As Our Generals and Admirals Fly Home, Our Adversaries Watch and Wait
By: Mark Hertling
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Couldn't Hegseth's in-person meeting of all flag officers have been a secure conference call?
Mark HertlingSep 26, 2025726172ShareSecretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in June 2025. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
WHEN I SAW THE NEWS that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth had ordered all U.S. military flag officers (generals and admirals) to gather at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia, next week along with their senior enlisted advisors, my first response was disbelief. Not disbelief that the secretary of defense might want to deliver a strong message to the senior leaders of the force, but disbelief at the method.
In my forty years in uniform, I never saw anything like it. While senior leaders have been recalled to Washington to meet with the secretary of defense during all our wars, never once did a secretary summon all of the hundreds of one- to four-stars from each of the services, plus their top enlisted counterparts, from every corner of the globe to a single auditorium. Not during the Cold War, not during Desert Storm, not during the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not Rumsfeld, not Gates, not Panetta, not Mattis, not Austin.
They likely didn't do it because it is disruptive. It is expensive. And it is unnecessary.
Even more remarkable, no one seems to know the reason for the meeting or what Secretary Hegseth intends to say. Normally, even when classified issues are in play, senior leaders have at least a broad sense of the agenda at a meeting of general officers and flag officers (GOFOs) and their senior enlisted advisors. Here, nothing. So, as you might imagine, speculation is running rampant.
And where speculation thrives, humor follows. A retired command sergeant major who once served at my side joked with me that maybe Secretary Hegseth just wants to give a "payday safety briefing." That's the talk small-unit leaders give their troops after payday: "Don't drink and drive; stay out of trouble; don't do dumb things; stay out of jail!" It's absurd to imagine four-star generals being lectured on avoiding DUIs. But that again just brings us back to our speculation: If not that, then what could possibly justify such an expensive, disruptive spectacle?
There are a handful of possible explanations.
The global security environment is fraught with dangers, so perhaps the meeting has to do with a rapidly shifting national security strategy. Russia continues to press on Ukraine and Ukraine is answering with aplomb. China postures in the Pacific. The Middle East simmers. NATO feels strain both inside and out; currently, the United States and its allies are conducting a massive nuclear exercise in Europe. Perhaps Hegseth wants to frame a major shift in U.S. defense priorities—something so consequential he believes it must be done face to face.
Or perhaps, since thesecretary has publicly floated proposals to shrink the number of general and flag officers, he's ready to make an announcement to the assembled mass of senior leaders. Since he's already fired a dozen generals, by summoning the entire group, he could be sending a warning shot: "You're all on notice." Since it seems Congress is mired in fights over defense spending and there are some doubts about a spending bill passing next week, Hegseth may want to discuss cuts, delays, or reprioritization of funds. The secretary may want to prepare the force for fiscal pain.
Join
Hegseth has voiced anger over the leaking of classified, and even unclassified, information to the point that he recently quashed journalists' ability to freely report inside the Pentagon. Perhaps he wants his commanders to echo that approach, or maybe he believes a closed-door confrontation with the senior ranks is the best, most efficient way to handle the issue.
Or maybe this meeting has as its primary goal the optics of power, the secretary reminding his senior troops that he's in charge. It's hard to picture that—every senior officer in the U.S. military corralled in one place, under his glare. I personally hope that's not the reason for this gathering, as that's power theater, not crisis management.
After addressing all these potential reasons, one thing that our media may not be considering:Adversaries and allies are watching. This sudden, global, emergency recall of America's top brass is a flashing red light to them: Something must be wrong inside the Pentagon.
Even if one accepts that any of these issues—strategies, cuts, budgets, leaks, or priorities—demands immediate attention, the method is baffling and the cost will be staggering: millions of dollars in taxpayer money. And that's before counting the opportunity cost of lost focus and readiness. To Quantico will come four-star commanders from Korea and Japan, Hawaii and Europe. Three-stars from the UAE, Qatar, Iraq, and other Middle Eastern posts. Two-stars and one-stars from Germany, Italy, and various NATO headquarters. Officers will literally disembark from aircraft carriers in the South China Sea or the Mediterranean to catch flights. Each will travel with aides, communications specialists, and security teams. All will require flights, hotel rooms, and transportation.
