Pete Hegseth here for a live Q&A on 4/28. What questions do you have for me?

I would like to see more exposure to the delays in giv7ng "presumptive" for the Camp Lejeune Marine veteran s - my late husband, Donald Burpee, fought k7dney cancer fron 2007 til his death in July 2015 -after being notified by the Marine Corps in 2013 he filed for srvice connected benefits due to the time he served at the base. After multiple delays and denials we are still awaiting resolve for his benefits. After his death last year they announced presumptive but once again there is nothing but delay. Please push this issue back to the front again. Jerry Emsinger and Mike Partain continue this battle but I would hope you too will push to get this resolved. Brenda Burpee

According to a 2015 Harvard IOP survey, 48% of Americans of all races from ages 18-29 felt the idea of the "American Dream" is a dead for them. Similar to what SGT (Join to see) asked, my question is how can we reengage our future generations if they feel one of the founding ideals of American citizenship isn't available to them?

http://iop.harvard.edu/survey/details/harvard-iop-fall-2015-poll

Question: Good Afternoon Sir! What is the future outlook on citizenship as far as surrounding territories and future soldiers to be, coming from different parts of the world to serve our great country? What will be changed and or implemented to be a U.S citizen? MAJ (Join to see)

As a Soldier who signed from Guam to fight and defend for the Honor of the Great United States of America! My citizenship means the world to me, without the help of the United States retaking our Island of Guam TWICE during the Spanish/American war and during WWII from the Japanese when they took it from the control of the U.S the same day they bombed Pearl Harbor in HI. Growing up on this small Island I found the respect for America, not only for its capabilities but for what it stands for. I signed for that reason, to give back what was given to me, which was FREEDOM sir.

i'm not sure if there is actually a question in this or not,but our forefathers broke away from England because we were literally being tax'd to death. the rich get rich and so forth,well personally im sure im not the only one to see this happening again.and by our own government.term limit's,minimal pay if any,should be implemented,and the fringe benefits taken away,our founding fathers didn't take a salary,why should our government get better benefits then those defending it.we need to take back control,and if veterans and military minds need to do so for the sake of order,well then,that's how it started,with a band of fighters that apposed the horrific rule and conditions of a government.

I believe an important quote to maintaining our republic from the speech is this:
"But the average man must earn his own livelihood. He should be trained to do so, and he should be trained to feel that he occupies a contemptible position if he does not do so; that he is not an object of envy if he is idle, at whichever end of the social scale he stands, but an object of contempt, an object of derision."
Though I believe that we should give a hand up to those in need, we should require those that are able bodied to both work and train for jobs that will sustain them for the help they receive. Unfortunately, because we don't, we have far too many able bodied people dependent on the Government who vote only for those that promise more handouts. We also have politicians who give handouts in return for votes without any regard for the detrimental consequences that arise. We have been fighting the "war on poverty" the same way for years and it only gets worse. We need to invest in strategies that will actually help the impoverished take care of themselves instead of placating them with handouts so they will continue to vote for the party that gives them...

So that is great your saying your a citizen lets rally for our rights and freedoms and the liberty of our pursuit of the American Dream. I do think we need to be able to be for our country since we are living, working, and trying to build it to another level. My questions are few but they open so many doors that are slammed in the American Citizens faces. Why are we not taking care of our military personnel, I mean VA or homelessness, those who served and now are trash to the curb. You get farther by being corrupt then you do following the rules it is proven through the VA scandals and the bottom line lack of care, treatment, or respect of our veterans. What about poverty and those who working mass hours just to barely make it what about us. Why is there not more going into our education system you leave the blame to the teachers to educate these young people however you provide limited services to accomplish the task. I wont even go into the whole equal rights with gender or the changing and their identity and what they should get. Bottom line if Women or Men treated properly and dignity then that is what should happen. I mean there is issues with sex trafficking and slavery of foreign children, what are we doing about it. Not to mention the fact we talk about guns, violence, abuse, corruption however what are we doing about it? Lets take care of our citizens who are following the laws and process to be here and live the American Dream. Instead we are allowing all these people who didn't follow those rules to be here the ability to stay here without question and identification because we don't want to offend anyone, come on the rest of us follow the laws so why are they exempt. If you want to be a citizen follow the rules and do something productive to give back to society do you part. Not sure who kept messaging me to respond but really feeling are going to get hurt because I believe you need to be a productive piece of society and follow the rules if not what good is it to have you here? Now as far as the gender identity and the ethical questions on race one question as a citizen what are you doing to give back to the society where you are at? Violence, killing, murder, rape, stealing, fighting, bulling, or are you helping your neighbors, got a job, going to school, not committing crimes so that is my question as to the American Citizen what are you doing we have enough people who want to harm US Citizen why are we doing this to each other. Lets act like we are kind and decent human beings with a God given purpose to better to others then we are. So that is just my thoughts. Have a great day and help someone today. You are never to late to make changes but if you do not change then society will change things for you and then you are going to have to make a choice. What is the purpose to being a citizen?

