because
(32:48):
we want to, but because we must. Once again, this
is life and death. The sooner we have the right people,
the sooner we can advance the right policies. Personnel is policy.
But I look out at this group and I see
great Americans, leaders who have given decades to our great
Republic at great sacrifice, to yourselves and.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
To your families.
Speaker 2 (33:14):
But if the words I'm speaking today are making your
heart sink, then you should do the honorable thing and resign.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
We would thank you for your service, but I suspect.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
I know the overwhelming majority of you feel the opposite.
These words make your hearts full. You love the War
Department because you love what you do, the profession of arms.
You are hereby liberated to be an apolitical, hard charging,
no nonsense constitutional leader that you joined the military to be.
(33:57):
We need you locked in on the M, not the D,
the E, or the not the or the die of dime.
By that, I mean the M military of the instruments
of national power.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
We have entire departments across.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
The government dedicated to diplomatic, informational and economic lines of effort.
We do the M nobody else does, and our gofos
need to master it in every domain and every scenario.
No more distractions, no more political ideologies, no more debris. Now,
of course, we're going to disagree at times. We would
(34:34):
not be Americans if we didn't. Being a leader in
a large organization like ourds ME means having frank conversations
and differences of opinion. You will win some arguments and
you will lose some arguments. But when civilian leaders issue
lawful orders we execute. We are professionals in the profession
(34:55):
of arms. Our entire constitutional system is predicated upon this understanding.
Now seems like small thing, but it's not. This includes
as well the behavior of our troops online. To that end,
I want to thank and recognize the services for their
new proactive social media policies.
Speaker 1 (35:18):
Use them. Anonymous online or keyboard complaining is not worthy
of a warrior. It's cowardice masquerading as conscience.
Speaker 2 (35:29):
Anonymous unit level social media pages that trash commanders, demoralized troops,
and undermine unit cohesion must not be tolerated.
Speaker 1 (35:39):
Again. Three's E sixes six. We must train and we
must maintain.
Speaker 2 (35:48):
Any moment that we are not training on our mission
or maintaining our equipment is a moment we are less
prepared for preventing or winning the next war. That is
why today at MY we are drastically reducing the ridiculous
amount of mandatory training that individuals and units must execute.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
We've already ended the most egregious.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Now we're giving you back real time, less PowerPoint briefings
and fewer online courses, more time in the motor pool,
and more time on the range. Our job is to
make sure you have the money, equipment, weapons and parts
to train and maintain, and then you take it from there.
You all know this because it's common sense. The tougher
(36:31):
and the higher the standards in our units, the higher
the retention rates in those units. Warriors want to be challenged,
Troops want to be tested. When you don't train and
you don't maintain, you demoralize, and that's when our best
people decide to take their talents to the civilian world.
The leaders who created the Woke Department have already driven
(36:53):
out too many hard chargers. We reverse that trend right now.
There is no word world in which high intensity war
exists without pain, agony, and human tragedy. We are in
a dangerous line of work. You are in a dangerous
line of work. We may lose good people, but let
(37:16):
no warrior cry out from the grave if only I
had been properly trained. We will not lose war fighters
because we fail to train, or equip them or resource them.
Speaker 1 (37:28):
Shame on us.
Speaker 2 (37:28):
If we do train like your warriors' lives depend on it,
because they do. To that point, basic training is being
restored to what it should be scary, tough, and disciplined.
We're empowering drill sergeants to instill healthy fear in new recruits.
Speaker 1 (37:48):
Ensuring that future war fighters are forged.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Yes they can shark attack, they can toss bunks, they
can swear, and yes they can put their hands on recruits.
This does not mean they can be reckless or violate
the law, but they can use tried and true methods
to motivate new recruits to.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
Make them the warriors.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
They need to be back to basics at basic as well,
of course, and you know this basic training is not
where mission readiness should end. The nature of the evolving
threat environment demands that everyone in every job must be
ready to join.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
The fight if needed.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
A core crew of the Marine Corps is every marine
a rifleman. It means that everyone, regardless of MOS, is
proficient enough to engage an enemy threat at sea, in
the air, or in a so called rear area. We
need to ensure that every member of our uniform military
maintains baseline proficiency and basic combat skills, especially because the
(38:52):
next war, like the last, will likely.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
Not have a rear area.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
Finally, as President Trump rightly pointed out when he changed
the department name, the United States has not won a
major theater war since the name was changed. To the
Department of Defense in nineteen forty seven. One conflict stands
out in stark contrast, the Gulf War.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
Why Well, there's a.
Speaker 2 (39:22):
Number of reasons, but it was a limited mission with
overwhelming force and a clear end state. But why do
we execute and win the Golf War the way we
did in nineteen ninety one?
