The article argues that recent executive overreach and politicization have severely undermined established norms of U.S. civil-military relations. To restore professional standards, the incoming Congress must actively exercise its oversight powers, moving beyond mere criticism to demanding transparency in defense policy and personnel decisions. Key reforms include enforcing meritocratic promotion processes, requiring documented justification for senior officer removals, and preventing the partisan use of the military. These actions are crucial for bolstering public trust and ensuring the military remains a nonpartisan instrument of civilian control.
Carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is Now in the Atlantic
English Summary
The USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group has concluded a record-breaking 315-day deployment, marking the longest since the Cold War, and is returning to Naval Station Norfolk for extensive maintenance. The deployment involved operations across the Atlantic, Southern Command (Venezuela), and the Middle East (Iran), reflecting a dynamic and evolving strategic posture. This extended deployment highlights the ongoing demands on US naval assets and underscores the need for robust maintenance and potential force structure adjustments. The Acting Secretary of the Navy emphasized the importance of crew welfare following the demanding operational tempo.
中文摘要
「蓋瑞·福特」號航空母艦打擊群已完成創紀錄的315天部署，這是自冷戰以來最長的部署之一，目前正返回位於諾福克海軍基地的維修。此次部署涵蓋大西洋、南方司令部（委內瑞拉）及中東（伊朗）等地區，反映出美國的動態且不斷演變的戰略態勢。如此長期的部署凸顯了對美國海軍資產的持續需求，並強調了堅強的維護能力以及潛在的兵力結構調整的必要性。海軍代理部長強調了在緊湊的作戰節奏後，關注船員福祉的重要性。
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