Quote Originally Posted by MikeF View Post
The real question...

I placed my initial comments to spark some emotion/discussion so we could possibly figure out how to better leverage our capabilities with the lessons learned in combat.
Though I have to admit my warped sense of humor frequently obscures my messages...

Serious answers to your points; IMO, of course:

We can start by giving SOF a seat on the JCS. Then, I'd recommend them to move from Tampa to Fort Bragg.
I do not see any advantage to doing either. If you elect to have Congress pursue a Fifth (Sixth?) service and form USSOF, then the JCS idea make sense, other wise, they have adequate clout as a Unified Command with their own funding authority. If the perception is that they are not listened to on high, then I think that's as much a transient personality issue as anything.

Moving it is okay but I do believe Bragg is over crowded and has too many Hq already -- I'd even move some of those to different locations given the chance.
On the lower end, SF should consider allowing CF/GPF personnel with significant advisor time to slide into their ranks.
Your problem there is that Selection is a rite of passage. The comments of you and ODB re: staff interchange are right on target.
That's all common-sense to me until you throw in ricebowls, budgets, egos, and tabs...The simple things that get in the way of mission requirements .
True and having been on both sides of the GPF / SF fence, the Armor / Cav fence, the Airborne / Leg fence, the Light / heavy fence, the FID / UW vs. DA fence and the USMC / US Army fence plus watching the Yard Sign supporting one or another candidate for Prez last fall, I'm inclined to believe that Tribal loyalties and fences are a part of the human condition.

If that's correct, it seems to me that the best approach is not to try to tear apart tribal loyalties but to use them to leverage their strengths. On an allied note, it's been my observation that while excessive competition is harmful, a little competition is really beneficial and helps develop TTP that can cross fertilize all the tribes. We ought to encourage that...

While competition is beneficial, we do need to tear down a number of those fences. There are two major ways to do that, I think -- dumb everyone down to a not so special level...

Or we could smarten and toughen everyone up to even higher levels and realize that all those Tribes have strengths that can be mutually and beneficially employed.

Quality has a quantity all its own; we're supposed to be a Professional Armed force -- we sometimes do not act like one.

You raised some good points; now someone can tear my point apart.