Re: The new face of war [OT]

Lone Haranguer wrote:
Technobarbarian wrote:
The generals are always ready to fight the last war. To an extent we
have become the "Red Coats". The good news is that it looks like
they're starting to recognize that.

It's because in our traditional military, ideas are weighted by which
rank submits them. Lower ranks have no authority to act on new ideas
or correcting obsolete rules but can only pass suggestions up the
chain of command until someone with sufficient rank adopts the new
idea or suggestion.
I still chuckle when I recall the experience of my first maneuvers
with the Army in Germany. Regulations requested after action reports
by participants so I made up a list of all the screw-ups in planning
and execution I had encountered. It ran to 7 single-spaced pages.

My boss (a Lt. Col) wouldn't put his name on it but did send it up
the chain of command to the 7th Army Staff Weather Officer, a bird
colonel based in Stuttgart. So one day he flies into Grafenwohr in
his U3A (I forget the Army designation-a twin engine Cessna) and
wants to see me. I'm a lowly E-5. We head for the coffee shop where
he tells me that my recommendations will go nowhere because of my
rank but if he forwards it, some of the problems might be eliminated.

I told him I had no interest in scoring points, I just didn't want to
face the same problems the next time I went on maneuvers. We shook
hands, he climbed into his aircraft and took off.
With his name on the report, the items showed up on the official
critique and various people were tasked to see that they didn't
happen again.
I'm sure a lot of people who served in the military had a similar
experience. LZ

Reminds me of an old saying, "There is no limit to what you can accomplish
if you don't care who gets the credit." Served me well to keep that in mind
while I worked for the government.

--
Bruce S.

"When buying and selling are controlled by legislation, the first
things to be bought and sold are legislators." - P. J. O'Rourke


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: The new face of war [OT]
    ... Lower ranks have no authority to act on new ideas or correcting obsolete rules but can only pass suggestions up the chain of command until someone with sufficient rank adopts the new idea or suggestion. ... I still chuckle when I recall the experience of my first maneuvers with the Army in Germany. ... Regulations requested after action reports by participants so I made up a list of all the screw-ups in planning and execution I had encountered. ... Col) wouldn't put his name on it but did send it up the chain of command to the 7th Army Staff Weather Officer, a bird colonel based in Stuttgart. ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
  • Re: Spaceforce ranks of the RAF model?
    ... Marshal of the Air Force (A ceremonial rank) ... General in the Army) ...
    (rec.arts.sf.written)
  • Re: GOOD MORNING COASTIES!!!
    ... It may be fun to ridicule the military but those are the people who ... If you are going to belittle him you could at least get his rank correct. ... Did you now he was subject to recall at any time by the US Army until he reached hist 62nd birthday? ... If you are an officer and stay in the army long enough, 15 or 20 years, you'll make that rank as a minimum. ...
    (rec.boats)
  • Re: OT-Probably the first of many.....
    ... retired essentially at the same rank as when you where drafted. ... the Army as an E-5 in Germany and become a WO-4 running an Artillery ... evade military service in wartime) ... volunteered for a combat position, the word slacker fits you, not me. ...
    (rec.outdoors.rv-travel)
  • Re: Par for the course in the UK.
    ... to the army or every policeman should be required to maintain a ... to advance beyond the rank of constable. ... of constable on failure to maintain competence. ... bag I'd rather have the cops turn up than the army. ...
    (uk.politics.misc)