The Atlantic

Military Parades Are a Waste of Time and Money

The troops would be better served doing almost anything else to improve combat effectiveness.
Source: Joshua Roberts / Reuters

Since President Trump wants a military parade, let’s talk about parades.

I don’t like them. I have an aversion, as a point of fact, to any and all military drill and ceremony aside from that performed at military funerals. The other occasional ceremonies performed by specialist units such as the U.S. Army’s Old Guard or the Marines at the barracks at 8th and I are okay as well, I guess, but everything else is a waste of time and money.

As a young lieutenant in the

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