
我加入海軍部,,是出于對(duì)公共服務(wù),、使命和同僚的信念。歷經(jīng)九年現(xiàn)役生涯(包括多次海外部署),,我卻在轉(zhuǎn)任文職六個(gè)月后遭到解雇,,我被解雇的原因并非工作失職,,而是因?yàn)槲矣靡皇孜逍写蛴驮?shī)回應(yīng)馬斯克的新規(guī),。
自2月24日起,政府效率部要求聯(lián)邦文職人員用五個(gè)要點(diǎn),,說(shuō)明“上周工作內(nèi)容”,。3月17日“圣帕特里克節(jié)”當(dāng)天,我以一首五行打油詩(shī)回復(fù)了第四輪郵件,。當(dāng)管理層將我們的工作簡(jiǎn)化成未加密,、毫無(wú)意義的要點(diǎn)清單時(shí),他們得到的自然是與任務(wù)分量相稱的回應(yīng),。隨后我被以“行為失當(dāng)”為由解雇,,解聘函將這首打油詩(shī)作為唯一證據(jù)。
我的直屬上司(我發(fā)給政府效率部的所有周報(bào)郵件都會(huì)抄送給上司)也對(duì)我被解雇措手不及,。我被解雇前既沒(méi)有談話,,我也沒(méi)有收到負(fù)面績(jī)效評(píng)估。整個(gè)指揮鏈曾多次肯定我的出色表現(xiàn),,稱贊我是團(tuán)隊(duì)的寶貴資產(chǎn),。
被解雇次日的上午,我翻開(kāi)祖父的《1935年值更官指南》,,這是他1942年任海軍軍官時(shí)用過(guò)的書,,他在書內(nèi)著重劃出了一段話:“申訴處理——需耐心傾聽(tīng)投訴;決定采取行動(dòng)前應(yīng)充分聽(tīng)取雙方陳述,?!?/p>
祖父與我曾懷抱報(bào)國(guó)之心加入海軍,,如今海軍卻正為迎合馬斯克而屈膝,為了政治上的妥協(xié)而犧牲了其長(zhǎng)期堅(jiān)持的原則,。這個(gè)標(biāo)榜領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力與堅(jiān)毅不拔精神的軍事部門,,目前的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者因?yàn)榍鼜挠隈R斯克而獲得獎(jiǎng)賞,卻無(wú)視下屬付出的代價(jià)或者忘了自己的使命,。
我將人生與職業(yè)生涯奉獻(xiàn)給海軍,。從斯坦福大學(xué)(Stanford)政治學(xué)專業(yè)畢業(yè)后,我加入海軍成為一名情報(bào)官,,九年現(xiàn)役后轉(zhuǎn)入預(yù)備役,。后來(lái)我赴哈佛肯尼迪學(xué)院(Harvard Kennedy School)深造,2024年5月獲公共政策碩士學(xué)位,,同年8月,,我被海軍部聘為文職人員。
履職六個(gè)月后,,我仍處于試用期,。試用期員工的身份讓我既無(wú)工作保障,又無(wú)申訴權(quán)利,。我的簡(jiǎn)歷與服役經(jīng)歷不應(yīng)該讓我免予處分,,但我之所以提及我的資質(zhì),只是為了說(shuō)明聯(lián)邦政府正在因?yàn)檎什渴ト瞬排c熱忱,。
馬斯克在特朗普政府的非民選職位上的所作所為,,令人目不暇接。通過(guò)華盛頓的大量新聞轟炸,,我政府外的朋友們發(fā)現(xiàn)我們被要求提交工作要點(diǎn)的說(shuō)法竟然是真實(shí)的,,這令他們感到震驚。但這就是事實(shí),。這就是馬斯克的目的——在美國(guó)民眾中制造混亂,,以便在無(wú)監(jiān)督的環(huán)境下為所欲為。
關(guān)于這些周報(bào)要點(diǎn),,我的上司曾直言:“我們未收到任何反饋表明有人會(huì)閱讀這些內(nèi)容,。”此外,,我們被告知提交的要點(diǎn)必須簡(jiǎn)短,,我們甚至收到了只有五個(gè)單詞的回復(fù)示例。
近百萬(wàn)封國(guó)防文職人員的電子郵件發(fā)送到一個(gè)電子郵箱,,存在極其嚴(yán)重的安全威脅,。將看似未加密的信息匯總后,可能形成被加密的信息合集,因此我不會(huì)公開(kāi)前兩周的完整工作要點(diǎn),。
以下是導(dǎo)致我被解雇的郵件,。(“復(fù)制者”是美國(guó)國(guó)防部部署數(shù)千自主系統(tǒng)的計(jì)劃。)
致OSD公關(guān)主宰者們:
? 我統(tǒng)籌全局協(xié)調(diào)四方
