The War on Warriors

I recently read your excellent book “THE WAR ON WARRIORS.” I am a two tour Vietnam War combat veteran. I, along with my family, lived through some very dark days for our country and our military. I applaud you for what you wrote in this book, and I hope many of our citizens will read it.

As someone who is well into their senior years and who has served in the military for 4 years and almost 30 years as a L.E. officer I have been aware of the changes in our culture and warrior philosophy over the years. This is why while browsing on Amazon when I saw this 231-page hardcover book by our new Dept. of Defense leader, Pete Hegseth, I decided to purchase it. Right off the bat from the very first page I loved this book. As a person who has lived his whole life attempting to live my life following the philosophy of the “way of the warrior (Bushido)” in my life from the martial arts to my profession, I related to this excellent book from my heart and soul. The fourteen chapters cover a lot of material such as “ The war we missed, extremists that never were, cowboys led by cowards, the left’s very special forces, the deadly obsession with women warriors, riot shields and real racism, the laws of war for winners” and other interesting and informative chapters. Anyone who is concerned with how the far-left lunatics are attempting to destroy our American military values and warrior philosophy may want to check out this excellent book. I loved it. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: The Samurai Soul: An old warrior's poetic tribute).

I hurriedly purchased this as soon as I heard Mr. Hegseth was nominated as Sec Def by President-Elect President Trump. I never saw him on TV but after scoping him out concluded he wasn't the worst possible choice. A conservative patriot, served ultimately as a field-grade officer with the CIB and two Bronze Stars, double Ivy League smart, self-made accomplished author and political pundit... It seems he's being tarnished for "hush money" now but after quickly reading his book I think he is the right man for the job, play on words intended, despite the tattoos and I hope he'll be confirmed. The book, as he even comments, is not a fun read but a necessary and necessarily frank treatise on the state of our besieged republic's beleaguered armed services.

The War on Warriors by Pete Hegseth is a timely and important book. In it Hegseth points out how a societal debate has caused discord in the military, and by extension in the government and the private sectors. He explains how this cultural controversy involves three ideas that have undermined the ability of the military to safeguard the nation. The first is the confrontation between meritocracy and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion). The second is the desire to ignore the biological differences in men and women. The third is the strife caused by gender identity and the view that the sex assigned at birth can be changed. Hegseth perceptively asserts that the military is unique and significantly different than the private sector as well as other government institutions. If the public does not agree with how a company sells its beer or any other product, people are free to avoid purchasing what that company sells. If parents disagree with how their children are being taught or what they are learning at school they can seek to change the school board or remove their children from that school system. The military in comparison is an entirely different institution. We have only one military and cannot choose an alternative organization to defend our nation. If the military is weakened by the pursuit of social experiments that replace merit with DEI, that ignore the differences between men and women in combat, and that accept the sex of a person assigned at birth can be changed, the consequences for our national defense will be devastating. While Pete Hegseth makes his case for the above view in a compelling way, his book offers something else for the reader and the voting public. This is particularly true in light of the election of Donald Trump. Hegseth’s book brings into focus an unspoken reason for Trump’s convincing and unprecedented political comeback. While there is general agreement that the primary reasons responsible were dissatisfaction with the economy, an open border, and wars that destabilized the world; there is an additional reason that has not been given the attention it deserves. It is the attack on the social norms of society, something that in the past has been called a Cultural War. Using the military as an example, Pete Hegseth identifies social views that are responsible for the present cultural and political divide in America. Any attempt to ignore this reality or pretend it can be glossed over will be done at the peril of the institution or political party that attempts to do so. That lesson, given the recent Presidential election results, will hopefully sink into the consciousness of the nation and the body politic before any further damage is done to our society and its institutions.

I’m a real fan of the author, but this book was not well organized and the author demeans his purpose and Christian witness by dropping numerous vulgar language remarks. While he does well to lay out his agenda as Secretary of Defense (I bought the book just prior to his appointment), the narrative conveys the feeling you’re talking to a man in a crowded bar where he feels no regard to “hold back” or recognize the civility due a formal written book. As a former infantryman myself, I get it, but he need not degrade his credibility as an author by acting the thug in his writing; especially with his higher caliber of education.

I read Pete Hegseth’s book and as a now Retired Chief Warrant Officer, I found it to be Fact based, well organized and a frightening portrayal of our current Military. And I use the term Military very loosely when he lets us peer into the future. The Administration, Pentagon, Department Heads, Joint Chiefs should all feel shamed for the state they have allowed our ‘Military’ to fall to the depths that it is. We do not have a Fighting Force, we have a WOKE claptrap, a gaggle of tea sippers and inspirational geese! Hegseth tells it like it is. Not only is he a documentarian he knows how to write. He should spend more time informing us of the perils we face as a Nation if our Military is allowed to continue status quo! Thanks Pete, great book.

A hero among men! He doesn't sugar coat anything. Strictly facts with his personal opinions thrown in. What a remarkable mind! We have a lot to learn from him & I'm an US Army Vet and there's things that he had taught this old vet!

I agree ld with many of the points. I’m unclear about the author’s wider views on military strategy. I’d liked to have seen more here about what the writer thinks about American defence, the role of creating an active civilian force, etc. I also find the Christian messaging a bit off-putting. America was founded by men who understood that there’s a clear separation of church and state, even though much of American culture is a mix of judeo-Christian and Greco-Roman traditions, with a strong dose of Anglo-Scottish political philosophy. The book is also repetitive in its points and too angry. It’s not going to convince the undecided voter.

liked, excellent book, was in military for 28 yrs, understood, what the book was about

本書は、米国国防長官(戦争長官)の座を手にした元陸軍少佐の「自分が国防長官になったらやることリスト」です。 現在の米国防総省で進められている、readinessやwarrior ethos、文化「改革」について、本人の手で「なぜやらなければならないか」が説明されています。 興味深いのは、ヘグセス国防長官が、第101空挺師団に所属していた経歴を有し、映画「ブラックホークダウン」でレンジャー部隊の識見の一人であった(冒頭でデルタと口論していたスキンヘッド)スティール大尉(大佐)の部下であったことでしょう。 ヘグセス国防長官がいかにwarrior ethosを重視しているのかをよく理解できる一冊です。

He supported his conclusions from direct experience and strong research. His conclusions were common sense. Being gay might be irrelevant to the unity and effectiveness of a combat unit but being trans,dependent on various meds unavailable in the field, clearly is a disruptive problem. All women and mixed units are less lethal than all male frontline units. Race should be irrelevant.

This was a present for my Hubby and he loved it. Delivery was quick and such a good read