Reform
No offense to any of
my officer friends or contacts, but I heard this from an officer I once served
with and thought that it would fit in really well with this discussion thread.
The Army Officers Corps
2nd
Lieutenants: After spending 4 years at Hudson High (West Point) learning
from books they come charging into their new units thinking they know it all
and don’t need to listen to any of their senior NCO’s. In essence they are
dumber than an E-1.
1st
Lieutenants: After 1 year in the service of their country they have come to
the realization that for all their book learning there is still a lot to learn,
and have begun listening to their senior NCO’s. They have developed good
listening skills and begin to apply the knowledge they have gained. They are at
least as smart as an E-3.
Captains: After 3
years serving their country they listen to their NCO’s apply what they have
learned and are not capable of standing on their own two feet. While
occasionally they need reassurance that what they are doing is of benefit to
their subordinates they are overall capable of accomplishing most missions with
little confusion. Equal in intelligence to an E-6
Majors: Have
finally gotten their stuff together and can remember where they have put it.
They are capable of accomplishing missions as they have been set before them.
They pride themselves on being able to set a good example for those officers
below them, however, they are often ignored as being a know it all.
Intelligence rating E-8
Lieutenant Colonels:
Still have their stuff together, and remember where it is. They can create
missions that would otherwise cause headaches for lesser mortals. Some would
say they can even spell difficult words without the use of a dictionary and
even use these words correctly. They are smarter than the average E-9.
Colonels: Have
their stuff together but occasionally need help in finding it. They can create
missions for the soldiers under their command; however, this usually ends up
with a radio call of Lima Lima Mike Foxtrot, from some lost patrol in the
woodline who is at best 25 yards from the company CP. This is where the
intelligence level begins to suffer. They are almost as smart as an E-5.
Brigadier Generals:
Memory is beginning to slip, hence the need for an aide-de-camp. Their biggest
problem seems to be that they are unable to remember where their car keys are;
again they need a driver to make sure they get to the meetings they have
forgotten they scheduled; now they need a secretary. Intelligence is about the
average of a Corporal.
Major Generals: No
longer able to keep their stuff together, forget about remembering where they
put it. They need even more help in keeping track of their keys, schedules, and
problems they need to handle. Surrounded by people who tell them everything is
going to be all right and there is nothing wrong with them. Average
intelligence Specialist
Lieutenant Generals:
Usually works in Division or Pentagon office, they are kept in these offices to
avoid creating more havoc than their lower ranking counterparts. Memory is
totally gone by now and feel abandoned by the people whom they considered to be
friends because their friends don’t want to see what will happen to them.
Intelligence = to Private E-2
Generals: Lost
souls wandering the halls of power, cannot find either his office or the
latrine. Intelligence of a slick sleeved private,
Please remember that this is all meant in fun. Life is what it is and most officers do a fairly good job with their skills. However, there are those who will through no fault of their own fall into one or more of these categories as they progress up the food chain. Gentlemen, please remember where you came from and how you got to where you are.
Sir,
I agree that is it always easy to critize from the sideline, but at the same time, is it wise not to listen to someone who got to see a picture outside of what you are seeing on the field at game time? No one likes when a finger is pointed at them, but you have stated your self that there is some truth to his arguments. Even if he never put on a uniform but studied American Military history he has a valid reason to make a crtism. It looks like you are a historian and someone who likes quotes, so I will end with this.
"Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." -George Santayana
My personal opinon is the Officer Corps should shoulder a good amount of this issue, but they are not the sole group to blame. I will highlight and explain my ideas on several topics from the article in which I believe are primary issues that are blinding not only our Officers Corps but all SMs in general.
"....officers are not professionals. They are merely craftsman. They have learned what they do on a monkey-see, monkey-do basis and know no more. What defines a professional—historically there were only three professions, law, medicine, and theology—is that he has read, studied, and knows the literature of his field."
I agree with this statement not only for Officers but for all SMs. We as SMs do not learn by practice but learn by "tradition". Practicing tradition does not create a professional realm, I have been arguing this point for a good amount of time.
"Decisions are pulled up the chain because the chain is laden with surplus officers looking for something to do. Decisions are committee-consensus, lowest common denominator, which Boyd warned is usually the worst of all possible alternatives."
How many times has told a PVT or any SM to shut up and keep there head down when they offer a better solution than what is being pushed out to the group? Instead of allowing intergration from the bottom with a testing cycle, we allow minor issues and details to be issued from the top. Many Officers wish not to create waves, because a wave or two would be a career ender.
"....“up or out” promotion system and “all or nothing” vesting for retirement at 20 years."
This is an overall issue for the American military service, pushing more and more people to be false "leaders", they are not fully developed into "leaders" because they only take directive and make none of their own. Leading by position only makes a person a figure head, and nothing more. The people below you have to follow you because of your position but most know that your power is really limted and next to nothing, but they are in no position to challenge you.
SSG Montgomery, I can tell you I have not picked up anything medical as far as reading since my last days in Whiskey training. I'm not sure if you assume my rank, equals my life experience and age, or if you think I'm just arrogant. I can tell you that I destructed the original article and gave my ideals and opinions based on what has worked in the past for me in other environments. I see your next argument, "this is the military it is unique in structure." Sure, but people are people are people.
I came in as a SPC, my first unit I was the senior SPC coming fresh out of AIT, thrown in a squad leader position, a few times I was in the Platoon SGT position. I understand how to dish out a directive very well.
As far as your Manager/Craftman argument, we all have our jobs and positions, I know very well what my PL, XO, and CO do. I'm trying pretty hard to crack into a BN XO office to find out what they do, but I'm not in a tradtional unit now to do that. I'm sure I could read a FM but reading and living it are two different things. I do agree that many NCOs love to bash on their PL and XO because they have no understanding of what their function is, but ignorance can be fixed.
I say all that to say this, my father did 21 years in the Navy, I've been around him, his peers, and superiors through his time in the Navy. My two years of personal military experience does not weigh much, but my personal experience and knowledge from picking peoples minds of various levels goes well beyond two years.
I read this the other day. I thought there were some great insights that, though objectively true, go against the grain of what we are told day in and day out, so they will meet with blind resistance, with little thought given to the actual topic. Basically, there will be a lot of knee jerk reactions.
Additionally, I don't think it's intellectually honest to single out Officers on this issue. These very same issues address NCO's as well. Basically all senior leadership would do well to do an honest self assessment.
This article targets Officers and no one else because at the end of the day only the Officer Corp can make change. SMA and every NCO under him is only an advisor.
With a slow economy, and push for more career minded people in leadership positions knee jerk reactions are a given. That means changes are not being made a low levels, things get real bad and festor to the point that top leadership gets involved and makes a huge change effecting everyone. No one wants to make waves because they are afraid that even if correct they are going against the system and ultimately putting their career on the line.
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