? 確保計(jì)劃周密周詳
? 聯(lián)動(dòng)團(tuán)隊(duì)協(xié)作無(wú)間
? 力推“復(fù)制者”計(jì)劃開(kāi)展
? 疑惑要點(diǎn)何以無(wú)價(jià)值
此致
格雷斯
情報(bào)界(IC)文職人員可通過(guò)更高密級(jí)渠道提交工作總結(jié),。然而,,我們這些處理機(jī)密信息卻不屬于情報(bào)機(jī)構(gòu)的雇員,并未獲得這種選擇權(quán),。
海軍部沒(méi)有就如何提交五條非加密要點(diǎn)的要求提供書面指導(dǎo),,而是任由雇員在馬斯克風(fēng)暴中自生自滅。在被解雇的當(dāng)天上午,,我仍通過(guò)絕密渠道匯總發(fā)送團(tuán)隊(duì)本周行動(dòng),,這是早在政府效率部的郵件令實(shí)施前便形成的慣例。我始終對(duì)問(wèn)責(zé)制充滿信心,,并且我相信上級(jí)有必要了解下屬的行動(dòng),。
士氣與團(tuán)隊(duì)精神是軍隊(duì)成功的核心。去問(wèn)問(wèn)任何一位老兵的服役經(jīng)歷,,軍旅生涯固然離不開(kāi)犧牲,,但更承載著故事、惡作劇與歡笑,,讓這段艱苦的生活可以忍受,。曾有軍人在陸海軍對(duì)抗時(shí)偷山羊和騾子,在高層簡(jiǎn)報(bào)幻燈片中加入梗圖,,將身份證藏于天花板中,。沒(méi)錯(cuò),我確實(shí)在這至暗時(shí)刻寫了一首打油詩(shī),,但對(duì)于國(guó)防部官員而言,這并不算失格之舉,。
馬斯克削減開(kāi)支的做法荒誕不經(jīng),。別誤會(huì),美國(guó)確實(shí)需要削減國(guó)防開(kāi)支,。向過(guò)時(shí)的系統(tǒng)與臃腫的項(xiàng)目投入大量資金,,只會(huì)削弱而非增強(qiáng)國(guó)家安全。但政府效率部在海軍部的“節(jié)流”舉措,,既無(wú)系統(tǒng)性也不夠徹底,。他們只是在解雇缺乏保障的雇員。甘愿為國(guó)犧牲一切的人,,反而成了權(quán)宜之計(jì)的犧牲品,。
我被解雇,只是因?yàn)槲乙宰顪睾偷姆绞奖磉_(dá)了異議。但異議終究是異議,。在這個(gè)奧威爾式時(shí)代,,真相仍在暴政下窒息。
致聯(lián)邦雇員:我懂你們,。勿懼前行,。永遠(yuǎn)無(wú)畏。
致馬斯克與政府效率部:歷史是無(wú)情的,。為殘存的榮譽(yù)棄船,,為時(shí)未晚。非為己,,乃為國(guó),。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者格雷斯·瓊斯是一名美國(guó)海軍退伍老兵、海軍預(yù)備役少校,,畢業(yè)于斯坦福大學(xué)和哈佛大學(xué),。
本文中表達(dá)的立場(chǎng)和觀點(diǎn)僅代表作者本人的觀點(diǎn),不代表美國(guó)國(guó)防部或海軍部的立場(chǎng)和觀點(diǎn),。
Fortune.com上發(fā)表的評(píng)論文章中表達(dá)的觀點(diǎn),,僅代表作者本人的觀點(diǎn),不代表《財(cái)富》雜志的觀點(diǎn)和立場(chǎng),。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
我加入海軍部,,是出于對(duì)公共服務(wù)、使命和同僚的信念,。歷經(jīng)九年現(xiàn)役生涯(包括多次海外部署),,我卻在轉(zhuǎn)任文職六個(gè)月后遭到解雇,我被解雇的原因并非工作失職,,而是因?yàn)槲矣靡皇孜逍写蛴驮?shī)回應(yīng)馬斯克的新規(guī),。
自2月24日起,政府效率部要求聯(lián)邦文職人員用五個(gè)要點(diǎn),,說(shuō)明“上周工作內(nèi)容”,。3月17日“圣帕特里克節(jié)”當(dāng)天,我以一首五行打油詩(shī)回復(fù)了第四輪郵件,。當(dāng)管理層將我們的工作簡(jiǎn)化成未加密,、毫無(wú)意義的要點(diǎn)清單時(shí),他們得到的自然是與任務(wù)分量相稱的回應(yīng),。隨后我被以“行為失當(dāng)”為由解雇,,解聘函將這首打油詩(shī)作為唯一證據(jù)。
