Welcome to the AM Update, week in review, a collection of the best moments from Aaron McIntyre's

morning update. Let's go back to Secretary of War Pete Heggseth. I thought the first three

minutes of his speech to all of those high-ranking generals and admirals was well worth

to listen and spells out in greater detail just why the military has to

focus on war and combat readiness. This speech today is about people and it's about culture.

The topic today is about the nature of ourselves because no plan, no program, no reform, no formation will ultimately succeed

unless we have the right people and the right culture at the War Department.

If I've learned one core lesson in my eight months in this job,

it's that personnel is policy.

Personnel is policy.

The best way to take care of troops is to give them good leaders committed to the war fighting culture of the department.

Not perfect leaders, good leaders.

Competent, qualified, professional, agile, aggressive, innovative,

risk-taking, apolitical, faithful to their oath and to the Constitution.

Eugene Sledge in his World War II memoir wrote, quote,

war is brutish, inglorious and a terrible waste.

Combat leaves an indelible mark on those who are forced to endure it.

The only redeeming factors are my comrades' incredible bravery

and their devotion to each other.

In combat, there are thousands of variables, as I learned in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as so many of you did in so many more places.

Leaders can only control about three of them. You control how well you're trained, mostly how well you're equipped, and the last variable is how well you lead. After that, you're on your own.

Our warfighters are entitled to be led by the best and most capable leaders.

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