(WND)—On Dec. 10, 2018, just before the traditional Army-Navy football game, President Donald Trump made an announcement. While a well-coached Army team would go on to win 17-10 in what proved to be an exciting contest, more than two years later Trump would learn the consequences of his pregame announcement that day – one unfortunately made against the advice of his military “coaches.”
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Marine Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, was due to retire in 2019. Thus, Trump had to designate a replacement. For some reason, Trump was high on the U.S. Army chief of staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, despite the advice, not only of Dunford but Secretary of Defense James Mattis, that Milley was not their first choice. Nonetheless, Milley got the nod and was sworn in as CJCS on Sept. 30, 2019.
During his confirmation hearings, Milley assured the Senate he would resign before doing anything improper, such as obeying an “illegal, unethical or immoral order,” and would never soft-pedal his advice to the president. Just before being sworn in as CJCS, he told Trump, “I will always provide you informed, candid, impartial military advice.” Trump responded with, “You’re my friend. You’re my adviser, and you deserve this position. I never had a doubt. Congratulations.” Based on the insights of a whistleblower who personally witnessed how the events of Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol unfolded, it appears Milley may have acted improperly, making the accolades given to him by Trump unwarranted.
A key issue concerning the January 6 incident is the National Guard’s failure to immediately deploy to stop the pro-Trump mob from entering the Capitol. But, instead, there was a four-hour delay. U.S. Army Col. Earl Matthews was in a position to know exactly what happened that day as he was serving as the National Guard’s legal adviser. But, after hearing two of Milley’s senior minions testify, allegedly contrary to what Matthews knew happened, he could no longer remain silent. In December 2021, he sent a shocking memo to the congressional committee investigating the incident.
The two senior officers involved were Gen. Charles Flynn, the deputy U.S. Army chief of staff, and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt. Matthews held nothing back, accusing them of providing “perjured testimony.”
Despite his memo, Matthews was recommended for promotion to brigadier general in November 2022, only later to have it denied. This led to him filing a 37-page complaint on Jan. 3, 2024, claiming retaliation by the Army for blowing the whistle on his seniors. His complaint called them “absolute and unmitigated liars” in their testimony before Congress.
It was primarily due to testimony by the two generals that reports by both a Pentagon inspector general and the House committee investigating the January 6 incident found no impediment was deliberately placed by senior military leaders to delay the National Guard’s deployment. It is the Army’s narrative of the events of that day, supported by these reports, upon which the Colorado Supreme Court relied to justify getting Trump’s name removed from the ballot.
But in a recent interview, Matthews identified the person who delayed the Guard’s deployment, someone who had no authority to do so – Milley. Although the National Guard falls directly under presidential control, Milley circumvented his role.
Matthews made some fairly damning statements about the former CJCS in a recent interview. “Milley is the Don Barzini (a reference to the crime family in the ‘Godfather’ movie) of the Deep State,” said the Harvard Law School graduate. “He’s the most powerful chairman of the joint chiefs in history. It was Milley all along, and I didn’t realize it. Milley was manipulating this entire stuff from point start.”
Matthews shared that Milley projected himself outside of his authority. As CJCS, Milley was only to serve in an advisory capacity to the president with no legal authority within the chain of command. However, through his position and exploitation of other generals, he was able to maneuver himself into controlling the Army. Matthews explained:
“The problem was not with Donald Trump; it’s Mark Milley and the Army leadership in control. They stopped the Guard from coming, then lied about it and said the Guard acted at sprint speed. This is about civilian control of the military. There was none. There is none. I argue that – Mark Milley had more control over the D.C. Guard on Jan. 6 than Donald Trump did – if Donald Trump wanted to call the Guard to go to the Capitol, Milley wouldn’t let him do it.”
Among those supporting Matthews’ account are several District of Columbia law enforcement officials, including former Capitol Police Chief Steven A. Sund. He reported that the Pentagon seemed more concerned about the “optics” of military personnel engaged in crowd control as opposed to quickly deploying the Guard. He noted,”I got on a call with the Pentagon and pleaded for the National Guard. There was delay after delay after delay.”
Matthews reported once Sund’s request was received, it took more than three hours to receive the authorization to move Guard troops – who already had been equipped and pre-positioned – to the Capitol. He squarely faults Milley, stating, “I’m saying that his people delayed us, but Milley is in the center of everything, making the decisions – no question about it.”
Both Biden and Trump have leveled charges against each other that the other’s actions endanger democracy. What both should be demanding now is an investigation specifically into Milley’s actions for a rogue CJCS may well have violated his oath of office. If Matthews’ claims are accurate, they strongly make the case for a CJCS to have breached his constitutional authority, contrary to the clear intent of our Founding Fathers that the military at all times remain under civilian control. Absent such an investigation, Milley may well have gotten away with taking an unconstitutional walk on the wild side.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
WOW!!!!
Fantastic article, sir!!!
Not surprised another FLYNN would be involved in this PERFIDY of treason —– Gen. Michael Flynn is the ultra–loser Trump chose, along with Milley, along with Clintonista Peter Navarro, along with anti–Trumper and Robert Mueller BFF, William Barr (CIA all–the–way) and the demonic Christopher Wray and Gilday, and Pompeo and the worst of the worst, MARK ESPER, globalist swine and never–Trumper as well!!!
I knew Milley supported Marxist groups like the BLM (rebranded Maoist group, Liberty Road), but after PLA Gen. Milley’s infamous phone call to BEIJING, I went back and reviewed his very public, pro–CCP talks — — most ENLIGHTENING!!!
Somehow, Gov. Desantis looking better and better . . . .
I seriouely wonder who ever recommended PLA Gen. Silly Lilly Milley to Trump?
Was it loser Gen. Michael Flynn, whose loser brother appears to have perjured himself for Silly Lilly Milley?
Or was Trump the fool who appointed PLA Gen. Milley on his own?!