US Army Appoints Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs as Lt. Colonels

Nature of the Appointments and Direct Commissions

• Several comments note that direct commissions at field-grade rank are not new; they’re common for doctors, lawyers, clergy, band members, and certain cyber roles.
• These execs are reportedly reserve O5s (Lt. Colonels), likely with modified or shortened “basic training,” more symbolic than rigorous.
• Some see this as a pragmatic way to access scarce tech expertise from people who can’t afford the time for full OCS and standard requirements. Others see it as obvious dual-standard “rank-leapfrogging” over regular troops.

Conflict of Interest and Legal/Ethical Concerns

• A key worry is potential profiteering: holding decision-making roles in the same military structures that buy from their companies.
• Commenters ask what legal waivers or guardrails exist and how conflicts of interest are kept away from contracting/acquisition decisions.
• Others argue the DoD already has advisory boards (e.g., Defense Science Board), so giving corporations’ leaders rank may be unnecessary theater.

Source Reliability and Framing

• The linked outlet is heavily criticized as unreliable and propagandistic; some advocate using paywalled mainstream or official Army sources instead.
• Debate ensues over whether dismissing such outlets is legitimate source criticism or fallacious ad hominem.

Palantir, Surveillance, and Tech’s Role in Warfare

• Disagreement over Palantir’s “market segment”: some frame it as surveillance/intelligence integration; others note it now participates in autonomous weapons C2.
• Broader anxiety about surveillance capitalism: social media and AI firms already hold vast personal data, now more tightly linked to the military.
• A few argue citizens effectively chose this path by embracing surveillance-heavy platforms; others counter that structural coercion and poverty constrain real choice.

Political and Ideological Fears

• Several comments frame this as another step toward fascism, oligarchic capitalism, or “network state” governance where power flows through elite tech networks.
• Long subthreads debate whether capitalism itself, rather than “fascism” per se, is the core problem, bringing in U.S. electoral dynamics as evidence.

Supportive Views and Strategic Justification

• Some see this as a rational move to re-link the military and top-tier tech talent, akin to past war mobilizations, and necessary to stay competitive against rivals.
• One veteran and civil servant strongly endorses the move, emphasizing the need for high-end cyber and AI expertise to secure critical infrastructure.

Tone and Miscellany

• Thread mixes dark humor (e.g., “Lt. Code” jokes, basic-training quips) with genuine alarm about civil-military norms and democratic erosion.
• Whether these roles will be used primarily for external defense or domestic capabilities is seen as crucial but remains unclear.