Posted on Apr 9, 2017
Should an officer be allowed to continue to serve on Active Duty after being relieved from command?
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Some officers are meant to command and lead, and others probably should never be allowed the opportunity. I'm a witness to the case of an ousted ex-commander now working as a staff-O "leading" a highly technical department - his lack of technical competence and inability to mentor and lead others is obvious. Should such an officer be "encouraged" to separate or retire early to make room?
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 267
No they shouldn't serve, once they do something to lose a command they should be kicked out. Give them the same treatment they give to lower enlisted.
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It has never ceased to amaze me how many commissioned officers continually reveal their total lack of fitness to lead and command. Usually these folks are weeded out by the time they would be promoted to captain, but there are still a few field-grade officers who have squeaked through multiple bad OERs. The incompetent technical officer is an embarrassment. The incompetent commanding officer is dangerous. Both need to become civilians.
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As for the original question, too complex to answer. Grant, Patton, Billy Mitchell and others have been relieved of command, but turned out to be some of our finest combat officers
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My observation in the Army was that we needed to take a more British approach to service. There you can (could) retire as a corporal. Some people are great soldiers, seamen, airmen, highly competent but not leaders. The civilian world recognizes this, but the military does not. We used to have spec7 ranks and wider use of warrant officers. This would be appropriate to return to so that long time field experts can remain without the difficulty of leadership for those who are not good at it or disinclined to lead
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That is very true, the officer shouldn't be put in a role if they cant lead or lack those skills. A couple of things they could do strengthen Officer Canidate School (OCS) when they first come in. Even though they have a degree, I've heard that it is kind of weak. Or a mix of both Non-Commissioners courses and Officer courses, to again strengthen leadership capacity. Then finally, if they do fail or fall short instread of forcing retirement, build specialized training program for officers for "That" general realtive area that they failed at, why they failed and overhaul of what to do to fix the problem. If it still is a problem, no more leadership positions and more filling the gaps of what the Army needs until retirement or descisions to get out.
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Hard call as a officer I have worked for some great commanders and some real weasels. S pattern of good technical ability and ok leadership..... ok not a big picture person. What about a terrible technical person but a good motivator.....? Or terrible all the way around.????
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If relieved from command because of incompetences. Then yes but, if allowed to stay, strip the commission from him, if the incompetence was reason for personnel failures.
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As an example: I would rather see an E-4 mechanic stay as a professional soldier mechanic with increasing pay, stay as an E-4 if he/she is happy with that. Not every technician is leadership material. I had a friend ETS because the 1SG wanted him to go back to SGT Promotion Board. This soldier intentionally blew the board because didn’t want the responsibility. The Army lost an exceptional mechanic!
Ps: he operates a profitable garage with his wife and daughter doing the business end.
Ps: he operates a profitable garage with his wife and daughter doing the business end.
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That's exactly why the ship repair and maintenance activities are such a shitshow right now. All these retired captains and admirals who fucked the Navy up through the 90s and 2000s retire and seem to be getting jobs running things having to do with fixing ships. Worse yet, they now are ruining the civilian workforce by trying to make it the way it was in the military and making it hard to fight back when they do it. Another 10 years when all of the technically competent people with experience either retire or get sick of it and move on, you will be left with just another expensive, rule laden bureaucracy that gets nothing done, but costs billions of dollars a year.
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When I was promoted to E8 it was as a 63B50 not a 63Z50. This was fine with me because I wanted to stay in the maintenance, not a 1SGT. Worked out fine for the Army and myself. l.p.
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In the marines, if an NCO or a officer lacks leadership skills, they’re gone
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This is such a stupid question. If a commander is relieved for cause their career is over. No need to be removed or resign. That is their option though.
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Depends on what they did to get relieved. Up and out policy has sent many a good Soldier home both enlisted and officer. Time to re-evualate......
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I think that it depends on why he/she was relieved of command. If they were relieved because the are a weak/poor leader, I'm sure there are jobs out there that they are very good at. If they were relieved for endangering their command, dishonesty, abuse or other things that are illegal, immoral or unethical they should be put out to pasture.
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Great points made. I don’t believe we will ever see an end to things like this. I also am in agreement that “Big Army” pushes and thus we get many NCOs and Officers who aren’t in the mold to lead or should have leadership positions.
I absolutely disagreed at least with one CSM who thought that you should be ready to step into a SSG role, when you were going to the SGT promotion board. I under the thinking behind it but to me you need to have time in your role going into. This is why we have classes and such and hopefully mentors that will help prepare you along the well.
I absolutely disagreed at least with one CSM who thought that you should be ready to step into a SSG role, when you were going to the SGT promotion board. I under the thinking behind it but to me you need to have time in your role going into. This is why we have classes and such and hopefully mentors that will help prepare you along the well.
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