The writer begins by asserting that the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Secretary of State need to be “significantly improved in short order.” (Project 2025, Section 2: The Common Defense, page 119, paragraph 1.)

“…the Department of Defense is a deeply troubled institution. It has emphasized leftist politics over military readiness, recruiting was the worst in 2022 that it has been in two generations, and the Biden Administration’s profoundly unserious equity agenda and vaccine mandates have taken a serious toll.” (Project 2025, Section 2: The Common Defense, page 119, paragraph 2.)

According to the Army recruitment website, it’s not “leftist policies” that are the problem. “71% of youth do not qualify for military service because of obesity, drugs, physical and mental health problems, misconduct, and aptitude.” [Source]¹

Fact check: “While Republicans have pointed to the vaccine mandate creating a retention issue, the Defense Department says all of the military services had surpassed their retention goals for the first 10 months of the 2023 fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2022. The services have exceeded retention goals even as the military has faced challenges in recruiting new service members. [Source]².

Were people in the military dishonorably discharged, as some Republicans claim, for refusing to be vaccinated? No. “Of 3,400 troops who’ve been involuntarily separated from service for refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, about 70 percent have received general discharges, service personnel chiefs said Wednesday. That characterization secures their veterans benefits and, in many cases, allows them to rejoin the military if they decide to get vaccinated. The remaining discharges have been honorable, officials told lawmakers during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.” [Source³]

“I can tell you there are no operational impacts across the force for readiness,” Marine Corps Lt. Gen. David Ottignon told lawmakers.” [Source⁴].

Moreover, the military has required vaccines basically since George Washington. [Source]⁵ In fact, the DoD already administers 17 different vaccines to service members—outlined in the “Joint Regulation on Immunization and Chemoprophylaxis for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases.”⁶.

“Moreover, our military has adopted a risk-averse culture – think of masked soldiers, sailors, and airmen – rather than instilling and rewarding courage in thought and action.” (Project 2025, Section 2: The Common Defense, page 119, paragraph 2.)

Well, if that’s not about the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. The writer is actually suggesting that attempting to protect oneself from disease, by wearing masks or getting vaccines, is cowardly. Contracting viruses to own the libs! I guess “real men” can ward off diseases with sheer willpower. The writer goes on to insult generals and admirals:

“The good news is that most enlisted personnel, and most officers, especially below the rank of general or admiral, continue to be patriotic defenders of liberty.” (Project 2025, Section 2: The Common Defense, page 119, paragraph 3.) The writer goes on to quote Russ Vought’s⁷ opinion on the matter, which I touched on in Section 1.2.⁸ In a nutshell, they’re arguing that the military is prioritizing non-defense related matters, such as climate change, critical race theory, et al, and is suffering for it.

The writer goes on to quote the upcoming sections written by Christopher Miller, Kiron Skinner, Mora Namdar, Dustin Carmack, and Max Primorac⁹, so we’ll cross those bridges when we come to them rather than quoting them here.

“Divisive symbols such as the rainbow flag or the Black Lives Matter flag have no place next to the Stars and Stripes at our embassies.” (Project 2025, Section 2: The Common Defense, page 121, paragraph 2.)

This is a dig at Antony Blinken’s okaying these types of flags¹⁰ to be flown at our embassies around the world, if they so chose. From the linked article: “The cable contained a hedge, though, saying the authorization is not a requirement and chiefs of mission who run each embassy or consulate can choose whether to fly the Pride flag or showcase other symbols connoting support for LGBTQ rights based on what is “appropriate in light of local conditions.” The Trump Administration had previously forbidden this.

In March 2024, Biden encouraged a bipartisan passing of the spending bill, despite the fact that it supported reversing this authorization.¹¹ Embassies in Brazil and Curacao were two which chose to fly the Black Lives Matter flag at their embassies in honor of Black History Month. [Source]¹² [Source]¹³.

In any case, it’s telling that the writer explicitly states their belief that thinking that “black lives matter” or supporting LGBTQ people’s right to exist peacefully is “divisive.” It’s only divisive if you’re a racist or a homophobe/transphobe.