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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWarning: The following post is 100% factual. Sadly.
The Borowitz report.
The recent allegations about FBI Director Kash Patels drunken antics are regrettable in that they briefly shifted focus away from the man who, until now, had been the most notorious boozer in Trumps Cabinet: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Alas, Whiskey Pete didnt have the sense to lie low this week, and instead drew attention to himself by continuing to implement his zero-tolerance policy for competence in the US armed forces.
Earlier this month, Gen. Randy George, the army chief of staff, joined the swelling ranks of highly-esteemed military leaders whom the former Fox & Friends weekend host kicked to the curb in a frenzy of febrile paranoia, cementing his reputation as secretary of defensiveness.
Yesterday, it was Secretary of the Navy John Phelans turn to get the chop. Now, to be clear, Phelan is no Randy George. In fact, he shares two unfortunate resume items with the current commander-in-chief: zero military experience and a link to Jeffrey Epstein. (Phelan never boarded an aircraft carrier, but he did ride on the Lolita Express.) So I cant say that I mourned Phelans departurethat is, until I found out who was replacing him.
America, meet your new Acting Secretary of the Navy: Hung Cao.
Who, you might be wondering, is Hung Cao?
In 2024, Donald Trump anointed Cao to be the Republican nominee in Virginias US Senate race. On the campaign trail during his (unsuccessful) run for Congress in 2022, the former Navy captain didnt think bragging about his military service would suffice: at every opportunity, he told voters that hed been blown up multiple times.
Im 100% disabled, you know, because just from being blown up in combat many times and everything else, you know, knee, shoulders, he said. Ive got more surgeries than you could possibly imagine.
The key word here is imagine, as USA Today discovered when it investigated Caos military record. Despite Caos claim of getting shot at and blown up in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, the newspaper reported, Four retired Navy and Army officers who reviewed Caos service record said it was unusual for a sailor severely wounded in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan not to have received a Purple Heart or the Navys Combat Action Ribbon.
Given his behavior during the campaign, however, its possible that Cao did sustain serious injuriesto the brain. He compared abortion to Nazi atrocities and claimed that Wiccans had seized control of Monterey, California. He referred to himself as an African-American because he spent a few years in Niger as a child. As for his ideal Navy recruit, he declared, What we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat em and ask for seconds. Its hard to see how disemboweling and then eating oneself would improve ones performance as a sailorbut If that nugget of wisdom eluded Virginians, he tried to win them over by handing out campaign coins bearing the catchy slogan, I Want My Senator to be Hung. Voters who shared that icky sentiment proved to be rare: he lost to the Democrat, Sen. Tim Kaine, by 9 points.
This is the man Pete Hegseth has chosen to oversee the Navy just as the USs blockade of the Strait of Hormuz falters and more troops head for the Middle East.
What could go wrong?
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/pete-hegseths-zero-tolerance-for
sop
(18,971 posts)UpInArms
(55,151 posts)to a trumper captain
Mysterian
(6,580 posts)Like Cadet Bonespurs.
BattleRow
(2,620 posts)Ray Bruns
(6,557 posts)Now I know where Im retiring to.
niyad
(133,350 posts)Firestorm49
(4,560 posts)Response to 634-5789 (Original post)
Firestorm49 This message was self-deleted by its author.
70sEraVet
(5,548 posts)thoroughly disgust me. Whether its claiming to have medals they never earned, or telling stories of their heroics in combat when they never went further from their desks than a trip to the coffee pot, it is 'stolen valor' and a slap in the face to the veterans who really did put their lives on the line.
I am a Vietnam ERA veteran, and I'm ALWAYS careful to explain to people that it means that I was never IN Vietnam, I was just in the service during that period. I have the highest respect for the guys who faced that.
Wounded Bear
(64,466 posts)I was sent on a Med cruise aboard the USS Forest Fire - er, Forrestal - in '72-73.
70sEraVet
(5,548 posts)Soon after, I was on her decommissioning crew.
(USS Forest Fire
)
Wounded Bear
(64,466 posts)lights first time every time.
Seemed like they had daily fire drills.
In spring of '72, we were in Norfolk, VA prepping for a cruise. The USS America was in the berth next to us, also prepping. One of us was destined for Yankee Station off Vietnam, the other would go east to the Med. As final preps were being made they gave some of us leave to visit home before the cruise, which we all knew was probably gonna be extended, as the Navy was stretched pretty thin at the time.
While I was gone, some sailors set a fire aboard the Forrestal that damaged a large section of officer's quarters and the Fire Control Center. We were delayed by several months, while the America was sent off to Nam. We ended up on an extended Med cruise of at least 9 months IIRC. We didn't get back to MCAS El Toro, CA until fall of '73.
70sEraVet
(5,548 posts)in some grimey Norfolk dive.
Wounded Bear
(64,466 posts)Aviation Pro
(15,677 posts)This is all too common. One notable example is Eye Patch McCain, also known as Dan Crenshaw, whose inflated sense of self basically negated his time as a SEAL in a pissing contest with Shawn Ryan, another SEAL.
I can name dozens of these guys who think they are owed recognition and prominence because of their time in Tier-level units.
Boomerproud
(9,333 posts)Totally Tunsie
(11,933 posts)I'm conflicted and confused. How can Andy do this to us?
Wednesdays
(22,886 posts)He wants "alpha females" in the navy? That won't go over well with the super alpha males of MAGA.
Also, his slogan, "I Want My Senator to be Hung," might not be the message he was looking for. Ask Mike Pence.

flvegan
(66,401 posts)That is such a good, casual rip on Hegseth. What a fucking chud.
Ilsa
(64,469 posts)reporter if all of this is true.
Vulgar coins? Typical for the Grab 'em by the pussy party.

