I always enjoyed reading General wass de Czege's commentaries in the past and relish his most recent contribution.

There are many entry points for discussion here. The inversion of the combat experience pyramid is fascinating and may or may not be relavent. Truly talented senior officers will recognize pertinent experience for what it is and integrate lessons learned as appropriate.

My experience with the O-6 level behavior is exactly opposite that of General wdC. Once colonels get vested for O-6 retirement and have no hope of promotion, they can be exceptionally innovative because the bureaucratic impetus to "toe the line" has been removed. They can then serve as the "counterculture to the conventional wisdom" of the senior leadership.