Trust and Confidence in the Military – and its Veterans
November 23, 2022
Why the public should trust its military, and hire its veterans.
November 23, 2022
Happy belated Veteran’s Day to those in the Community who have served or are currently serving. To my brothers and sisters in arms (and your families): thank you for your service.
On the heels of a day where the United States celebrates its veterans, I’d like to focus on an alarming trend I’ve seen widely discussed in the media recently: declining trust and support for our military. Some quick data:
- According to a June 2022 Gallup poll, only 32% of Americans have a “great deal” of confidence in the military. For context, the last time the number was this low was more than 20 years ago in June of 2001, just prior to the 9/11 attacks.
- In March, the Ronald Reagan Institute released the results of a public opinion poll where only 56% of Americans surveyed said they have a “great deal of trust and confidence” in the military. This is down from 70% just three years ago.
- The military is currently facing a recruiting challenge – which I discussed In the August edition of the VET. One of the key underlying challenges identified by military leaders studying the situation is that only 9% of eligible individuals have a “propensity to serve.” This is the lowest recorded level since 2007 during the height of the Iraq War.
As I look at these trends, I worry about the potential negative implications each may have on veterans. And given that the stated goal of our Summit Partners Veterans Community is to advocate for veterans, I’d like to make the contrarian case by sharing a story about a veteran who recently transitioned after almost 25 years of service. His story is compelling and, in my estimation, exemplifies many of the reasons why the American public should trust our armed services – and strongly consider hiring its veterans.
Similar to last month’s VET, the story is about a close friend of mine. For security reasons (which will become apparent below), I’ll say my friend’s name is John Smith. I met John when we were freshmen (plebes) at West Point, and my initial impression was that we shared several similarities: both accomplished in high school, but uneasy about attending a school where everyone was even more accomplished; late bloomers physically, with an uphill climb to catch up to our peers; struggling with the sinking weight of 18+ credits of academic courses per semester.
Although we ran in different circles, I felt close to John while at school and considered him a friend. I would venture to say most of our classmates would say the same…he’s that type of person. However, another thing I remember about John was how most people described him: “fantastic person, average cadet” (NOTE: I can say this as the latter accurately describes my cadet career too). I won’t go into the reasons why this was the case but, I know for a fact that John would agree with the assessment.
After graduating, we went down different paths; I became an Armor officer, and John became a newly commissioned infantry officer. As our time in service progressed, I heard stories about John from classmates, but soon those stories dwindled. I attributed this to the traditional “friend in school but life happens, and you drift apart” journey, but little did I know how non-traditional (and exceptional) John’s journey was.
After serving for several years as an infantry officer in the storied 82nd Airborne Division, John entered the world of Special Operations. First, he earned his Green Beret and served in the 5th Special Forces Group based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. After two years, John joined what is technically referred to as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta but is more commonly known as “Delta Force.” Given the confidential mission of Delta, its soldiers (current and former) are subject to strict non-disclosure agreements and live every day with the prospect of being targeted by terrorist organizations they have conducted operations against (which is why I have changed John’s name for this article).
If your only context for Delta Force is the nauseating 1986 movie starring Chuck Norris, I encourage you to scroll down to the “R&R” section below. There, I’ve shared several links to articles and books that far more accurately describe the Unit and, more importantly, how individuals are selected for it. I’ll summarize just how elite the group is by quoting one article: “With an attrition rate historically hovering at 90%, Delta Force has one of the hardest and most selective selection and assessment processes in the U.S. military.”
John and I reconnected several years ago when he was stationed back at West Point. Over the course of his five years there, we saw each other regularly. Yet every time we got together, and I tried to ask him about his time in Delta – how he got there, his time in the Unit, etc. – ALL of those attempts resulted in a non-answer or change of topic.
I was fortunate enough to attend John’s retirement ceremony at Fort Bragg earlier this year. The ceremony was emceed by Lieutenant General (LTG) Jonathan Braga, commander of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). For those unfamiliar with what USASOC does, LTG Braga is a big deal as he is responsible for ALL Army Special Operations, including Delta and the Ranger Regiment.
In the general’s 15-minute speech, I learned more about my friend than I learned in the previous 15 years. Below, I highlight three stories that stood out to me, how they relate to the question of trusting the military, and illustrative of why leaders of ALL companies should make veterans part of their hiring strategy.
- “We need you to go to a Lebanese prison… now”– John’s oldest son recently graduated college, but when he was less than six months old, John got a call late one night to get on a plane and conduct a mission that would culminate in him spending time visiting a Lebanese prison. Think about that for a minute…being asked to leave your wife and infant son with a few hours’ notice and go into harm’s way for an undetermined period. To me, that level of COMMITMENT screams trust in our military, but it’s also an essential quality commercial leaders look for in their employees
- “You’ve been shot.” “Yup, do you need grenades?”– during a mission, John and his unit were pinned down by insurgents and John was shot. When one of his troops pointed out his injury, John shrugged it off and continued to lead his troops by focusing on what they needed versus what he needed. This myopic MISSION FOCUS, regardless of conditions, is the definition of heroism, but also an essential attribute for company leaders and their employees when faced with dynamic situations.
- “John, I want you to take command of Delta.” “No thanks, sir.”– After a 13-year career in the most elite fighting force in the world, John was offered the job of leading Delta. Rather than taking the job, John declined and took another assignment that would allow him to spend more time with his family. The only word I can use to describe this is PRINCIPLED. As I write this article, details are emerging about several high-profile companies facing bankruptcy due in part to questionable decisions made by their leadership. All companies, regardless of size, scale or industry need principled leaders at their helm.
Despite all the words above, I find it difficult to express how much trust, confidence and respect I have for my friend John. He is one of many veterans who deserve the trust and respect of society and its leaders. They also deserve our support in identifying career opportunities once they transition. Setting emotions aside, what leads me to believe this? Despite the declining sentiment towards the military, the same Gallup poll cited above also provided data on the two institutions Americans hold in highest regard. The answer? The military and small businesses. Hope this provides one more reason for both groups of fantastic people to find a way to work together.
Charlie Mike* (and have a Happy Thanksgiving)
Dave & the Summit Partners Veterans Community
* “Charlie Mike” is the military phonetic alphabet for the letters C and M which stand for “continue the mission,” a phrase commonly used in tactical situations
Veteran Engagement Team Reads & Resources (R&R)
- How the Army uses the West Virginia wilderness to find out who has what it takes to join Delta Force – Business Insider
- Military and National Defense – Gallup
- Trust In U.S. Institutions Hits Record Low, Poll Finds – Forbes
- Trust in the military is dropping significantly, new survey suggests – Military Times
November Book of the Month
Inside Delta Force – Eric L. Haney
They are the U.S. Army’s most elite top-secret strike force. They dominate the modern battlefield, but you won’t hear about their heroics on CNN. No headlines can reveal their top-secret missions, and no book has ever taken readers inside—until now. Here, a founding member of Delta Force takes us behind the veil of secrecy and into the action-to reveal the never-before-told story of 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-D (Delta Force).
About the Author
