DoD Needs This Change Agent
By S.L. Nelson
November 26, 2024
Success in today’s world favors smart, creative leaders who can quickly adapt and make decisions that benefit their organizations. President Trump's choice of Pete Hegseth to lead the DoD marks a significant shift from his first administration. Hegseth, with fewer ties to the traditional defense establishment, is expected to transform the DoD in two vital areas: first, he will expose generals and admirals who act out of self-interest; second, he will refocus the military on its core function of lethality—the use or threat of deadly force to win wars and deter enemies.
Hegseth’s appointment threatens senior military officers who are more concerned with their legacy than with mission accomplishment. These officers feel susceptible to changes that will threaten their carefully curated norms. Many current leaders have avidly promoted DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and CRT (Critical Race Theory), and Hegseth’s threat to remove these programs stokes their fears. These leaders have promoted subordinates who share their views, creating a cycle of making leaders in their own image. To break this cycle, Hegseth will also need to ensure that general officers are held accountable for the officers they promote. These actions will ensure that his and President Trump’s ‘Warrior Boards’ achieve their desired effect and weed out the right leaders. Civilian leaders and politicians should also scrutinize the retired officers who placed these generals in their positions in the first place. If multiple legacies are at risk, flag officers will develop and implement more objective metrics for recommending general officer positions.
Hegseth's leadership will refocus DoD on its core purpose. By removing ineffective leaders who prioritize social theories over military effectiveness, he will eliminate a major obstacle. These changes will encourage accountability and forward-thinking approaches. A clear message will echo from the top down that adapting to change means manning, training, and equipping the military to win wars, rather than allowing military officers to succumb to the self-loathing which places individual egos above selfless service to the country.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2024/11/26/dod_needs_this_change_agent_1074668.html
