OEF has it been worth the human cost?

[JMA]

No, if he fired an incompetent general, then because he fired (killed, jailed) so many that some incompetents had to be among them.
Plus: The incompetents rose in the ranks under Stalin's regime, often because of Stalin's regime.

IIRC Marshall was a much better example for how to get rid of incompetents (Colonel and above).

Good for Marshall then (assumming you are talking of George Marshall)

Anyway it is not only colonels and above who need to be fired. The requirement goes right down the rank structure to include NCOs. The problem seems to be that the policy to reassign non-performers results in the problems being passed around the military rather than out the back door. Not a smart policy.

[Fuchs]

High level leadership should not bother with firing junior leaders. Many of them still need to learn, and the hopeless cases should be handled by mid-level leadership.

An inept and hopeless lieutenant should be reported by his captain and be removed by the Bn commander unless the Bde Cdr vetoes the decision after deliberating with his S-1.

I would not want to have any higher ranked leaders involved (even if it's about a failure that went into national media) because higher ranked leaders usually don't have repeated contact with the junior leader and could only judge based on a file or one-time observation.

I'd extend this at the very least to Coy leaders (captains).


Not sure how this is being handled in most armies, but I have little hope for a sensible regulation. Most personnel systems treat a soldier afaik as an asset that should not be written off if avoidable - until the end of the term.

[JMA]

High level leadership should not bother with firing junior leaders. Many of them still need to learn, and the hopeless cases should be handled by mid-level leadership.

An inept and hopeless lieutenant should be reported by his captain and be removed by the Bn commander unless the Bde Cdr vetoes the decision after deliberating with his S-1.

I would not want to have any higher ranked leaders involved (even if it's about a failure that went into national media) because higher ranked leaders usually don't have repeated contact with the junior leader and could only judge based on a file or one-time observation.

I'd extend this at the very least to Coy leaders (captains).

Not sure how this is being handled in most armies, but I have little hope for a sensible regulation. Most personnel systems treat a soldier afaik as an asset that should not be written off if avoidable - until the end of the term.

Yes of course.

All I am attempting to say is that it is not only a number generals who (after being held responsible for the lamentable conduct of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan) being fired but also a number of all ranks right down the line who deserve not to be reassigned but fired. Fired by whoever their two-up commander is. Can't pass all the buck onto the generals.