Sunday's Dilbert comic strip explains in very accurate terms why it's so hard to get the right people in the right jobs.

In the strip, the tech support guy answers the telephone with a request to close the trouble ticket. He hasn't answered any questions or provided any advice, but since he gets rated on his ability to close tickets, that's what he needs to do, first and foremost. Well, the same is true of assignment personnel, they get rated on their ability to fill holes. Now, if they occasionally get the right peg in the right hole, that's just icing. At the end of the day, it's mainly getting holes filled and keeping higher ranking generals off their general's back.

Full disclosure, I did have one assignment officer who sent me where it would benefit both of us. And he took the time to 'splain it to me. And he was right. Thanks, Emilio. P.S. My kids still hate you. But I got to serve with Stan.