Compass Points - Duty to Speak
Veterans have a duty to speak up.
Compass Points - Duty to Speak
Veterans have a duty to speak up.
July 13, 2025
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Sunday is a good day for reflection.
Over the last week, Compass Points readers have generated online and off a cornucopia of comments, insights, and analysis. Compass Points appreciates all readers who in their own ways are continuing to build the discussion about a stronger Marine Corps, and also thanks all our readers who served as seminar leaders this week by providing topics, articles, and comments. Many thanks!
Particular thanks today to Compass Points reader and contributor Samuel Whittemore who reminds us that military veterans have a duty to speak up about the state of the military. Most often, citizens without knowledge of the military can only offer their support to the military. It takes veterans with military experience to step up and provide guidance and course corrections.
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It is our sworn duty as Marines to speak out and write about our Marine Corps. No one has the right to silence us or ignore us. We will not be silenced by those who are failing our Republic whether they be on active duty or were elected or appointed to office!
Here are quotes from ancient Greek thinkers as collected from Grok on the right and necessity of citizens, including veterans, to speak out on military warfighting preparation:
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1. **Plato** - “We are twice armed if we fight with faith and truth, but to fight we must speak.”
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2. **Aristotle** - “The good citizen must speak out when the state’s safety is at stake, for silence is complicity in its ruin.”
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3. **Socrates** - “To know what is right and not speak it is the greatest cowardice, especially when soldiers’ lives depend on it.”
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4. **Pericles** - “The strength of our city lies not only in our arms but in the open discourse of our citizens.”
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5. **Thucydides** - “A nation’s power is judged by its readiness, and its citizens must question and ensure that readiness endures.”
-- Samuel Whittemore
I will repeat what I wrote last month concerning sharing your opinion: I know there are many of you out there who read Compass Points but feel it unwise to comment. I understand. Just know that this ongoing “discussion” about the future of our Corps is healthy and more robust than it may appear. If nothing else, keep talking amongst yourselves. Don’t ever let anyone judge you for your opinion. It’s YOUR Corps.
After reading a recent comment questioning the effect that Compass Points posts have across the defense community, I decided to query the publisher. Here is what I learned from our discussion.
Compass Points has multiple-thousands of subscribers, and daily posts are viewed thousands of times, upwards of 10,000 views in a day. Though the site is free there have been a large number of commitments to pay; readers have pledged close to $11,000 for a paid subscription though the publisher has no intention of changing its status as “free.”
The actual readership is impossible to determine because many subscribers forward the daily posts to others and several large email lists routinely pick up and distribute the daily posts. Based on available data one Internet authority estimated that approximately 150,000 people view Compass Points within 48 hours of its posting.
Email addresses allow the publisher to identify some subscribers. He reports there are dozens of subscribers with a “usmc.mil” address, meaning they are active duty Marines. Among these are some senior executives. Noted journalists from such outlets as the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and CBS News also subscribe and read nearly every post. As do analysts from the Congressional Research Service, Congressional Budget Office, and several defense focused think tanks.
I asked several other retired Marines, and they shared that their experience is the same as mine, that is, we have never met an active duty Marine who does not read Compass Points posts.
One recent comment suggested that the online journal, Real Clear Defense, which frequently republishes Compass Points posts is not highly regarded nor widely read. The reality is just the opposite. A former Marine I know who works on the Hill tells me that RCD is the most important source of media news on defense for members of Congress and their staffs. It has more than 64,000 followers. One web report states: “RealClearDefense (RCD) was created at the request of the Pentagon and Hill staff on the House Armed Services Committee. These groups felt that existing defense coverage was fragmented and there needed to be one place to go for information about military affairs, defense policy, national security, and foreign affairs. RCD does the best job in the industry of digesting the day’s news for military and defense professionals and enthusiasts. With its balanced mix of curated stories and original content, RCD is a force in the defense world, providing an open resource for anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of the landscape.”
I note that those questioning Force Design 2030 and the course on which it has placed the Marine Corps have had 203 articles (authored or coauthored by 117 different writers) published in 53 different media outlets. Supporting articles consists of an additional 150 articles, authored or co-authored by 125 different writers, and published in 59 different media outlets.
So, in closing, I offer my sincere thanks to the Publisher, Editor, and staff of Compass Points for more than 1,000 informative daily posts. Please continue your exceptional work.