Speaker 1 (39:31):
There's two overwhelming reasons.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
One was President Ronald Reagan's military build up gave an
overwhelming advantage, and two, military and Pentagon leadership had previous
formative battlefield experiences. The men who led this department during
the Gulf War were mostly combat veterans of the Vietnam War.
(39:55):
They said never again to mission creep or nebulous end states.
The same holds true today. Our civilian and military leadership
is chalk full of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who
say never again to nation building and nebulous end states.
This clear eyed view all the way in the White House,
(40:16):
combined with President Trump's military build up, postures us for
future victories if and we will and when we embrace
the War Department, and we must. We are preparing every day.
We have to be prepared for war, not for defense.
We're training warriors, not defenders. We fight wars to win,
(40:38):
not to defend. Defense is something you do all the time.
It's inherently reactionary and can lead to overuse, overreach, and
mission creep. War is something you do sparingly on our
own terms and with clear aims.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
We fight to win.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enid me.
We also don't fight with stupid rules of engagement. We
untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize, hunt,
and kill the enemies of our country. No more politically
correct and overbearing rules of engagement. Just common sense, maximum.
Speaker 1 (41:18):
Lethality, and authority for war fighters. That's all I ever.
Speaker 2 (41:23):
Wanted as a platoon leader, and it's all my E
six squad leaders ever wanted.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Back to that six rule.
Speaker 2 (41:30):
We let our leaders fight their formations, and then we
have their back. It's very simple, yet incredibly powerful. A
few months ago, I was at the White House when
President Trump announced his Liberation Day for America's trade policy.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
It was a landmark day.
Speaker 2 (41:50):
Well, today is another liberation day, the liberation of America's
warriors in name, indeed and inauthorities. You kill people and
break things for a living. You are not politically correct
and don't necessarily belong always in polite society. We are
(42:10):
not an army of one. We are a joint force
of millions of selfless Americans.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
We are warriors.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
We are purpose built not for fair weather, blue skies
or calm seas. We were built to load up in
the back of helicopters five tons or zodiacs in the
dead of night, in fair weather or foul, to go
to dangerous places to find those who would do our
nation harm and deliver justice on behalf of the American
(42:43):
people in close and brutal combat if necessary. You are different.
We fight not because we hate what's in front of us.
We fight because we love what's behind us. You see,
the Ivy League faculty loungers will never understand us, and
that's okay because they could never.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Do what you do. The media will.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Mischaracterize us, and that's okay because deep down they know
the reason they can do what they do is you.
In this profession, you feel comfortable inside the violence so
that our citizens can live peacefully. Lethality is our calling card,
and victory our only acceptable end state. In closing a
(43:33):
few weeks ago at our monthly Pentagon Christian Prayer service,
I recited a commander's prayer. It's a simple yet meaningful
prayer for wisdom for commanders and leaders. I encourage you
to look it up if you've never seen it, but
the prayer it ends like this, And most of all, Lord,
(43:54):
please keep my soldiers safe, lead them, guide them, protect them,
watch over them. And as you gave all of yourself
for me, help me give all of myself for them.
Speaker 1 (44:11):
And Amen.
Speaker 2 (44:13):
I have prayed this prayer many times since I've had
the privilege of being your secretary, and I will continue
to pray this prayer for each of you as you
command and lead our nation's finest. Go forth and do
good things, hard things. President Trump has your back, and
(44:34):
so do I, and you'll hear from them shortly, move
out and draw fire, because we are the War Department.
Speaker 1 (44:47):
God Speak.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
If you like the Michael Berry Show and podcast, please
tell one friend, and if you're so inclined, write a
nice review of our podcast. Comments, suggestions, questions, and interest
in being a corporate sponsor and partner can be communicated
directly to the show at our email address, Michael at
(45:10):
Michael Berryshow dot com or simply by clicking on our
website Michael Berryshow dot com. The Michael Berry Show and
Podcast is produced by Ramon Roeblis, The King of Ding.
Executive producer is Chad Knakanishi. Jim Mudd is the creative director.
(45:35):
Voices Jingles, Tomfoolery and Shenanigans are provided by Chance McLean.
Director of Research is Sandy Peterson. Emily Bull is our
assistant listener and superfan contributions are appreciated and often incorporated
into our production. Where possible, we give credit. Where not,
(45:57):
we take all the credit for ourselves. God bless the
memory of Rush Limbaugh. Long live Elvis, be a simple
man like Leonard Skinnard told you, and God bless America. Finally,
if you know a veteran suffering from PTSD, call Camp
Hope at eight seven seven seven one seven PTSD and
(46:23):
a combat veteran will answer the phone to provide free counseling.
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