Oak Leaf Clusters? How about Eagles? The full “bird” colonels will get stars before the oak leaf lt. colonels do.
They higher they get, the more they are corrupted. IMO. I sure hope there are some good men left at bird-grade.
I have more confidence that the next great general is currently a Major or a light Colonel. IMO.
I hope I'm wrong. I hope the next great warrior General is actually a General right now ... we'll need him on Day One of the next presidency. But I don't believe it.
YMMV.
We'll see what happens.