Executives from Meta, OpenAI, and Palantir Commissioned Into The US Army Reserve (theregister.com) 79
Meta's CTO, Palantir's CTO, and OpenAI's chief product officer are being appointed as lieutenant colonels in America's Army Reserve, reports The Register. (Along with OpenAI's former chief revenue officer).
They've all signed up for Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps, "an effort to recruit senior tech executives to serve part-time in the Army Reserve as senior advisors," according to the official statement. "In this role they will work on targeted projects to help guide rapid and scalable tech solutions to complex problems..." "Our primary role will be to serve as technical experts advising the Army's modernization efforts," [Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth] said on X...
As for Open AI's involvement, the company has been building its ties with the military-technology complex for some years now. Like Meta, OpenAI is working with Anduril on military ideas and last year scandalized some by watering down its past commitment to developing non-military products only. The Army wasn't answering questions on Friday but an article referenced by [OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin] Weil indicated that the four will have to serve a minimum of 120 hours a year, can work remotely, and won't have to pass basic training...
"America wins when we unite the dynamism of American innovation with the military's vital missions," [Palantir CTO Shyam] Sankar said on X. "This was the key to our triumphs in the 20th century. It can help us win again. I'm humbled by this new opportunity to serve my country, my home, America."
They've all signed up for Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps, "an effort to recruit senior tech executives to serve part-time in the Army Reserve as senior advisors," according to the official statement. "In this role they will work on targeted projects to help guide rapid and scalable tech solutions to complex problems..." "Our primary role will be to serve as technical experts advising the Army's modernization efforts," [Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth] said on X...
As for Open AI's involvement, the company has been building its ties with the military-technology complex for some years now. Like Meta, OpenAI is working with Anduril on military ideas and last year scandalized some by watering down its past commitment to developing non-military products only. The Army wasn't answering questions on Friday but an article referenced by [OpenAI Chief Product Officer Kevin] Weil indicated that the four will have to serve a minimum of 120 hours a year, can work remotely, and won't have to pass basic training...
"America wins when we unite the dynamism of American innovation with the military's vital missions," [Palantir CTO Shyam] Sankar said on X. "This was the key to our triumphs in the 20th century. It can help us win again. I'm humbled by this new opportunity to serve my country, my home, America."
As a former officer... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:As a former officer... (Score:5, Insightful)
Particularly when all they really have to offer is snake oil.
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Since when does snake oil surveil citizens and violate copyright?
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Re:As a former officer... (Score:4, Funny)
No longer need to carry loose change (Score:3)
Freedom, Brought to you by: Coca Cola
At least we can swipe/tap cards at the vending machines, we no longer need to carry loose change in the field. :-)
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And lieutant colonel is somewhat high isn't it? That higher than captain and major, isn't it?
Re: As a former officer... (Score:5, Informative)
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Lt. Col is the typical end rank of a 20 year career.
You should meet some military physicians.
They are made officers (we used to call them "direct input officers", dunno if they still do) and given inflated ranks for two reasons: to pay them sufficiently, but also to get them within the military accountability structure.
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The major is the highest (Latin: maior) of captains - he is the connection between the captains, the heads (Latin: capus) of the companies, with the Staff, the colonel and his de
We did the same during WW2 ... (Score:5, Insightful)
...may I say: this is offensive. They can be overpaid consultants, but gifting them unearned rank...stinks.
I totally understand and agree with that sentiment. However we did similar things during WW2 to help manage war production. It was believed that certain experience and skill sets were needed inside the military and also to help facilitate working with industry. I believe the CEO of General Motors was made a Lt Gen. I am somewhat confused and concerned that they think such extreme action is necessary today. That there is a need for these people to be in some chain of command. And absent conditions that warrant such actions, I agree it is insulting. But if such conditions exist, WTF are they?
Re: We did the same during WW2 ... (Score:3)
As a vet, I too find this offensive.
Yes, during a major worldwide war we did this extraordinarily unusual thing. There is no such exigent emergency. If these guys want to help, either be paid consultants, or start off as 2nd lieutenants like the rest of the officer corp.
Hope O-5 is not a Kentucky Colonel now (Score:2)
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I believe the CEO of General Motors was made a Lt Gen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Knudsen was president of the Chevrolet Division of General Motors from 1924 to 1937 and was president of General Motors from 1937 to 1940.
