this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2025
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United States | News & Politics

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[–] Pandantic@midwest.social 63 points 2 weeks ago (3 children)

The Army said in a press release that the four executives are Shyam Sankar, CTO at Palantir; Andrew Bosworth, CTO at Meta; Kevin Weil, Chief Product Officer of OpenAI; and Bob McGrew, an advisor at Thinking Machines Lab and former Chief Research Officer for OpenAI.

The four men are being commissioned at the high rank of lieutenant colonel as part of a program called Detachment 201: The Army’s Executive Innovation Corps.

Anyone else find this extremely worrying?

[–] Montagge@lemmy.zip 24 points 2 weeks ago

You definitely should be

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 20 points 2 weeks ago

It’s fucking terrifying

[–] Someonelol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 weeks ago

Sounds like those people are swearing fealty to their respective corporations and not the Constitution.

[–] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 52 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

LOL might as well add the army to the list of products made even worse by tech enshittification

[–] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 42 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

This Is the fascist fusion of corporation and state.

Technofascist oligarchs are being given military positions to convert the military and surveillance state into a big brother grade domestic secret police. I'm sure they'll be given command over ICE and DOGE by end of year.

[–] solsangraal@lemmy.zip 10 points 2 weeks ago

yep. i was sick of internet anyway

[–] Botzo@lemmy.world 34 points 2 weeks ago

The Army said in a press release that the four executives are Shyam Sankar, CTO at Palantir; Andrew Bosworth, CTO at Meta; Kevin Weil, Chief Product Officer of OpenAI; and Bob McGrew, an advisor at Thinking Machines Lab and former Chief Research Officer for OpenAI.

The four men are being commissioned at the high rank of lieutenant colonel as part of a program called Detachment 201: The Army’s Executive Innovation Corps.

This feels like cosplay + "you could just do ..." energy that will undoubtedly funnel money straight back to these companies.

Bonus bosworth points

[–] tomatolung@sopuli.xyz 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

For those who have read the Galaxy's Edge series, I can only think of the appointees (aka 'Points). Political appointed officer who often end up getting the legionaries killed and lack the combat prowess/skill to be in the officer position they exercise.

Realistically we have many other direct commission officers such as the medical, engineers, legal, etc. What's really different here is they are not requiring the full 5 week Direct commission officer basic course .

[–] grue@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I'm just thinking about how various European militaries used to give dipshit aristocrats officer commissions back in the day, until they got curb-stomped by Napoleon or whoever and figured out it wasn't such a great idea.

[–] Madison420@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Not generally given, bought. You used to buy your commission in the military, and yes it went exactly as you'd think buying merit goes.

[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

Us Army Inc.

[–] sp3ctr4l@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Get ready for 90-10 style reviews every month or quarter, and then these idiot tech bros being confused they can't just fire people in the military for no goddamned reason.

[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

I am sure they can find a reason to discharge people.

[–] Awkwardly_Frank@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

They are the very model of modern major generals!

[–] m3t00@midwest.social 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

general issue office workers <> PX heros