我的直屬上司(我發(fā)給政府效率部的所有周報(bào)郵件都會(huì)抄送給上司)也對(duì)我被解雇措手不及,。我被解雇前既沒(méi)有談話,,我也沒(méi)有收到負(fù)面績(jī)效評(píng)估,。整個(gè)指揮鏈曾多次肯定我的出色表現(xiàn),稱贊我是團(tuán)隊(duì)的寶貴資產(chǎn),。
被解雇次日的上午,,我翻開(kāi)祖父的《1935年值更官指南》,這是他1942年任海軍軍官時(shí)用過(guò)的書,,他在書內(nèi)著重劃出了一段話:“申訴處理——需耐心傾聽(tīng)投訴,;決定采取行動(dòng)前應(yīng)充分聽(tīng)取雙方陳述?!?/p>
祖父與我曾懷抱報(bào)國(guó)之心加入海軍,,如今海軍卻正為迎合馬斯克而屈膝,為了政治上的妥協(xié)而犧牲了其長(zhǎng)期堅(jiān)持的原則,。這個(gè)標(biāo)榜領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力與堅(jiān)毅不拔精神的軍事部門,,目前的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者因?yàn)榍鼜挠隈R斯克而獲得獎(jiǎng)賞,卻無(wú)視下屬付出的代價(jià)或者忘了自己的使命,。
我將人生與職業(yè)生涯奉獻(xiàn)給海軍,。從斯坦福大學(xué)(Stanford)政治學(xué)專業(yè)畢業(yè)后,我加入海軍成為一名情報(bào)官,,九年現(xiàn)役后轉(zhuǎn)入預(yù)備役,。后來(lái)我赴哈佛肯尼迪學(xué)院(Harvard Kennedy School)深造,2024年5月獲公共政策碩士學(xué)位,,同年8月,,我被海軍部聘為文職人員。
履職六個(gè)月后,,我仍處于試用期,。試用期員工的身份讓我既無(wú)工作保障,又無(wú)申訴權(quán)利,。我的簡(jiǎn)歷與服役經(jīng)歷不應(yīng)該讓我免予處分,,但我之所以提及我的資質(zhì),只是為了說(shuō)明聯(lián)邦政府正在因?yàn)檎什渴ト瞬排c熱忱,。
馬斯克在特朗普政府的非民選職位上的所作所為,,令人目不暇接。通過(guò)華盛頓的大量新聞轟炸,,我政府外的朋友們發(fā)現(xiàn)我們被要求提交工作要點(diǎn)的說(shuō)法竟然是真實(shí)的,這令他們感到震驚,。但這就是事實(shí),。這就是馬斯克的目的——在美國(guó)民眾中制造混亂,以便在無(wú)監(jiān)督的環(huán)境下為所欲為,。
關(guān)于這些周報(bào)要點(diǎn),,我的上司曾直言:“我們未收到任何反饋表明有人會(huì)閱讀這些內(nèi)容,。”此外,,我們被告知提交的要點(diǎn)必須簡(jiǎn)短,,我們甚至收到了只有五個(gè)單詞的回復(fù)示例。
近百萬(wàn)封國(guó)防文職人員的電子郵件發(fā)送到一個(gè)電子郵箱,,存在極其嚴(yán)重的安全威脅,。將看似未加密的信息匯總后,可能形成被加密的信息合集,,因此我不會(huì)公開(kāi)前兩周的完整工作要點(diǎn),。
以下是導(dǎo)致我被解雇的郵件。(“復(fù)制者”是美國(guó)國(guó)防部部署數(shù)千自主系統(tǒng)的計(jì)劃,。)
致OSD公關(guān)主宰者們:
? 我統(tǒng)籌全局協(xié)調(diào)四方
? 確保計(jì)劃周密周詳
? 聯(lián)動(dòng)團(tuán)隊(duì)協(xié)作無(wú)間
? 力推“復(fù)制者”計(jì)劃開(kāi)展
? 疑惑要點(diǎn)何以無(wú)價(jià)值
此致
格雷斯
情報(bào)界(IC)文職人員可通過(guò)更高密級(jí)渠道提交工作總結(jié),。然而,我們這些處理機(jī)密信息卻不屬于情報(bào)機(jī)構(gòu)的雇員,,并未獲得這種選擇權(quán),。
海軍部沒(méi)有就如何提交五條非加密要點(diǎn)的要求提供書面指導(dǎo),而是任由雇員在馬斯克風(fēng)暴中自生自滅,。在被解雇的當(dāng)天上午,,我仍通過(guò)絕密渠道匯總發(fā)送團(tuán)隊(duì)本周行動(dòng),這是早在政府效率部的郵件令實(shí)施前便形成的慣例,。我始終對(duì)問(wèn)責(zé)制充滿信心,,并且我相信上級(jí)有必要了解下屬的行動(dòng)。
