re: Is the US military the most bloated employer?

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what beachheads are we holding these days?

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it doesnt matter. the US has a large enough standing army that we COULD hold ground if the mission called for it. that is the current strategic capability of the US military, which has been determined by policy. you and many others on this thread clearly do not agree with our foreign policy and strategic capabilities, and maybe i dont either, but that isnt "bloat".

bloat in the military are the hundreds of thousands of civilians running around doing absolutely frick all like running equal opportunity programs, and sexual assault prevention programs, and family readiness programs, and victim advocacy programs, and psychological / mental health programs, and suicide awareness programs, and programs for people who that need other programs, and programs to supervise those programs, and civilian "deputy" positions at nearly every level that are supposed to offer "continuity" but really only exist to perpetually problem admire and self-justify their positions, etc etc ad nauseum.

these people come to work (sometimes) and literally do next to nothing all day. there are literally civilians that i know for a FACT dont even come to work anymore since COVID. they literally sit at home collecting a paycheck, supposedly "teleworking" (but actually unreachable almost all the time) because they are "high risk" or whatever, and it's ten times easier to just let them keep doing it than it is to fire them.

so many conservatives are willing to sacrifice tax dollars to the DOD because "support the troops" and "strong national defense", both positions that i respect to be clear, but are virtually ignorant to the fact that the DOD civilian force is a HUGE de facto welfare state in and of itself.

editing to add that we in uniform are garbage at accounting for and maintaining gear and equipment as well which has a monumental price tag attached to it. civilian employees are garbage almost across the board, but there is a complete lack of accountability at the senior officer level as well as it pertains to maintaining and accounting for equipment.