So far President-elect Donald Trump has named three retired top military generals to two cabinet positions for Secretary of Defense, four-star Gen. James “Mad Dog” Mattis; and Homeland Security, four-star Gen. John Kelly, plus as national security advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, while four-star Gen. David Petraeus is waiting in the wings for possible naming as Secretary of State.

This parade of generals is no remake of the 1967 classic movie Night of the Generals, but for the Democrats and other anti-Trump forces there’s nothing they can do to block these appointments not with a Republican controlled U.S. Senate that is falling in line with the new president-elect. Democrats will spin their wheels bald trying to derail these generals fearing a ‘military junta’ but they will be defeated. The current State of the Union is not secure. These men and all of their collective experiences will bring a level of competence to American’s overall security never seen before.

Drawing from the military’s best and brightest is smart on Trump’s part. Gen. Kelly lost a son in combat in Afghanistan in 2010 and that alone speaks highly of how seriously he will protect America’s shoreline and borders as director of Homeland Security. Taken together these generals have a combined military experience of more than 150 years, Trump has none except for his time at a military boarding school in New York where he graduated from high school.

Trump has promised to rebuild America’s military from recent downsizing under President Obama, but what about the future military recruits coming from today’s youth. It’s not hard to wonder what Trump and his generals think of today’s young people.

It has been quite entertaining to watch America’s college kids whine and cry over Hillary Clinton’s presidential loss and protest Trump’s win. These so-called ‘millennials’ or ‘snowflakes’ are clueless about real life. They come across on national TV as hopelessly inept. They are in no way ready for reality. Parents today should seriously consider not sending your kids to a liberal college. There are many alternatives to higher learning that do not include ‘sanctuaries,’ ‘safe spaces,’ ‘cry rooms’ and ‘everybody gets a trophy’ nonsense.

Reality Classes should be taught in public and private schools beginning at 10 years old with a curriculum that includes progressively building age-appropriate skills necessary for success in a sometimes cruel, unfair and harsh world. Start at the beginning with “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and go from there. 

High-level federal educators should have no input into this series of real life studies. Look how they screwed up with shoving Common Core down everybody’s throat. Along with certified teachers real life experts should also be tapped and brought into the classroom – like ex-convicts and former drug addicts; marriage, parenting and adolescent counselors; bank and financial experts; abortion and sex educators; police officers and fire fighters; scientists; ministers of different faiths; emergency room nurses and doctors; musicians; artists; military personnel; job recruiters and attorneys to name a few. If done correctly, with enthusiasm and a sense of humor these Reality Classes would be the most popular on any campus.

Eight years of Reality Classes before high school graduation. After that I doubt if we’d be calling them ‘Snowflakes,’ ‘Crybabies’ or ‘La La Landers’ anymore.

After graduation from high school or college these ‘children’ should be given an alternative: Bring back the U.S. Military Draft and require a 3-year service requirement or 3-years of paid public service work rebuilding America’s infrastructure or 3-years in the Peace Corps, missionary work or similar group. Three years of time given to the service of others would teach these clueless kids more than any college degree, that’s a given. After performing such service a real college education takes on greater meaning with a sense of purpose and goals.

Now is the time for all American’s young and old living at home and abroad, the U.S. Congress and state legislatures to get out of Trump’s way in a bi-partisan manner and join hands to stop the flow of illegals into the United States, keep jobs in America and finally eliminate radical Islamic terror where ever it is. Trump is not playing around with hiring the best and the brightest in all of his cabinet picks. He knows there’s a rumble coming.

Trump’s team needs to be the best because flexibility will be the key in dealing with an unpredictable, head-strong president who is just getting started with “draining the swamp” at home and overseas.

About the Author

Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.