士氣與團(tuán)隊(duì)精神是軍隊(duì)成功的核心,。去問(wèn)問(wèn)任何一位老兵的服役經(jīng)歷,,軍旅生涯固然離不開(kāi)犧牲,但更承載著故事,、惡作劇與歡笑,,讓這段艱苦的生活可以忍受。曾有軍人在陸海軍對(duì)抗時(shí)偷山羊和騾子,,在高層簡(jiǎn)報(bào)幻燈片中加入梗圖,,將身份證藏于天花板中。沒(méi)錯(cuò),,我確實(shí)在這至暗時(shí)刻寫了一首打油詩(shī),,但對(duì)于國(guó)防部官員而言,這并不算失格之舉,。
馬斯克削減開(kāi)支的做法荒誕不經(jīng),。別誤會(huì),美國(guó)確實(shí)需要削減國(guó)防開(kāi)支,。向過(guò)時(shí)的系統(tǒng)與臃腫的項(xiàng)目投入大量資金,,只會(huì)削弱而非增強(qiáng)國(guó)家安全,。但政府效率部在海軍部的“節(jié)流”舉措,既無(wú)系統(tǒng)性也不夠徹底,。他們只是在解雇缺乏保障的雇員,。甘愿為國(guó)犧牲一切的人,反而成了權(quán)宜之計(jì)的犧牲品,。
我被解雇,,只是因?yàn)槲乙宰顪睾偷姆绞奖磉_(dá)了異議。但異議終究是異議,。在這個(gè)奧威爾式時(shí)代,,真相仍在暴政下窒息。
致聯(lián)邦雇員:我懂你們,。勿懼前行,。永遠(yuǎn)無(wú)畏。
致馬斯克與政府效率部:歷史是無(wú)情的,。為殘存的榮譽(yù)棄船,,為時(shí)未晚。非為己,,乃為國(guó),。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者格雷斯·瓊斯是一名美國(guó)海軍退伍老兵、海軍預(yù)備役少校,,畢業(yè)于斯坦福大學(xué)和哈佛大學(xué),。
本文中表達(dá)的立場(chǎng)和觀點(diǎn)僅代表作者本人的觀點(diǎn),不代表美國(guó)國(guó)防部或海軍部的立場(chǎng)和觀點(diǎn),。
Fortune.com上發(fā)表的評(píng)論文章中表達(dá)的觀點(diǎn),,僅代表作者本人的觀點(diǎn),不代表《財(cái)富》雜志的觀點(diǎn)和立場(chǎng),。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
I joined the Department of the Navy because I believed in public service, in the mission, and in the people. After serving nine years on Active Duty — including multiple deployments — I was fired six months into my civilian career, not for failing at my job, but for sending a limerick in response to Elon Musk’s new requirements.
Beginning on February 24, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has directed federal civilians to provide five bullets responding to the prompt, “What did you do last week?”. On March 17, I answered the fourth round of emails with five lines of rhyme – a limerick sent on St. Patrick’s Day. When leadership reduced our work to unclassified and meaningless bullet points, they got a response commensurate with the assignment. I was subsequently terminated for poor conduct; my termination letter cited the limerick as the only evidence.
