“We’re losing qualified soldiers because of this,” said a transgender Army intelligence [sic] officer at Joint Base Lewis-McChord south of Seattle who used to be a man until “he” spent “more than $50,000 on her transformation.”

“This” was the U.S. military’s ban on transgender individuals serving openly in the armed forces.

Although Capt. Peace legally changed his/her name, birth certificate, passport, and drivers license, and was known to his/her commanders as a woman, his/her peers were “under formal orders to refer to her as a man.”

That was in 2015. Things changed on June 30, 2016, when Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced that transgender troops can now openly serve in the military. Said Carter: “The reality is we have transgender service members serving in uniform today. Americans who want to serve and can meet our standards should be afforded the opportunity to do so.” There are an estimated 15,500 soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors in the military who are transgender, with more to come since the DOD will begin paying for hormone replacement therapy. King James, His Bible,... Laurence M. Vance Buy New $19.95 (as of 11:36 UTC - Details)

Peace said it was “an incredible feeling” to hear Secretary Carter announce the news. “It had a lot more impact than I anticipated,” he/she said.

I guess the military won’t be losing anymore “qualified soldiers.”

The media attention is given to Capt. Peace got me thinking, but not about wanting to change my gender.

Just what is it that qualifies one to be a soldier? What qualities make one a “qualified soldier”? I can think of ten things, and they have nothing to do with bravery, duty, honor, country, valor, courage, patriotism, nationalism, pride, or heroism.

Myths, Misunderstandings and Outright lies about owning Gold. Are you at risk?

1. Following orders. This is the chief duty of soldiers—and slaves. Wage war without a constitutional declaration of war? No problem. Fight foreign wars? Certainly. Go abroad looking for monsters to destroy? Just tell me where. Invade that country? Let me try to find it on a map. Occupy that country? Your wish is my command. Bomb that country? Can’t wait. Boldly go where no member of the U.S. military has any business going? Yes sir.

2. Not thinking for yourself. Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, twice awarded the Medal of Honor, said about military service: “Like all the members of the military profession, I never had a thought of my own until I left the service. My mental faculties remained in suspended animation while I obeyed the orders of higher-ups. This is typical with everyone in the military service.”

3. Historical ignorance. It will help in everything soldiers do and think to be oblivious to the hundreds of U.S. military interventions that occurred during the last century, the millions of deaths that resulted from them, and the ruses for war given by government War, Christianity, and... Laurence M. Vance Best Price: $8.95 Buy New $9.95 (as of 09:10 UTC - Details) propagandists.

4. Ability to hold and maintain a grin from ear to ear. This will come naturally when soldiers are cheered for wearing a military uniform, thanked for their service, asked to board a flight before us mere mortals, praised for their sacrifice, recognized in church on the Sunday before national holidays, called a hero, given a free meal on Veterans Day, and given a military discount every day of the year.

5. Being inconsistent. U.S. Soldiers must get upset enough to kill foreign soldiers even though they are just obeying the orders given to them by their superiors like Americans soldiers are. U.S. soldiers should always consider themselves to be liberators, peacekeepers, and defenders while foreign soldiers should be viewed as invaders, occupiers, and attackers.

6. Self-deception. The United States needs soldiers who will keep telling themselves that they are role models, defenders of freedom, public servants, and a global force for good instead of members of president’s personal attack force ready to obey his latest command to bomb, invade, occupy, and otherwise bring death and destruction to any country he deems necessary.

7. Not wanting to be a soldier. U.S. soldiers seem to do everything but actually defend the country. Instead of securing American borders, guarding American shores, patrolling American coasts, and enforcing a no-fly zone over American skies, U.S. soldiers regularly do these things for other countries—when they are not providing disaster relief, dispensing humanitarian aid, building schools, enforcing UN resolutions, spreading goodwill, rebuilding infrastructure, establishing democracy, nation building, changing regimes, eradicating drugs, containing communism, opening markets, keeping oil pipelines flowing, or reviving public services.

8. Wanting to be a cop. U.S. soldiers are the policemen of the world. As a cop stationed in a foreign country, U.S. soldiers will launch War, Empire, and the M... Laurence M. Vance Best Price: $5.24 Buy New $9.79 (as of 09:10 UTC - Details) preemptive strikes, fight wars, invade, attack, occupy, drop bombs, assassinate people, torture people, takes sides in civil wars, unleash civil unrest, and otherwise harass the locals.

9. Willingness to kill on command. This, after all, is what soldiers do. Don’t bother asking if the person you are told to kill is a threat to anyone in the United States. Don’t bother asking why the people you are told to kill are enemies of the United States. Don’t bother asking about the morality of killing civilians. Don’t bother asking if the killing is really necessary. Just be willing to kill whomever and whenever and wherever you are told to kill and you will get a shiny medal. Just make as many widows and orphans as you can. And try not to leave any witnesses so you don’t get accused of war crimes.

10. Passing the buck. When you are criticized for bombing, maiming, killing, and making widows and orphans for no good reason, you, just like your supporters outside of the military, can simply blame the politicians, the generals, the Joint Chiefs, the Congress, the commander in chief, the hawks in the administration, the defense contractors, the military-industrial complex, Zionists, or the Israel Lobby. Just take the attitude that no soldier is responsible for the death and destruction he inflicts as long as it is state-sanctioned death and destruction.

The military needs qualified soldiers. Just like the Mafia or a street gang.

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