Quote Originally Posted by wm View Post
I do not believe I missed the point. When I mentioned the 4C's, I tried to express (apparently not well) that the US Army taught that the 4C's were virtues, not that the Army taught others to be virtuous. (I hope I know my Aristotle well enough not to make that mistake.) Back in the day, the US Army's Leadership Field Manual FM22-100 portrayed examples of leaders demonstrating the 4Cs as part of its "Be, Know, Do" process, which, by the way, focuses on training not teaching, two very different things.
Yes you have missed the point.

I said:

The characteristics mentioned in my quotes from Buchan and Moran should be used during the selection process prior to officer training starting.
The 'virtues' you speak of should be selected for - prior to commencement of training - and not taught during the course.

Please explain exactly how you would assess candidates for officer training prior to starting it.
I gave you the link of the thread earlier: Initial Officer Selection

In the US Army, candidates are assessed during their training as officer candidates and cadets for such qualities. They may be terminated from commissioning programs for lack of aptitude--mental, physical, and/or leadership. They may also leave the programs voluntarily. A USMA graduate has been assessed for 4 years prior to receiving a commission, a ROTC candidate is assessed for at least a year, more usually 2-4 years. The shortest assessment time frame is for Officer Candidate School (OCS) graduates at 12 weeks, but they have also had prior active service time as an enlisted member, which was used as part of the assessment for selection into OCS in the first place. Candidates for ROTC and USMA are also subject to assessment prior to being accepted into those programs.
The thread I mentioned covers all this, but suffice it to say that the in comparison to the other NATO countries the US army has the least efficient pre-course officer selection process. The evidence and the argument is in that thread.

I suggest that this initial fatal flaw - in officer selection and training - contributes to what Lind alleges manifests itself later in the careers of the officer corps.

A more important concern is who assesses the assessors? What qualities should they display?
Good question. Why you asking me?

USMA cadets are required to learn what they know as Worth's Battalion Orders:

One trusts that the cadets "internalize" the sentiments expressed by Major Worth.
While I would have selected other words and a slightly difference nuance that sounds fair enough.

But as President Reagan said, "Trust but verify." In the course of their education and training, cadets are also evaluated by the tactical and academic faculty on their character development and expression. A significant portion of their academic instructors and all their tactical instructors are military members for just this reason.
Sounds good but do yourself a favour and read through that thread it may just assist you to see these matter more clearly.