Officer Retention

[Surferbeetle]

Was during WW II, Korea and Viet Nam as well. Didn't say it was right; just that it happens -- and that lack of a patch is one way to judge people if one wishes, I suppose but there may be more to it than one realizes...Big army doing lots of things lots of places...

Recognize and appreciate that you have completed several 10,000 hour blocks on combat/warfare/peacetime/civil-military relations (we will have to discuss Dr. Corn's latest sometime), and appreciate the opportunities to learn...

We can sniff and sneer at those who have not been to combat; very human reaction by those who have. We all fall prey to that. Old as I am, I still do it to an extent...

However, it also behooves us to recall what we all really know -- that lack of such a bauble isn't total proof of incompetence or cowardice.

Human nature being what it is however there is a real perception out there that not everybody is pulling their weight.

On the other hand there are some lead by example folks out there as well. I use the example of couple of GO's that I worked for, both older/smarter/wiser than me, who were consistently out working alongside me and who have continued to pull multiple tours after I went home to help me prepare for what's ahead.

Napoleon's bit about 'give me enough ribbon...' seems to tie into basic human nature whether we like it or not. I still wish I had had an opportunity to jump with the Folgore... instead of pushing paper and chumming with the Carabinieri at the mensa but things work out...