To start with we need to refocus on the education system. No one watched them and the liberals took over. Professors who had never done anything in real life indoctrinated the young and it spread down to the Pre School teachers and hence the children. They do not learn the 3 R s or History or Patriotism but Political garbage. 2nd we need to clean the nation's political system from self serving, lying individuals to those with morals and values. We need to do as they did with the Wigs and Torries and begin anew. 3rd we need to put the flags and Christianity back in the system and do as a few countries do. You are welcome here but you adopt or respect our values as we respect yours. The Federal government is supposed to be an umbrella to protect the citizens and hence a combined military for that protection. The states should handle their own more localized issues and not big brother. We have become a nation of citizens dumbed down, contributing to a bureaucracy that is only concerned about itself.

I have been asked to respond to Major Hegseth's post...Citizens at home...This is a tough one. Many will read my post and not agree but...From Government corruption to Military waste, it's hard to be a Citizen at home. Look at the Presidential race.....They're all crooks in one form or another. Accepting big campaign contributions for nothing in return? ya right....So many Government entities wasting money....Studies of the mating habits of an Ecuadorian Tree Beetle???? Really???? (That was fake, but there are studies just as absurd happening) Contractors bilking the government for billions of dollars, most linked back to a Government official somewhere who owns the contracting company. Cheney ring a bell? Blowing budget monies just to insure the same or larger budget next year....I heard of waste in unheard of proportions at West Point leaving perishable goods out beyond safe times only to throw them away. Delivery trucks leaving with more goods than they came with, and Cadets not receiving what they deserve. I heard of a business in Newburg Ny being totally funded by goods from West Point for 15 years.... Crooks everywhere....If the budget didn't get spent, they wouldn't get it next year. Our Military will never be as strong as it was in WWII. Soldiers then were led by Generals who didn't have their hands tied, they could make strategic decisions and carry them out. Now days you have to make sure it's politically correct, and won't hurt anybody's feelings before you can make a decision to attack a position. Known bad guys run into a masque and you can't chase and attack... Would have been rubble if Patton or MacArthur was in charge. I seriously believe we could never win a war again
Budget cuts and benefit cuts to the Military, eliminating retirements as we know them... Might want to start learning Chinese or Russian real soon. We're melting down from within and there ain't a damn thing the "Citizen at home can do about it....The future is one of entitlement, kids now days, gangs now days....If you have they want it. They don't want to work for it, but they expect you to give it to them or they take it.
I really think "Preppers" are way ahead of the game... Sorry, that's my rant....

I am unfamiliar with this particular speech, but I do know TR actively pursued a progressive agenda that could rival Bernie Sanders. TR had a great reverence for the public, and for nature, and was only a conservative in the natural conservation sense. He was all about ending monopolies and putting the brakes on the robber barons of the day, in order to foster true competition which is the lifeblood of capitalism. Of course, service in uniform is the ultimate in good citizenship because a person is willing to place their life on the line to serve and protect their fellow citizens. TR believed that, and lived it.

As you are a retired Commissioned Officer, My question is about the role as every military or former military (never really get the former part) member that has ever sworn the oath. When do we as a group ever give up following the unlawful orders of the government we have sworn to defend? In other words when and what does it take for us to uphold the "Both foreign and domestic" enemy? How do we ever tell anymore with the corrupt politicians that are in office?