You might be surprised to hear that there are many free-thinkers in the military. It's a little slice of America, with just about every subculture represented.

What I'm surprised to hear is that they're including a bunch of military reading on these. While I love war books and tactics, when I'm off doing military shit 24/7, the last thing I want to do with my rare free time is read a military book. Give me something that gets my mind off it all.

Just like everywhere else, there are also workaholics in the military. But unlike everywhere else (except hospitals), you can't just turn off the submarine and send everyone home each night, to make sure that at least a little leisure time is forced upon them. In this sort of situation, one of the only ways you can get the workaholic to take a break is by justifying the break as a different kind of productivity--"reading up on strategy" for one.

> You might be surprised to hear that there are many free-thinkers in the military.

Indeed. I was in the Navy six years, and a large portion of "people who opened my eyes" I met in the Navy.

In general, people are not what you see in the movies. Just because people look the same doesn't mean they are the same. Variety is everywhere.

People can and do have a personal interest in their field of work, and that's a good thing.

Let's assume that you're a software engineer and for the sake of argument that your employer has to provide you with your reading: If that reading compendium included SICP and Code Complete (besides a large selection of mainstream fiction and sci-fi etc), would you be "surprised to hear" that, too?

The software engineer parallel isn't totally the same. It's hard to understand unless you've been there but military exercises/war are an all-encompassing thing. You're eating and breathing this stuff 24/7 whether you like it or not. During these things, it can be difficult to feel like you're a civilian, especially when you can't even wear civilian clothes.

But yeah, you are right, there are some people who can do it all day and night and still not get enough. War movies and books are very popular with Soldiers.

Better to have a title get lost in the noise of a huge selection, than to be specifically called out (and then passed around) as contraband.

Honestly the fact that at least someone commented on this is the reason I read ycombinator, I first checked the article's comment section but saw no mention of the above.

It's actually a good selection of books and the Navy would be better for it if the soldiers digest them

This program is linked to a weight/refit time reduction initiative. MWR usually supplies reading material like this(personal), which with a little scale can add up. That being said MWR is a sudo-military-ish thing that is very much suppose to supply the actual wants of service members and not so much mission anything. Somehow in all the red tape of the military they happen to really do well at being current and engaging with their supplies.

Also, Sailors rarely enjoy being referred to as Soldiers. Use service member in all cases where the proper reference is uncertain.

> but The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test?

It's not like Tom Wolfe is a raging radical. Interesting reporting, yes, colorful prose, yes, burn-it-to-the-ground calls, no.

Check out his book Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers. Probably applies better to current practices.

Perhaps it is for the division that stare at goats? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Men_Who_Stare_at_Goats