Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025) • Hacker News Board

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#51

Post by rawgabbit » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 4:37 PM UTC

beauzero wrote: post #22

For context. This is how it was done during the Manhattan Project. https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Peopl...

The article you cited said it was done during wartime. It was a way to keep the scientists and technicians who were drafted into military service... so they can keep working in the laboratories they are already working in.

As a solution, the Manhattan Engineer District (MED) in May secured authorization to establish the Special Engineering Detachment (SED) to which technical and scientific personnel could be assigned upon being drafted

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#52

Post by ceejayoz » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 4:42 PM UTC

mothballed wrote: post #45

ceejayoz wrote: post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then why do they need the elevated rank?

I have a dumb question but is it possible to arrange exec-tier or at last officer-tier pay for something like a private?

No level of normal military pay is gonna be meaningful to these folks, at any rank.

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#53

Post by ceejayoz » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 4:44 PM UTC

stoneman24 wrote: post #31

Wojtkie wrote: post #25

Does this mean the execs are now also under the UCMJ?

I wonder if the executives have realised this

Their legal teams will most certainly have been involved.

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#54

Post by stronglikedan » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 4:48 PM UTC

ceejayoz wrote: post #32

petcat wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody is taking orders from these guys. They're advisors.

They're advisors with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel .

They're right above Privates, so still no one (of consequence) is taking orders from them.

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#55

Post by SketchySeaBeast » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 4:56 PM UTC

shikshake wrote: post #30

fudged71 wrote: post #14

The tech industry is falling in line just as expected. Disgraceful. Don't take orders from a LtCol with zero military experience.

To me it reads the other way around, the big money folks in the tech sector are pushing their influence into the military.

Yeah, this reads as the oligarchy further consolidating power.

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#56

Post by Teever » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 6:30 PM UTC

beauzero wrote: post #22

For context. This is how it was done during the Manhattan Project. https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Peopl...

This was also why Werhner Von Braun was made an officer in the SS.

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#57

Post by ceejayoz » Thu, Jan 22, 2026, 7:16 PM UTC

stronglikedan wrote: post #54

ceejayoz wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're advisors with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel .

They're right above Privates, so still no one (of consequence) is taking orders from them.

What? Per https://www.army.mil/ranks/, they outrank all enlisted and warrant officers, plus Second Lieutenants, First Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors.

Only full Colonels and the 1-5 star Generals outrank them.

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#58

Post by robbbed » Fri, Jan 23, 2026, 1:00 AM UTC

This seems fine. The question is will these execs still have ties to the tech companies they're supposedly leaving.

Re: Palantir, Meta, OpenAI Execs Appointed Lieutenant Colonels in US Army (2025)

#59

Post by burnt-resistor » Fri, Jan 23, 2026, 9:06 AM UTC

All that is left on my bingo card is for them to outright invent a religious cult (they're already a cult of a different sort) to both get tax exempt status and actually zealously believe in it too.