His experience and success as a key senior manager in the operations sides of Ford Motor Company and then General Motors led the Franklin Roosevelt administration to commission him directly as a lieutenant general in the United States Army to help lead the United States' war materiel production efforts for World War II.
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But if such conditions exist, WTF are they?
They're just getting ready for the war between the USA'n'SRs vs Europe.
Could it be they need military staff? (Score:1)
Re: Could it be they need military staff? (Score:2)
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It's a bad look to the egos of the people involved. These people are narcissists, the first step is always giving yourself a big reward.
There might be technical reasons behind it, but it's not necessary to understand what's being done. It's cosplay.
Guessed wrong. (Score:2)
Yeah well all that is wrong but ok
Like the Trump admin gives a fuck about opsec. (Score:2)
Like the Trump admin gives a fuck about opsec. Like they respect classified information.
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They still get saluted ... (Score:4, Informative)
How does this affect average enlisted men? As reserve LTCs, can they still order regular soldiers around? What about other officers?
They get saluted by all lower ranks when in uniform.
However if someone is not in your chain of command, ordering them around can be a tricky thing. A quick way to get yelled at by a full Colonel. Of course, having not earned the rank of Lt Col, would they care?
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Typically that would be if they bought their own Regiment or Battalion in along with them. Of course back then (250 years ago) those would be the men (labourers and peasants) from their estates.
The US has had privately raised units ... (Score:2)
Typically that would be if they bought their own Regiment or Battalion in along with them. Of course back then (250 years ago) those would be the men (labourers and peasants) from their estates.
We did this 164'ish years ago during the Civil War, although I think the units were normally raised by States and officers appointed by Governors. A few raised privately. Also 127'ish years ago during the Spanish American war. I think the State raised units were typically considered US Army, and the private US Volunteers. Teddy Roosevelt's unit was USV.
And of course we did this 250'ish years ago during the American Revolution. States recruited regiments and Governors appointed officers and these became t
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...may I say: this is offensive. They can be overpaid consultants, but gifting them unearned rank...stinks.
Yawn. Direct input officers have been a thing forever. Heck, I had to salute my physics instructor at nuclear power school, who was just some young teacher chick who would never deploy anywhere.
And yes, it's to pay them. And get them within the military accountability structure (the more important reason).
Should'a gotten Musk. (Score:1, Troll)
He'd make a great artillery target.
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Top dogs would insist on a rank of general, Musk would require 6 stars, plus a provision in his contract to rewrite the history books declaring himself a founder of the country.
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America loves Nazis who make rockets.
Wait, I know this one! (Score:4, Insightful)
Actually, you do not know this one (Score:2)
Can anyone help jog my memory? When government and corporate interests merge, and you can't tell where corporations stop and government begins...what's that called? I'm sure I had a class on that once. Some kind of political movement. I can't remember what it's called but it was started by the editor of Italy's largest socialist newspaper [avantionline.it]back in the 1920s. Anyone know?
Actually, you do not know this one. I realize you were thinking fascism but fascism is not a merging of government and corporations. Under fascism, both labor and industry are subordinate to the Party, the government. The Party does not share. The Party allows labor unions for the workers, but the unions must be under Party authority. The Party allows industrialists to have syndicates but they also must be under Party authority. Every organization, every individual, is subordinate to the Party. The Party ma
Re: Actually, you do not know this one (Score:2)
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Wrong. Trump is a fascist ...
Trump has many failings, but that's not one of them. That's just childish name calling by his political opponents. It works with the ill-informed, to whom toss around the word fascism as an epithet for any administration they don't like. Ironically, Trump himself often uses such childish attacks. It works to a degree among the true believers of both sides.
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Oh god you're just here to shield ole orange fatty. Shut the fuck up.
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Oh god you're just here to shield ole orange fatty. Shut the fuck up.
Nope. There is a long list of legitimate accusations. Fascist is just not among those. Its absolutely amazing that given someone with so many real failing some people have to go for the fabricated.
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"Nevertrumpers like Chuck Schumer are registered Republicans"
The most powerful Democrat in the country is a registered Republican?
"Trump himself has several Democrats in his Cabinet."
False. Trump has all Republicans save one Independent, RFK Jr., in his cabinet.
And where has this Republican and Democrat nonsense come from? You went from making a rare interesting point straight to crazy town. And aren't you replying to your own post saying "I don't see ANY of that happening here"? What does that mean?
