To double up on some of what is said above, I think faster promotions have been a bad thing. I also think the hurried nature in which people have been selected for OCS and other commissioning avenues has been a bad thing. Things got to the point where some OCS selections were not even going to an interview - it was just a packet that went up to get rubber-stamped.

I have been enlisted and officer and I see things in junior officers now that I would have never seen long ago when I first enlisted. From tattoos to outright pathetic lapses in discipline and choices of behavior - it's odd for sure. I also see some things in the NCO Corps - more apathy than what I used to see, accelerated promotions for those not ready to lead, and certainly more 'do as I say not as I do' garbage.

Indeed there is a culture shift in our society and I do understand the military must adapt to that. However, I believe many in the military understand what items need to be retained in our culture and not purged just because the 'body by playstation' generation is now military aged. Why should we conform wholly and completely to society? We are a volunteer force. Shouldn't those volunteering to be in our ranks conform to us? I remember when I was in OBC, a MAJ told us that we were property, that our company commanders owned us. Not because we were akin to slaves, but because that commander had to train us, constantly. We would be overworked, given no sympathy, and only demanded more from - all the time. It was part of our education because OBC wasn't going to teach us everything. I tell new officers the same thing today because the Army refuses to give them enough TDY days at BOLC to learn what they need to learn. Nowadays I get scoffed at by 2LTs and some of my peers and superiors for telling these officers the truth. I tell them they will get moved around like cattle by their BN and BDE Cdrs. They, of course, think they're special. I tell them their sleep is not important, but the mission is; that their wanting to party and drink beer is not important, but completing their assignment is - I am labeled as cruel for this.

To be sure though, as was also pointed out: we do this to ourselves. I have seen LTs with DUIs, popping hot on drug tests, and with surefire proof of adultery. Absolutely nothing happens. I counsel LTs for haircuts, uniform issues, etc, as well as performance shortcomings. Nothing comes of it because we have decided that we need quantity not quality.

I tell new officers that it would be great if we were all Cambridge Scholars, Olympic level athletes, tactical wizards, and so forth. But all you really need to be is a good leader. You don't have to be the fastest runner, best climber, or hold the most degrees, or have the highest GT score - but you must have integrity and you must place the mission first, then your Soldiers, then yourself. Some of them take it to heart and they go on to be good leaders. Most do not. Most just want to check the block and move on, believing that in today's military we are so short-handed that they need only to keep breathing in order to retire at 20 as an O-5.

We have way too many 'cyborgs' in our formation that do hellacious PT but couldn't lead a dog to the backyard let alone lead Soldiers in combat. These same cyborgs will dime out officers and enlisted alike for not being up to standard, physically (what standard, I ask), because these officers are great runners. But when we put on kit and do functional training, they beat feet after about five minutes claiming they have a meeting or something to get ready for, because they are afraid to fail in front of their peers and subordinates.

To finish my rant, again I'll state my lack of confidence in our senior leaders to help us in the middle try to fix some of these problems. When a LT gets a DUI or comes up hot on a drug test, where does that LT go...most often to the CG. If the CG is going to issue a local letter only, then how can any of our GOs talk to us about standards, fitness, values, etc?