Winning: Bad Boys Make Better Soldiers

Strategy Page ^ | May 12, 2008 | Jim Dunnigan

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

You are in good company.Thank you for your service.

[COBOL2Java]

My brother was one of those troubles “yutes” and got into a couple scrapes with the law as a teen. The judge at his sentencing gave him a choice: jail or the Navy. He chose the latter. Turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. He spent the next 20 years a Squid, retiring as a CPO. During that time he got his Associates, Bachelors and Masters degrees.

[Nevadan]

“General Lee was called “Old Granny”, if I recall correctly.
/johnny

That is true, but it was very early in the war - before he was given command of the Army of Northern Virginia, and, before the CSA found out what a great combat field commander-strategist he was. He was never called that after the Battles of the Seven Days or the Battle ofChancellorsville.

[Dogfaced Soldier]

The concept of bad-boys making better combat soldiers is a good story line but not in line with my experience and not backed up by studies. One extensive study of decorated soldiers in WWII completed by researchers at Cornell and Georgia Tech divided a population of combat decorated heroes into eager heroes and reluctant heroes.

These are the general characteristics of each type that the authors reported. They are not typically that associated with “bad boys”:

General Characteristics of “Reluctant Heroes”:

Works well with others
Makes friends easily
Sociable
Less self-centered
Less self-confident
Respectful of authority

General Characteristics of Eager Heroes:

Self-disciplined
Resourceful
Self-confident
Adventurous
Flexible
Risk-Taker

For those who would argue that the general characteristics of the “eager heroes” could be equated to “bad boys” then the study went on to predict potentially identifying characteristics for “eager hero” types at both the high school level and from basic training. I'll leave it to the reader to determine if the profile fits a “bad boy”:

Potentially Identifying Characteristics in
High School Seniors:
High school leader
High energy
Athlete
Not necessarily exceptional grades

Potentially Identifying Characteristics in
Basic Training:
Competitive and highly involved
Applies self physically
Frequent volunteer
Intelligent risk taker
Possibly a grand stander

[alarm rider]

Maybe “bad boys” make better soldiers, but in my experience they make crappy Airmen.

And yeah, I expect the usual crud about the USAF, but matters not, you need a person of good character that you can depend on in a technical situation.

[yarddog]

Now that you mention it, the most decorated soldier of WWI was Seargent York. He was a consiencious objector and devout Christian.

[Dogfaced Soldier]

Although it was before my time, the most decorated soldier in WWII was Audie Murphy, I believe. He was the quintessential good-boy, at least as portrayed by Hollywood. Don’t know what he was like in real life.

[yarddog]

I once discussed Murphy with a girl from Hunt county Texas which is roughly where he was from. I think his Father died at an early age and he had to sort of support the family including siblings.

I think he had a tough childhood but as you say was known as a good kid.

Actually Sargent York probably had a similar upbringing, poor Southern rural family, but good people.

[Griddlee]

“Take me to the Brig! I want to see the real Marines!”-—Chesty Puller