And
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"Under fascism, both labor and industry are subordinate to the Party, the government. The Party does not share. "
That's just defining totalitarianism, it's not defining what the government is. Fascism is a form of totalitarianism, but not just totalitarianism.
"The Party allows industrialists to have syndicates but they also must be under Party authority."
Sure, but that doesn't mean that the "Party" is not dominated by corporate interests. Again, you ignore what the Party is. That term does not mean anyth
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Can anyone help jog my memory? When government and corporate interests merge, and you can't tell where corporations stop and government begins...what's that called? I'm sure I had a class on that once. Some kind of political movement. I can't remember what it's called but it was started by the editor of Italy's largest socialist newspaper [avantionline.it]back in the 1920s. Anyone know?
So my chemistry and physics instructors at Naval Nuclear Power School decades ago (who were also direct input officers) were fascists? Who knew!
President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Farewell Address (Score:5, Informative)
A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction.
Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peace time, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea.
Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United State corporations.
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence-economic, political, even spiritual-is felt in every city, every state house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Farewell Address [archives.gov]
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In other words, education and enlightenment is the check against abuse of military strength. With FUD being the opposite.
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The_Iron_Triangle, Dan Briody, https://www.goodreads.com/book... [goodreads.com]
Ike may have meant to refer to the Military-Industrial-Congressional (funding) Complex, but somehow left out Congressional. Hence, Iron Triangle.
I think the book was largely about the Carlyle Group but also the general revolving door and other systemic corruption points in the US government, for example lobbying. Things have only g
For sale: one defense department, make an offer (Score:5, Insightful)
The parade today was literally showing ads for the corporate sponsors:
https://www.mediaite.com/media... [mediaite.com]
It looks like commissions are for sale as well.
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This was clearly intended to be an insult even though it was a compliment to gays. No doubt bigots will get the right message, though.
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Holy shit! I didn't watch the stupid parade, brought to us by Shitcoin.
DISGUSTING (Score:5, Insightful)
They wouldn't pass an aptitude test, do 5 pushups, or contribute anything other than MORE GREED for their personal ego and "shareholder value."
That is not what the military is above.
This is yet more grift, tit for tat, and selling access to government and the military industrial complex.
Fuck Trump.
Age limit? (Score:2)
How old are these dudes? Isn't there an age limit to joining?
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Depending on the program, you can get an age waiver. Typically doctors and nurses have no age limit for waiver. Other programs have definite age caps even with waiver.
My understanding is part of doing the waiver is to make it clear that depending on how old you are when you commission, you may be unlikely to make the 20 years to qualify for pension.
What is interesting is that by commissioning these executives, they will now be subject to the UCMJ...
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What is interesting is that by commissioning these executives, they will now be subject to the UCMJ...
As if that means anything. Krasnov will just pardon them like he did for all those terrorists.
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they will now be subject to the UCMJ...
Rewarding influential people with high positions has been seen in other countries as a way to ensure their loyalty through honours, salary, or implied threats of court-martial.
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Joining? LOL
Fascism on the march. (Score:2)
What is Fascism? (Score:2)
Clue: This authoritarian system, marked by the union of corporate and state power, nationalism, and suppression of dissent.
Answer: What is Fascism?
Fascism is not a union of gov and corp (Score:2)
Category: Political Ideologies
Clue: This authoritarian system, marked by the union of corporate and state power, nationalism, and suppression of dissent.
Answer: What is Fascism?
Bzzzz -- Wrong.
Fascism is not a union of government and corporations. Under fascism, both labor and industry are subordinate to the Party, the government. The Party does not share. The Party allows labor unions for the workers, but the unions must be under Party authority. The Party allows industrialists to have syndicates but they also must be under Party authority. Every organization, every individual, is subordinate to the Party. The Party may play unions and syndicates off each other as convenient.
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It is still very worrying when the line of defense is that it does not match one particular criterion, how important it be.
As I read in Wikipedia, Salazarism has "different phiosophical grounds" than fascism and Salazar opposed fascism; Franquism has "resemblances" to fascism, and others are dubious as well (Carol II of Romania opposed fascists, Pétain in France was kind of salazarist). While fascism is strictly speaking the regime of Mussolini and nothign else, this did not prevent history to remember
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It is still very worrying when the line of defense is that it does not match one particular criterion, how important it be.
