Dexter Filkins

And I think it got a lot of people's attention.

That wasn't my sense of the motivation. I talked to a lot of people, a lot of veterans particularly, who are really opposed to DEI in the military. And what they typically would say is everybody's for diversity in the military. It's that DEI essentially in practice amounts to reverse discrimination and amounts to quotas, even if that's not true. What it says in practice.

That wasn't my sense of the motivation. I talked to a lot of people, a lot of veterans particularly, who are really opposed to DEI in the military. And what they typically would say is everybody's for diversity in the military. It's that DEI essentially in practice amounts to reverse discrimination and amounts to quotas, even if that's not true. What it says in practice.

That wasn't my sense of the motivation. I talked to a lot of people, a lot of veterans particularly, who are really opposed to DEI in the military. And what they typically would say is everybody's for diversity in the military. It's that DEI essentially in practice amounts to reverse discrimination and amounts to quotas, even if that's not true. What it says in practice.

But I think, and this is important, I think whether or not the DEI in practice was what they said it was, that is a very widespread perception. And it's a lot of people, and if a lot of people believe that, and a lot of people are talking about it, and a lot of people are online about it, I think there's a pretty good case to be made that that hurt recruiting in the military.

But I think, and this is important, I think whether or not the DEI in practice was what they said it was, that is a very widespread perception. And it's a lot of people, and if a lot of people believe that, and a lot of people are talking about it, and a lot of people are online about it, I think there's a pretty good case to be made that that hurt recruiting in the military.

But I think, and this is important, I think whether or not the DEI in practice was what they said it was, that is a very widespread perception. And it's a lot of people, and if a lot of people believe that, and a lot of people are talking about it, and a lot of people are online about it, I think there's a pretty good case to be made that that hurt recruiting in the military.

Because it's just because this stuff is so hot button, it's so sensitive that, you know, immediately you lose half of America, right? And so it's like we live in a polarized country. And so when you mention something like DEI, a lot of backs go up. And I think that was happening here. And so I think in this case, it kind of matters less, right?

Because it's just because this stuff is so hot button, it's so sensitive that, you know, immediately you lose half of America, right? And so it's like we live in a polarized country. And so when you mention something like DEI, a lot of backs go up. And I think that was happening here. And so I think in this case, it kind of matters less, right?

Because it's just because this stuff is so hot button, it's so sensitive that, you know, immediately you lose half of America, right? And so it's like we live in a polarized country. And so when you mention something like DEI, a lot of backs go up. And I think that was happening here. And so I think in this case, it kind of matters less, right?

what the Pentagon was actually doing than what the perception was.

what the Pentagon was actually doing than what the perception was.

what the Pentagon was actually doing than what the perception was.

It's really bad. I think the worst place, the toughest place is the Navy, where, you know, you got to go out to sea for months at a time. But for instance, some huge number of ships and submarines in the Navy, in the U.S. Navy, can't go out to sea for lack of maintenance. It's, you know, just an amazing number, like, you know,

It's really bad. I think the worst place, the toughest place is the Navy, where, you know, you got to go out to sea for months at a time. But for instance, some huge number of ships and submarines in the Navy, in the U.S. Navy, can't go out to sea for lack of maintenance. It's, you know, just an amazing number, like, you know,

It's really bad. I think the worst place, the toughest place is the Navy, where, you know, you got to go out to sea for months at a time. But for instance, some huge number of ships and submarines in the Navy, in the U.S. Navy, can't go out to sea for lack of maintenance. It's, you know, just an amazing number, like, you know,

I think it was like 40% of the attack submarines are like in port because they're waiting for maintenance. And what somebody explained to me, former naval officer who works in a think tank, studies the stuff in Washington, said that typically what's happening is the Navy is so undermanned that they're sending ships out to sea without enough sailors on them.

I think it was like 40% of the attack submarines are like in port because they're waiting for maintenance. And what somebody explained to me, former naval officer who works in a think tank, studies the stuff in Washington, said that typically what's happening is the Navy is so undermanned that they're sending ships out to sea without enough sailors on them.

I think it was like 40% of the attack submarines are like in port because they're waiting for maintenance. And what somebody explained to me, former naval officer who works in a think tank, studies the stuff in Washington, said that typically what's happening is the Navy is so undermanned that they're sending ships out to sea without enough sailors on them.

And what that means is the priority is to put sailors on deck. So everybody on deck to your job. And what that means is that they're not below deck. Maintaining the engines, maintaining the ship, maintaining the computers. And so the maintenance is slipping on the ships and on the subs because they don't have enough people. So I think for the Navy, the Navy is just, their problems are gigantic.