‘Good Guys’ Make Bad Generals

The American Conservative ^ | May 13, 2013 | ANDREW J. BACEVICH

[TADSLOS]

I knew we were in real trouble when the memorandum came down saying that it wasn’t fair to evaluate Soldiers based on their performance in combat. You could end a career if the Soldier was one second late on the fitness test or because the Soldier looked fat, but it wasn’t fair to evaluate Soldiers based on their performance in combat? We have an Army of runners with all that entails.

Yes, that is the message being delivered.

[Future Snake Eater]

We have an Army of runners with all that entails.

So true, and it will only get worse as the war winds down and we get back to garrison stupidity. At least we'll have an Army that looks like it's fit to fight.

This satire article is all too true.

[quadrant]

I agree the Corps has “declined” but it has retained its standards to a degree that far exceeds the ability of the
Army to retain its core beliefs.

[quadrant]

I agree: LBJ did micromanage the war to an incredible degree; but the day-to-day tactics were designed by Westmorland. Lets not forget that the Marine Corps protested the tactics chosen by the Army leadership but were overruled.

[Repeat Offender]

I agree the Corps has “declined” but it has retained its standards to a degree that far exceeds the ability of the Army to retain its core beliefs.

Sucking less than someone else isn't exactly a positive outlook.

And having personally witnessed the ineptitude of certain Marine officers in comparison to their Army counterparts in the same AO.......I lost the ability to trash talk the Army; something when I was a young dumb '03 knuckle dragger I never thought possible.

[quadrant]

You are correct, but in the atmosphere in which the DOD operates, “sucking less” is about the best a service can do.

Ineptitude is common throughout the officer corps. But Marine NCO’s and Staff NCO’s are head and shoulders above anything the Army can field.

[Repeat Offender]

But Marine NCO’s and Staff NCO’s are head and shoulders above anything the Army can field.

I agree with you there although I may have reason for bias. However, everything possible is being done to water down the NCO and SNCO corps. Much of the problem with the O corps, I blame on weak SNCOs not slapping sense into those with shiny on their collar.

I do not know a single Marine unwilling to put their life on the line for another......I know very few willing to put their career on the line for the same.

The other major problem is to view the services, or DoD in general, as some faceless entity......without realizing who actually makes up the entity. In other words, it is easier to blame the org as a whole, or the system, without ever gaining the testicular fortitude to say damn the system and doing something about it.

[quadrant]

Things must have changed since my days in the Corps. The SNCO’s kept everything together. They coached the officers and sat on the faces of the junior NCO’s, esp, I thought, mine.