[dk/coro]

The difference in mind-set between the two types is startling.

I had the pleasure of joining an old warrior -- Admiral Tom Moorer -- as his Personal Aide for a short tour in 1967 as a young commander between tours in SEA as a Naval Aviator.

I had an unusual vantage point in my capacity that year -- and observed 3 and 4 star officers "up close and personal" -- often running interference for the boss; And tightening up his schedule to keep these turkeys off his back.

IMHO, placing the bean counters in a position of operational authority will --without exception -- cause enormous grief --in loss of lives -- but also in morale, retention, and general effectiveness/economy of mission.

Admiral Zumwalt and Admiral Boorda are classic examples of failed leadership -- and both were most adequate as senior "staff pukes", but failed miserably as CNO's. At enormous cost to the Naval Sevice, I might add.

Further, a close perusal of their career patterns (Zumwalt and Boorda) should have signalled this "slating" problem to even marginally competent Naval planners. They blew it wretchedly.

Shame on us !! I took early retirement as a Captain to protest cumulative and blatant operational ineptness --such as (Zumwalt) flagging a four-star SUBMARINER to head the Pacific Fleet during the height of a Naval AIR war in Tonkin Gulf. "Undambelievable" , but it happened.

[xzins]

Wasn't Boorda the suicider? Did you see that in him?

Fascinating stuff. You should fire emails to Ollie North for his War Stories pieces on FoxNews.....I'm listening to him in the background right now.

[cynicom]

Moorer and Singlaub have some new writings out, very interesting, deals with Korea.

[Fred Mertz]

Admiral Zumwalt and Admiral Boorda are classic examples of failed leadership -- and both were most adequate as senior "staff pukes", but failed miserably as CNO's.

Why was Boorda taken out?

[Mustang]

Mega Bravo Zulu's to you Captain!

I couldn't state it better. Your post is a #1 wire landing.

Best FReegards...Mustang sends.

[MindBender26]

Don't you just love hanging out with the bosses????

In 69/70 tour, got knee chopped up near Tay Ninh. They would not send me back to field for a while. Worked for Abrams as an "action officer." Westmoreland would send memos and DFs everywhere, expect replies from every level of command up and down along the way. He got CYA BS on top of BS.

Abrams wanted action.

Whenever there was a serious problem, such as abuse of troops, bad morale, theft of gmvt funds, bad medical care, really bad leadership, racial problems, etc., Abrams would send a team of two of us to check it out. Usually one E-8/E-9, very experienced, older WW2 vet who served with Abrams in Europe and one O-3/0-4 combat arms stud (the baddder-assed looking the better).

The NCO would go talk with the NCOs, I'd go see the officers. We'd both begin the interview with an EM. Who ever got the best rapport with the EM would finish the interview.

This system got the problems solved in 24 hours! Abrams once relieved a lying, troop wasting 2 star division commander and had him on freedom bird in 90 minutes!

Of course, Westy did look sooooo good in his dress whites at those nightly embassy parties.......