Share
Every one of those leaders has an important mission. A combatant commander in the Pacific manages deterrence against China and North Korea as well as preparedness against other adversaries. A three-star in the Middle East balances fragile coalitions while countering Iranian aggression. A two-star in Europe helps oversee U.S. and NATO responses to Russia. Pulling them all out at once hollows out the top tier of global command. Deputies will cover, yes—but adversaries will notice the vacuum. This is not an abstraction. The United States is engaged in active deterrence across multiple theaters. Our enemies watch for seams. To disrupt the world's most powerful military by having its leaders travel across multiple time zones to stage a mass meeting in Virginia is nothing less than operational malpractice.
THE IRONY IS that better options exist—and have been proven in practice. Secure video teleconferencing has been part of Pentagon life for decades. During the early stages of the War on Terror, President George W. Bush personally held secure VTCs with combatant commanders across the global footprint: Afghanistan, Iraq, the Horn of Africa, Europe, the Pacific, Korea. The president of the United States could span the world in a single conversation, connecting directly with leaders on the ground.
As the U.S. Army's operations officer and later as the commander in Europe, I sat in on secure video sessions with the Pentagon one afternoon each week from 2004 to 2011, except when I was deployed to Iraq. We spent hours every Saturday connecting with commanders from across the globe, sharing situational awareness, synchronizing planning, passing critical information, and executing global contingencies—all without flying hundreds of generals and admirals away from their posts.
That was wartime. That was crisis. And it was done virtually, securely, effectively. So why is it suddenly necessary to convene at Quantico?
Inside the force, this recall will be read as a show of power. It will be received less as We need you here and more as I can make you come. In private conversations, senior leaders will ask the obvious question: Why are we spending millions and creating global vulnerabilities for a meeting that could be done in an hour on secure video? As they say in baseball, it's a long run for a short slide.
Leaders won't ask it publicly. But the quiet skepticism will erode confidence and trust in civilian leadership. That erosion matters. In the military, morale is built not only on what leaders say but on whether they make sound decisions.
The troops on the ground may joke, as my friend did, about a "payday safety briefing." The rest of us should recognize the deeper concern: In a moment when readiness is our greatest asset, the secretary of defense has chosen disruption, cost, and vulnerability to stage a demonstration of power.
It's the wrong message, delivered in the wrong way, at the wrong time.
A guest post by
|
Best case - this is just Hegseth trying to exhibit performative dominance.
Worst case - he has something evil, likely instigated by Trump, up his sleeve.
I suspect he has good reason to do this
Why? Because Hegseth is a wife beating drunk piece of shit conservative? I think it has more to do with his petty emotional need to establish his whiny weak "dominance" over other officers who are actually FAR more qualified and FAR more intelligent than he is. The only thing he has in greater abundance than the generals and admirals is "loyalty" to Trump. Not the constitution, not to America, not to the American people even, but to Trump. Hegseth's the only one in that meeting who grovels at his master Trumps feet just like the rest of Trumps sycophant base.
Very disgusting commentary.
Maybe some indoctrinated idiot will read that and take a shot at him.
Haters gotta hate. Especially here with the Trumpladites.
[2025-01-22] Reed Statement on Abuse Allegations Against Pete Hegseth...
Yes, Hegseth is very disgusting, and yet rightwing conservatives continue to defend him. I have no clue as to why anyone would choose to be a fucking disgusting defender of the indefensible.
Yes its for "good reason". Because if President Trump told him to do it and he didn't-- he'd be out of a job!
(Sounds like a good reason, eh?)
Invade Greenland?
Annex Canada?
Fire every general officer who won't support the imposition of martial law based on a Trump fake national emergency declaration?
Having the entire US military hierarchy stateside does sound a tad ominous.
When it comes to Trump, the worst should be expected. He never disappoints.
[✘]
Not to Russia, iran China or the NK pukes
One thing they should have asked the retired General is why there are no more Generals violating the code of military conduct.
Your main thing on this forum is avoiding the topic.
The Defense Secretary called for a meeting with military leaders.
What more can I say about it?
Its never been done before . I assume it is some sort of weird loyalty test.
And?
