This has nothing directly to do with the stock market, but…
…my first job as a newly commissioned second lieutenant in 1968 was as a platoon leader in the Fifth Mechanized Infantry at Fort Carson, in Colorado Springs. Luckily for me, an older (27?), Vietnam-veteran platoon sergeant took me under his wing. As we got to know one another, he told me that what made him proudest of being a soldier, and what kept him in military service, was that it was the only place he knew where he would be evaluated solely on his job performance, rather than on the color of his skin or how he led his personal life. That became the thing I was most proud of about the Army, too. (He also advised me to buy a rifle, shoot a deer and freeze it, so I’d have meat to eat. Yes, pay was awful, but I passed on that.)
Fast forward to now, with the Secretary of Defense being questioned by Sara Jacobs, Congresswoman from San Diego, on the firing of three career women military officers, all of whom were ranked on their fitness reports as among the top 5% of all officers of their grade and experience. Yes, there’s likely considerable “grade inflation” in reports like this (in my day, being in the second decile was a career killer. But the narratives written by their bosses made it clear that all three were superb officers. Mr. Hegseth agreed. Yet, Ms. Jacobs said, Hegesth was firing all three. Why? …because he (of all people) didn’t like the way they were choosing to lead their personal lives.
Another bad day for the land of the free, the home of the brave and the shining city on the hill.