My supervisor, who was cc’d on all of my weekly emails to DOGE, was blindsided by my termination too. I was fired without counseling. I had not received a negative performance review. My entire chain of command had stated repeatedly I was doing a great job and that I was an asset to the team.
The morning after I was fired, I opened my grandfather’s 1935 Watch Officer’s Guide which he had when he was a young Naval Officer in 1942, and in which he had underlined, “Complaints – In hearing complaints exercise patience; hear both sides of the story fully before deciding on action.”
The Navy that my grandfather and I joined in the spirit of service is currently buckling to Musk, sacrificing its long-held principles for the sake of political deference. A military department that ostensibly values leadership and fortitude is currently led by men rewarded for falling in line with Musk, heedless of the cost to their staff, or their mission.
I have given my life and career to the Navy. I graduated from Stanford with a degree in Political Science. I then joined the Navy as an intelligence officer. After my nine years on active duty, I transitioned to the Reserves. I went to Harvard Kennedy School, and graduated with my Master of Public Policy in May 2024. I was hired as a civilian by the Department of the Navy in August 2024.
Six months into the role, I still was a probationary employee. With this status I lacked job protection and the right to appeal, should I be fired. My resume and prior service shouldn’t make me immune to disciplinary action, I offer my qualifications simply as additional context to illustrate the talent and commitment that the federal government is losing because of DOGE.
It’s hard to keep track of everything Musk has done in his unelected role as part of the Trump administration. With the endless barrage of news coming from Washington, my friends outside of the government were shocked to learn that the request that we provide bullets was real. It was real. This is what Musk wants – to sow confusion amongst the American people so he can operate without oversight.
For those weekly bullets, I was told directly by my leadership: “We have not received any indication that these are being read.” Furthermore, we were told to keep the bullets short, and were given an example of one response that was only five words long.
The security threat posed by nearly 1 million DoD civilian emails going to a single email address is immense. Aggregating seemingly unclassified information can result in collected information that is classified – which is why I won’t publish my full bullets from the preceding two weeks.
Here’s the email I sent which led to my termination. (Replicator is the DoD initiative to field thousands of autonomous systems.)
OSD PR Overlords,
? I coordinated across the field,
? Ensured that our plans were well-heeled.
? I synced with the teams,
? Pushed Replicator schemes,
? And pondered why bullets won’t yield.
V/R,
Grace
Civilians in the intelligence community (IC) are allowed to submit their bullets via a higher classification. Those of us who work on classified information but outside of an IC organization, however, were not given that option.
The Department of the Navy provided no written guidance for fulfilling the requirement to provide five unclassified bullets. Instead, it left its employees to fend for themselves against Elon Musk. The morning I was fired, I compiled and sent my entire team’s actions for the week via top secret channels, a practice I had established long before the DOGE-mandated emails. I believe wholeheartedly in accountability and the need for a supervisor to be aware of an employee’s actions.
Morale and esprit de corps are core to the success of our military. Ask any veteran about their service, and–sure–it will be about sacrifice. But it will also be about the stories, the pranks, and the laughter that made it bearable. Service members have stolen goats and mules for the Army-Navy rivalry, snuck little memes into slides for senior briefings, and routinely hidden ID cards in the ceiling. Yes, I wrote a rhyme for levity during these dark times, but it was hardly conduct unbecoming of a defense official.
Musk’s approach to attempted spending cuts is preposterous. Don’t get me wrong, there does need to be a cut in defense spending. Pouring millions into outdated systems and bloated programs weakens—rather than strengthens—our national security. DOGE’s cost-cutting efforts in the department, however, have been neither systematic nor thorough. Rather, they are firing workers who lack protections. Workers willing to sacrifice everything for their country are instead being sacrificed for expediency.
I was fired because I dissented in the most minor of ways. It was dissent nonetheless. In these Orwellian times, the truth continues to be extinguished by tyranny.
To federal employees: I see you. Do not live in fear. Semper Fortis.
To Musk and DOGE: History will not be kind. There’s still time to jump ship in favor of whatever honor remains. Non sibi sed patriae.
Grace Jones is a U.S. Navy veteran, Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves and a graduate of Stanford and Harvard.
The opinions and views expressed here belong solely to the author and do not reflect those of the Department of Defense (DoD) or the Department of the Navy.
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