It's not a line of defense, it's a debunking of a false accusation. You can call Trump many thing, you can find a long list of actual real failings. But the fascism accusation is simply false, a political fabrication of his opposition. Counting on ignorance of what fascism is, a word which is often misused to refer to an administration they don't like. It's childish name calling. Which works with the ill informed, as Trump himself has also shown.
While fascism is strictly speaking the regime of Mussolini and nothign else ....
Nope. For the pre-WW2 era, we have Italian, Spanish, and Germa
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Fascism is very flexible [amazon.com] hence it's easy adoption.
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Fascism is very flexible [amazon.com] hence it's easy adoption.
Yes, fascism is very opportunistic. Borrowing many ideas from the left or right, anything that will help the Party attain or retain power. But the Party sharing power with some other group is not part of that flexibility. All individual, all organization, are subordinate to the Party. Corporation do the will of the Party just as workers do the will of the Party.
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Nope. For the pre-WW2 era, we have Italian, Spanish, and German version. All with a different spin.
I don't agree. There are numerous known definitions of fascims. If you go with the strictest ones, Fascism is the regime of Mussolini, and that's it. This is the point of view of many historians (though not all). If you go with the broader definitions, you can make Trump nearly fit inside. You certainly can choose a definition or propose one that will make Salazar fit inside and Trump is more clearly out.
As I read, Franquist Spain is described as para-fascist, semi-fascist, quasi-fascist. Which is the point
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If you go with the broader definitions, you can make Trump nearly fit inside.
Nope. No dictatorship. No empire. No ethnic nationalism. No gov't controlled economy. No rationalization of violence. Etc.
Just exaggerated use of such epithets during political name calling. Its works to a degree with the ill-informed, as Trump himself has shown.
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"No dictatorship". I don't know what you include in that. All of Hitler, Mussolini, Pétain and Salazar were elected/nominated according to the procedures of the time. Trump has shown his tendency to go around the existing counter-powers, concentrating the power into a single hand.
"No ethnic nationalism" I don't think the previous European fascists, except for Nazism, were ethnicists. Only Hitler had an Aryan obsession. Persecutions against Jews in France were held, at least officially, on the pretence
Re: Fascism is not a union of gov and corp (Score:2)
If he retains a grip on power Trumpism will surely be defined in greater detail.
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"Salazarism" is distinguished over fascism in that it lacks nationalistic and religious elements. Trumpism contains those elements.
"It remains to be seen if history will remember them as later fascists..."
It doesn't remain to be seen. Trumpism is fascism, there's enough history past already to determine that.
"...or as starting a new cluster of ideologies..."
A new fascism, if you will. So it remains to be seen what the name will be?
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You made this exact same post earlier. Everyone go ahead and foe this guy and you'll know to skip over his posts in the future.
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You made this exact same post earlier.
Yeah, to two individuals making the same false claim.
Everyone go ahead and foe this guy and you'll know to skip over his posts in the future.
LOL. Yes, avoid those inconvenient truths. Don't let propaganda be challenged. We must have only a single voice .... Ironically wouldn't that be a fascist like thing to do? Silence the opposition and all that. :-)
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This is false, and refuted above.
"BTW. You missed a major part of fascist ideology, a quite defining one. The rationalization of political violence - the "cause" or "goal" being so virtuous."
That's not an ideology, it's a consequence. What is virtuous IS the ideology. Frankly, the "Clue" you object to is a far better definition of fascism than anything you provide.
More Newspeak (Score:2)
Oh my... MilSpeak meets TechBroSpeak. A whole new lexicon of meaninglessness...
I doubt they'll need encryption at their meetings; no one will understand a word anyone says in plain.
It is rather synical that ... (Score:1)
... the militarization of the us is accompanied by names that come from a book that is inspired by the war against suppression and fascism.
Wfh (Score:2)
Loyalty (Score:2)
If they had some executives or higher level management with previous military experience, maybe not such a big deal.
Bestowing high level ranks simply sounds more like another grift.
talk about loosing any respect left (Score:2)
First sentence from the new article (Score:2)
"Several of Silicon Valley's top techies are joining the Army Reserve as part of a newly created unit that will be trying to accelerate the use of AI in military planning and operations."
So, an AI snip hunt.