It's a common part of human nature. Assigning bad moral character on the basis of group identity, rather than on individual actions, is the essence of tribalism and bigotry.
Sure, the DoD has an outsized impact on people's lives and a highly controversial history including both major evil and major good.
It seems to me a positive thing that someone of good character and strong capabilities would go to make things better, vs allowing bad actors to accumulate and do what bad actors do.
Why do think covert operations, black sites, secret courts and hidden budgets exist? Or chain of command, court martials and censorship? It's not a democratic organisation of individual actions.
It's easy to say that he's of "good character" trying to make things better, but in reality he is lending his credibility to bad actors and he has little power to make things better. Keith Alexander doesn't go to defcon in jeans and a t-shirt to take input, but to sell a different image of the military.
If it's anything that is human nature it's to despite evidence to the contrary justify how bad things are not your responsibility. NSA compromised google users data and here is one of the most famous googlers acting head recruiter for the military.
Sure, the DoD has an outsized impact on people's lives and a highly controversial history including both major evil and major good.
It seems to me a positive thing that someone of good character and strong capabilities would go to make things better, vs allowing bad actors to accumulate and do what bad actors do.