What one thing would you change about the Military?

1SG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:43:21 -0500

What is one thing you would change about the military if you could?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2014 6:48 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:48:37 -0500

The current retirement system. Luckily I was Grandfathered. 20 plus years equals a pension.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Dec 22 at 2014 6:46 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 18:46:50 -0500

I would change personnel management, make it more like the private sector.

EDIT: Based on the confusion generated by my initial comment pointed out by Cpl Dennis F., i would change the command-economy model of personnel management in the military in favor for a free market, like the civilian sector. I would empower commanders (at as low a level as possible) to manage their budgets and hire and fire- at least for billets and assignments, if not for the service itself.

Example: Lt Terrible is incompetent as a platoon commander. His Battalion Commander fires him and he goes into a generalized waiting pool where he applies for other jobs that a 2ndLt of his specialty can fill e.g. Div Intel Officer he eventually has to accept as less desirable position, or lower prestige, or maybe even lower pay. Conversely, Captain Awesome wants to stay a platoon commander, even though he's now a Captain. He is willing to accept a smaller paycheck and tells his Battalion commander this, and is allowed to keep doing the work he loves.

The article linked below fleshes out in great detail the theory that good, high performing members of the military depart mostly because they don't get to keep doing what they want, largely due to a lock step method of personnel management and development over which they, and their commanders, have virtually no control. The article was later parlayed into a book, also linked.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/01/why-our-best-officers-are-leaving/308346/

http://www.amazon.com/Bleeding-Talent-Military-Mismanages-Revolution/dp/ [login to see]

Why Our Best Officers Are Leaving

Why are so many of the most talented officers now abandoning military life for the private sector? An exclusive survey of West Point graduates shows that it’s not just money. Increasingly, the military is creating a command structure that rewards conformism and ignores merit. As a result, it’s losing its vaunted ability to cultivate entrepreneurs in uniform.

Response by SGT(P) Gloria Francis made Dec 22 at 2014 7:25 PM

SGT(P) Gloria Francis — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 19:25:42 -0500

I would change the age to pursue officer position. While I understand that the military's philosophy is to have younger minds to convert into something great; the contradiction is that they utilize the more seasoned (older group) to train them. Double standard!!! If I have the qualifications...age shouldn't hinder my career growth.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2014 8:36 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:36:36 -0500

TIS and TIG. There should be a way to "test" to the next pay grade. If I come into the Army at the ripe age of 32, I should be afforded the chance to test into a rank more appropriate for a man my age and knowledge. Instead, you have these 20 year old "Srg" who have no life experience, telling me how the best way to do something. If you try to help them and point out where they could do it better, they say," I'm the boss, I know better". The army could use people who have life experience so much better than the way they do.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2014 8:38 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 20:38:16 -0500

The fact that it has become a social experiment.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 22 at 2014 10:55 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 22:55:20 -0500

Changing the "Gearhound" mindset. I'd like to see us spend more money on better training. We can always get new equipment another day.

Response by SPC Leisel Luman made Dec 22 at 2014 11:00 PM

SPC Leisel Luman — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 23:00:02 -0500

The current commander and chief.

Response by SPC Tesha Gaither made Jan 9 at 2015 8:58 PM

SPC Tesha Gaither — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 20:58:10 -0500

The leadership. Every leader I have met needs something adjusted. It could be attitude, knowledge, self worth. I have met some that could not understand how a soldier could have any mental problems at all. If the soldier asked for help, they would find any way possible to punish the soldier. And no one else up the chain stopped it. He did this to two different soldiers. A different NCO would call in due to an illness in the family and a lower enlisted soldier would have to cover the shift. He did this multiple times. Then there was one NCO that made one soldier work 6 days a week, every week for a month. This NCO only worked maybe three days a week. There should be leadership to help guide a soldier. Or leadership that a soldier could turn to for help, knowledge, or even opinion. Leadership should know their soldier enough to know if the soldier needs help. So many soldiers are suffering and they have no where to turn. What line can these soldiers turn to? Who is suppose to help them, if not leadership?

Response by PO1 Cleve Ikaika Waiwaiole made Mar 17 at 2015 10:35 PM

PO1 Cleve Ikaika Waiwaiole — Tue, 17 Mar 2015 22:35:52 -0400

Too much complaining, and allowing it. Nowadays The complainer gets their way, even though it's THEM slowing the mission, failing the mission, failing the team. BUT I guess people's feelings getting hurt over every little thing and "making them feel better" or "giving them a break" takes presidence over the mission itself..that's what today's era portrays. And it's sad.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made May 25 at 2015 3:13 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 May 2015 15:13:55 -0400

The uniforms. I am just joking. It would be the head gear.

Response by PO3 David Fries made May 25 at 2015 4:27 PM

PO3 David Fries — Mon, 25 May 2015 16:27:33 -0400

Get rid of dumbing down, decrease civilian influence, decrease media access, remove politics.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made May 25 at 2015 4:36 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Mon, 25 May 2015 16:36:05 -0400

How we discharge Veterans who need further care. Get the rude mofos out of the WTUs. We need greater innovation than coin.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2015 9:57 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 May 2015 09:57:08 -0400

Be able to have a in-regulations beard....lol

Response by 1LT Nick Kidwell made May 26 at 2015 10:01 AM

1LT Nick Kidwell — Tue, 26 May 2015 10:01:49 -0400

Eliminate the preponderance of people who don't do a particular job making impactful decisions that negatively affect those who do the job.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made May 26 at 2015 10:13 AM

SrA Edward Vong — Tue, 26 May 2015 10:13:05 -0400

Not so much the military, but eliminate the need for any country to have a military.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made May 26 at 2015 11:25 AM

CSM Charles Hayden — Tue, 26 May 2015 11:25:07 -0400

Stop the animosity between services and branches within those services! One flag, one mission!

Response by MSG Morgan Fiszel, CPCM, CFCM made May 27 at 2015 2:35 PM

MSG Morgan Fiszel, CPCM, CFCM — Wed, 27 May 2015 14:35:56 -0400

Oh this is a GOOD one! Almost everyone in the military, and the government for that matter, will always immediately respond to a request with an answer of "NO". They do this automatically, without even thinking. It is like a reflex or knee jerk reaction. This happens for two reasons. The first is that it is god damn near impossible to accomplish anything without having to get 400 approvals and signatures. It is extremely painful to go through that and it takes so long and so much follow up that those that say yes get buried in their own feces. The second reason are regs. Most people believe that if it isn't in the regs they can't do it. I've dealt with this a hundred times. I believe that if it isn't in the regs then it is allowable so long as it is reasonable. If we fixed the things above we would have a more friendly environment. Ultimately we would also be faster and more creative.