I assume it is some sort of weird loyalty test.
That would be the last thing that would come to mind.
Its a gross misuse of current taxpayer dollars and the taxpayers money spent on secure communications over our lifetimes.
It is?
So, when FDR called Admiral Nimitz and Gen MacArthur into a special meeting to settle war policy, he was wasting taxpayer money.
So, we don't talk to people directly anymore. We leave a train of emails for the next radical regime (and hopefully we never have another one.)
Got it!
Hegseth is calling every general or admiral in the American military back to listen to him lecture them on the "warrior ethos" , during peacetime.
I dont think generals and admirals need lectures from the likes of Pete Hegseth. They need to be left alone so they can do their jobs.
No, how about the generals who violated the military code of conduct like Mark Milley?
Completely self serving .
Mark Milley is ten times the man Hegseth is.
We currently have the radical extremist Trump regime. Hopefully, Trump won't be followed by another far right lunatic like Vance.
So....only now are you concerned about taxpayer dollars? How convenient
All the Dems can offer up are far left lunatics.
Another bullshit comment.
It's called an opinion, and a pretty accurate one at that.
If you disagree with it, maybe you can name some moderate Democrats the left has offered up over the past couple of years. Then maybe we can or can't call your opinion "bullshit".
It's insane.
Andy Beshear
Roy Cooper
Josh Shapiro
John Fetterman
Ron Wyden
Jeff Merkley
Amy Klobuchar
Mark Warner
Tim Kaine
Mark Kelly
Raphael Warnock
Jon Ossoff
Jacky Rosen
Elissa Slotkin
Abigail Spanberger
Plus hundreds more.
And I'm not the least bit interested in your opinion or what you call anything.
Well, since you asked about why there are no more retired generals...to be consistant, I suppose you could ask why there are no more enlisted people , , ,
Or to be consistant, you could ask if Avocadoes grow in Paraguay (?)
Or if its really true that the rain in Spain is mainly in the plain!
Maybe the last...but when national security may be at risk...its worth looking into!
You must have been otherwise you would not have responded.
lol ….. that’s a list of moderates?
Hilarious!
Yes, of course it is and everyone knows it, although if someone's thought leader is David Duke, or their role models are Dylann Roof or Timothy McVeigh, for example, then it's expected they might believe otherwise.
“Everyone” just might the exaggeration of the century.
Oh yeah!
Some of those generals and admirals have quite a few years on him especially in experience. I would laugh my ass off if one of those flag officers did what a Master Sgt in my office told our new lietuenant. "Sit down there and listen to what I got to tell you"
Of course I would like one them to say "listen here, Sonny Boy, you're so wet behind the ears you need your mommy tagging behind you with a towel"
Good one!
Or . . . you're so low you have to look up to look down!
Here's one I remember from my public school days:
Yer mutha's a skindiver for Roto-Rooter!!
Unless someone was there, no one can say, unless there is a leak.
There is actually no more secure communication than being face to face and in person.
Could be this may be used to ferret out leaks too.
Just something to keep in mind.
And they could be telling the truth..or they could be lying!
Nah, some here folks are omniscient. Especially some of our friends on the left.
Apparently Trump is getting ready to go to war with Venezuela, they just announced a strike and it appears the bombing of small boats supposedly carrying drugs was just the beginning.
So all you Trump supporting MAGA patriots better get ready to sign up or be drafted.
Maybe the loyal J6 crowd can sign up first, they are super loyal and seem to like fighting.
Will any "tea party" patriots who turned on Bush because of his wars ever decide to turn on Trump? You know that we are headed to war because war, fighting, and revenge is all Trump seems to be obsessed with. He asks everyone to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize but his policies, actions and rhetoric are the exact opposite of peaceful.
lol ….. I think we’re good. You too.
This patriot already served his country for 20 years.
What I did see a lot of during the first Gulf War was several leftist reservists running to Canada so they did not have to go overseas when their reserve units were called up. Most of them joined the reserves to get free college and nothing else. Thay thought they would never get called up.
True patriots stayed and did their jobs.
Since you won’t hear it from our friends on the left.
Thanks for your service brother.
Thank you for your kind words
After 20, you more than deserve it. I was done after one hitch.