Elliot Ackerman

Maynard James Keenan has shared a message of support for his longtime friend and former classmate, General Randy George, who was recently ousted by Pete Hegseth. "As long as I can remember, I wanted to be an artist in some way. Visual, musical, performing. I wasn’t certain what, just that the arts were where I was supposed to be. However, after H.S. graduation, the reality of tuition set in. My family was living on a teacher's salary. There wasn't much left over after bills, and grants and student loans weren't going to cover it. "So I joined the Army to take advantage of the Army College Fund. As it turns out, I excelled in the military, which was not what I was expecting. I was awarded Distinguished Graduate from both basic and advanced training. Then, after many, many rounds of testing, I was chosen to attend U.S.M.A.P.S. and to apply to the U.S. Military Academy, West Point. "As you can imagine, most of my classmates at West Point Prep were there with a singular mission: to be a West Point graduate and serve in our military. Focus, drive, a plan, and zero compromise. I, on the other hand, was one of the few with doubts and inner conflict. "So when my heart spoke louder than the outside influencers and I declined my appointment to West Point, most of those around me saw it as a huge mistake. But a handful were very supportive. They knew me well enough to respect that decision. One of those supportive classmates was my cross-country teammate, Randy George. "If you've been wading through the flood of news lately, you may recognize that name. Randy went on to become a four-star general and Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. He was approaching his 40th year of service. "I can't even imagine how disappointed and upset he must feel for having been “asked” to retire early. So I'm just here to return that favor of support. We're here for you, Randy. Might be time for a beer or three. See you soon."