Petraeus Helping Pick New Generals

Washington Post ^ | 11/17/2007 | Ann Scott Tyson

[Tennessean4Bush]

Petraeus Helping Pick New Generals
Army Says Innovation Will Be Rewarded

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, November 17, 2007; Page A01

The Army has summoned the top U.S. commander in Iraq back to Washington to preside over a board that will pick some of the next generation of Army leaders, an unusual decision that officials say represents a vote of confidence in Gen. David H. Petraeus's conduct of the war, as well as the Army counterinsurgency doctrine he helped rewrite.

The Army has long been criticized for rewarding conventional military thinking and experience in traditional combat operations, and current and former defense officials have pointed to Petraeus's involvement in the promotion board process this month as a sign of the Army's commitment to encouraging innovation and rewarding skills beyond the battlefield.

Some junior and midlevel officers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan have been particularly outspoken in their criticisms, saying the Army's current leadership lacks a hands-on understanding of today's conflicts and has not listened to feedback from younger personnel.

"It's unprecedented for the commander of an active theater to be brought back to head something like a brigadier generals board," said retired Maj. Gen. Robert Scales, former head of the Army War College. A senior defense official said Petraeus is "far too high-profile for this to be a subtle thing."

The board, composed of 15 Army generals, will examine a pool of more than 1,000 colonels to select about 40 brigadier generals, expected to lead the service over the next decade or longer. Although each board member has an equal vote on the candidates, Petraeus will be able to guide the discussion.

[AndyJackson]

God has once again blessed the USA far beyond our merits.

This is one of the benefits of a free citizenry that is able to criticize its government. I know that the Washington post is not popular, but one of its writers wrote a very prophetic book:

While many here would claim that the book is "anti-patriotic" the book praises the work that Petraeus did when he served in Iraq and his efforts to develop counterinsurgency doctrine before being appointed the ground commander in Iraq.

Furthermore, the book is "optomistic" in the sense that it demonstrates very clearly what can be achieved when one has cogent strategies and well thought out plans and also what the consequences are when one walks into a situation blindly, without a real plan, hoping for the best.

In my view this is one of the most important books of our age.

[jveritas]

He is for sure the new Eisenhower.

[MinorityRepublican]

The book sounds like something Rumsfeld should had read before he decided to go to war on the cheap in Iraq.

[george76]

Petraeus for President?

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2007/08/petraeus-for-pr.html

[george76]

Petraeus for President?

http://www.nysun.com/article/62017

[george76]

[jveritas]

Yes :)

[quadrant]

Its positive that the Army is taking this step, but if the change is confined to selecting which O-6’s will make O-7, the change is cosmetic.
A friend of mind who retired as an O-7 told me that a Brigadier was similar to a pledge in fraternity - in but not really a member. And a Major General was similar to a pledge who had just been inducted into the frat: a member now but uncertain and cautious because senior brothers were far more influential.
Anyone who has studied the military (especially the Army) knows the big and most important jump is from two to three stars. The critical decisions are made by Lt Gen’s and above. Also, as I understand it, no formal promotions boards exist for the jump from Major General to Lt General. A small group of senior officers meet informally to decide who will get a third star.
Will the Army (and the other services) change this critical step? Unlikely. Those at the top have too much invested in the system to surrender control.

[RobbyS]

Interesting that the Navy has no equivalent to brigadier, and that a navy Captain has a much heft as a birgadier. However, I think that the significance is that the choice of those who get that second and that third star will be drawn from a different pool than before. I am sure there will be many O-6s who are disappointed who several years ago thought they were sure to get their stars. AND if Petraeus is successful in Iraq, he could become the next George Marshall and leave his stamp on the army long after his retirement.

[dixiechick2000]

This is awesome!

Ya’ know...if things keep going this way WRT the war,
Bush will walk out of office a hero.

Too bad it took so long to get the right man in place.
However, it often does take a while for that.

I spoke with one of America’s finest during my last trip.
He’s excited about the new command there.
However, he was duly cautious, too.
It’s his third tour, and he was heading back.

BTW, he was Navy on loan to the Marines.
Seems like we have an exchange program going on.

I’m glad Navy is as involved as they are.

[Terpfen]

Is Petraeus going to follow the footsteps of Eisenhower?

Hopefully more like Patton. Ike ran WW2 like a politician.

[napscoordinator]

Here we go again backing someone that we don’t know his thoughts on issues. Why do we do this all the time???? We thought that Condi, Colin Powell, Arnold, and various others who when we learned what they believed we changed our minds. Let’s find out the issues he believes in before we begin another painful campaign for this one or that one. Petraeus could be a big lib general for all we know.

[Just mythoughts]

Yes you’re right. We can all say Saddam was a bad guy and must be taken out. After the successful invasion in 2003, we f***ed up the occupation. We should never had dismantled the Iraqi Army. Rumsfeld was to blame for this for trying to go to war on the cheap. Gates is now having to fix a whole a lot of things and finally we have the right General to get the job done in Iraq.

Is that you John McCain? NOW how did the military get CHEAP? Could it have been due to the Clintons draw-down???? The occupation was turned over to the Powelines at the State/UNers.... I guess you could say it was to demonstrate that these professional diplomats could talk their way to peace and stability. Rummy did what he was told to do.

[MinorityRepublican]

The War in Iraq took place in March 2003. Two years after President Clinton ended his term. We should had increased the size of the military and had more troops in the occupation. Former General Shiniskei said we needed at least a couple hundred thousand of troops if we were to occupy Iraq.

[quadrant]

I’m not an expert on the Navy rank structure, but I believe that an Rear Admiral (Lower Half) wears one star and is an O-7. The old O-7 rank of Commodore is obsolete, although I have read that the rank still exists and is used under certain circumstances.
In any event, Navy officers have far more “helf” than their Army counterparts. Commanders - 0-5, the equivlent of an Army Lt Colonel - exercise in their capacity as ship captains far more independence than battalions commanders exercise. Its inconceivable that any Army officer below the rank of Lt General would have the freedom possessed by captains of nuclear submarines or aircraft carriers.
This sort of authority breeds in naval officers a capacity for creativity and independent thought that few Army officers ever develop. Such differences are a shame, perhaps, but seem inescapable given the demands of the respective services.

[BallandPowder]

Powder..Patch..Ball FIRE

What if a candidate said he would make him Sec Dev.. That could be a winner....

[quadrant]

I can’t speak of the quality of Army leadership, but the Navy had a tremendous amount of talent in the lower flag grades.

[AndyJackson]

A small group of senior officers meet informally to decide who will get a third star.

With a lot of input from the civilian "political leadership."

[AndyJackson]

Navy officers have far more “helf” than their Army counterparts. Commanders - 0-5, the equivlent of an Army Lt Colonel - exercise in their capacity as ship captains far more independence than battalions commanders exercise.

As a retired navy O6 I have a lot of respect for my Army colleagues who have had to deal with all sorts of housing, personnel, doctrinal and personnel issues that we submariners never had to deal with. A typical Naval officer has his ship handed to him in more or less working order, a set of weapons and instruction manuals, etc., and not nearly the kinds of problems that an army officer has to deal with.

I know of no naval officer who has ever even had to figure out where and how to dig a latrine or deal run a motor pool or any of the other bread and butter things required to keep an army in the field.