Throughout the centuries, military leaders have used extensive training to enhance the performance of their soldiers during war times. That practice goes back to ancient Egypt, Napoleon’s armies and the Inca warriors. Give them drugs and then tell them they were invincible in battle.

In more modern times, Germany gave its most elite soldiers enhancement drugs to keep them alert, and increase endurance. Military leaders never gave thought to the effects of these powerful enhancement drugs later on.

Military leaders experimented with different drugs ranging from mushrooms, cocaine, amphetamines and peyote. The only goal was to increase battle field performance, dull pain and remove inhibitions during battle. All this was desired by the leaders of armies.

During the 1950s, the United States was pursuing nuclear weapons with open air testing. Soldiers were taken to forward trenches, given dark goggles and ear plugs. Once everything, and everybody was in place, the weapon was detonated. Soldiers were later tested to see what the effect of close proximity to a nuclear blast and its effect on them. Radiation sometimes does not show its effects for years.

During the Vietnam War, Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense will be long remembered for his Project: 100,000. Also known as McNamara’s Boy’s. With the war demanding more and more front-line soldiers, McNamara saw a large number of recruits that did not have the skills and IQs to pass the basic military entrance test. He devised a program known as remedial enhancement. The military began taking these soldiers and giving them remedial learning classes to enhance their abilities. The government realized if they could bring the test scores up to minimum levels, they would have a large group of recruits.

Give them remedial training, special boot camps in Paris Island and send them to Vietnam. That was the plan. It took no consideration of a soldier’s potential due to his mental skills. If he could read two levels higher then when he was first tested, “See Jane Run”, he passed. He could be a front-line soldier. Needless to say, this program put more boots on the ground, but often the outcome was tragic. McNamara later stated, “This was a terrible, terrible mistake.”

One of the goals of the German government during the 1930s and early 40s was the purification of the Aryan people. It was hoped that blue eyed and blonde hair children could become the Germany of the future. Inside concentration camps, experiments were conducted to promote these traits in people. We all know how that turned out.

Steroids, testosterone and other physical enhancing drugs have been with us for decades. They have been both praised and cursed. Body builders used protein additives and muscle enhancements to have rippling muscles much like Robert Kenndy or Arnold Schwarzenegger. Those who use them have a choice with an understanding of what may be the long-term results.

Our Secretary of War has now installed a program for testing soldiers over thirty, both men and women to determine their testosterone levels. At the present time, soldiers who fall short of the ideal level set by the Secretary will be offered enhancement drugs to raise their levels. Mandatory? No but there is little doubt, if you are a career soldier, your future promotions could be uncertain if your levels are short of predetermined manly levels necessary to defend our country.

I have to say that in the last decade our nation’s leaders have done things I do not agree with. But with that being said, this is the most despicable thing I have ever heard our government’s Secretary of War say is needed to protect our country.

The men and women who have stood up and entered the military did so wanting to protect America. There is something inside that makes them want to do that. Call it courage, dedication, or just wanting to preserve our America. They took that step over millions who did not feel that need or commitment or bone spur.

If the Secretary of War believes a blood test will tell him who will be a better soldier, he is badly mistaken. Courage is not visible under a microscope. It cannot be determined in an IQ test. The ability to face fear and be scared, and still move forward is not evident in a drop of blood. Whatever it is, it cannot be determined, except when they step up to confront a situation.

During World War II, young Audie Murphy would not have met today’s Secretary of War’s idea of a real soldier. Yet when the challenge confronted him on the battlefield, he found the courage inside himself to become the most decorated soldier in the second World War.

History has recorded great injustices done to our citizens in the name of creating a better soldier, with drugs, exposure to radiation, and remedial education. The history books prove in none of the experiments on America’s brave and most dedicated people, did it change the course of war or peace. Brave Americans paid the price while the Secretary of War faded with no accounting for what they had done.

Our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth will join those other men whose war mongering ideals only hurt the very people he proclaims to protect. This is one of the darkest moments in President Trump’s Administration, and an attack on those with real courage and dedication.

Sixteen soldiers have died, and many more injured in Trump and Hegseth’s war. I wonder… were they’re testosterone levels low which caused their deaths…. NO! They died because…. WHY DID THEY DIE…. SECRETARY OF WAR, PETE HEGSETH? As I see it Through the lens.