Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has expressed his concern over the current state of the US military, stating that there is a pressing need to "rejuvenate morale" as leftist policies and ideologies are beginning to take hold.
Speaking on Memorial Day during an appearance on Fox & Friends, DeSantis outlined his plan to implement change if he is successful in his fight for the Oval Office in 2024. He argued that the military is not the same as when he served, and that there is now too much emphasis on political ideologies, such as gender pronouns and diversity, equity, and inclusion, which has caused recruiting to plummet and driven off many warriors, leading to low morale.
DeSantis joined the United States Navy in 2004 and earned a promotion to lieutenant. After being stationed in Guantanamo and Iraq, he served as a special assistant U.S. attorney in Florida until 2010. He then served in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 2019. He explained that the military he sees now is different from the military he served in, and that he plans to roll out a program to counter China, but maintained that the most immediate need is to boost recruitment and reinstate faith in the institution.
DeSantis emphasized the importance of restoring the sense of purpose and pride that once motivated people to join the military. He asked, "Why would you have wanted to join the Marine Corps back in the day? Why did everybody else who joined the Army?" He recalled being in Iraq during the Fallujah conflict, where things were not going well, yet people were still willing to sign up knowing they would be sent to Iraq because they believed that what they were doing was special. He lamented that this sense of purpose and pride has been lost, and that it needs to be restored.
DeSantis met with families impacted by 9/11 over the weekend and said that they voiced continued frustrations and a desire to seek justice more than 20 years after the attacks. He expressed his sympathy for their plight, stating that they have been made promises in the past about getting help, only to have some elected leaders renege on those promises, which has left them feeling punched in the gut. He also shared that his own military career was inspired by the attacks on 9/11, which had a profound effect on the country.
DeSantis promised "big changes" on day one if he is elected in 2024. He believes that the military needs to be rejuvenated and that morale needs to be boosted, and that this can be achieved by restoring the sense of purpose and pride that once motivated people to join the military. He plans to roll out a program to counter China, but he believes that the most immediate need is to boost recruitment and reinstate faith in the institution.
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