Quote Originally Posted by marct View Post
Just a couple of (opinionated) points .

1. It has never made sense to me to have a military system where you require separate insignia to designate the fighters from the bureaucrats. If they aren't competent to fight, they should be gone.

2. I certainly think that when you can hire a civilian to do a job better (and cheaper) than you can train / retain a combat soldier, you should do it. The sole major exception I see to this is in the Navy where you have long deployments with no civilian access. I am not saying that all roles shouldn't be fillable by soldiers, just that they do not have to be filled by soldiers.

3. The purpose of a military is to be able to meet any conceivable threat (within economic restrictions). All else is makework. The real trick, IMHO, is to be able to conceive of these threats and to perceive them thereby defining what skills will be necessary to meet that threat. BTW, Ken, I think an Advisor Corps is an excellent idea myself.

4. If someone is incompetent, they should be fired. Period, end of sentence. This specifically includes General Officers. Personally, I would like to see the equivalent of a Captain's Board for each major commander in any action - say brigade level. This isn't because I want to see general officers pilloried, but because I believe they need to be held accountable for their actions.

The real problem with all of this is the answer to the question of what do you get for serving? Heinlein's Starship Troopers (the book, not the "snuff in space" piece of Bravo Sierra movie) addressed this point head on, but I haven't really seen any other work that addresses it at a fundamental level. Enlistment bonuses? Give me a break, that's just competing with private industry. Status? Since Vietnam, the cultural status of being former military has been pretty low. Secure job prospects? We're starting to see that in the PMC market (we've had it in Canada with the Corps of Commisionaires for a while). "Duty to the Nation"? Pardon me while I chortle at how the majority of Gen Y'ers are going to react to that one![1]

Honestly, something has to be developed that is restricted to ex-military. The Romans had it and their military was strong until hey got rid of it i the 4th century. The US used to have it but is loosing it rapidly in light of competition with private industry.

Marc

[1] Note, this is not an attempt to disparage nationalism or a belief in individual duty in any way whatsoever! This is an admittedly somewhat cynical take on how Gen Y'ers will, on average, respond to such an appeal.
In order:

1. I agree, unfortunately the US Congress does not agree with you and I. We do fairness, by law and he who would eliminate anyone suspected of less than competent fighting ability better have some really good justification to include reams of backup; ergo, it it easier to let the marginal slide. Human fallibility gets in the way of what should happen.

2. Agreed.

3. totally agree with the thrust, you are IMO unquestionably correct. On the Advisor Corps, I don't agree -- with a cavil and a caveat -- I agree its a great idea on paper but there are several problems I can see. First, not everyone is cut out for working with other cultures and the US Armed Forces GP attitude in personnel management would not necessarily select the round pegs for those round holes. We suffered from this in Viet Nam. Secondly, most Foreign Armies are far more officer centric than we are and most would want Officers to talk to; Enlisted folks, no matter how competent would get short shrift from many Armies. Thirdly, the Active Army can't afford the spaces -- particularly in view of the fact that Congress regardless of which party does what in 2008 is unlikely to look with favor on ANY nation building efforts in the near future (and even if they did not do so, what guarantee is it that such a need will arise? That's a lot of very expensive folks sitting around -- not to mention that we will be in semi-pariah status internationally speaking for a few years ).

...... That is not to say there's not a need, there is. I think an Advisory Group (3-500 max)in the active Army to train units and to train up a to be formed Advisory Division or Corps (start small and work up if the need is there) in the USAR would work and I also think most of Nagl's enlisted Advisor spaces need to be Officers -- Warrant Officers would work (and could be trained in an Aviation Warrant Officer Candidate like scheme).

4. Again I agree. However, again the US sense of 'fairness' intrudes. I place that word in quotes because many do not understand that misplaced sense is totally unfair to the competent and to the troops that have to work for the marginal. It is also a fact that peer groups tend to protect their members [can't believe I'm saying that to you ] and Generals do tend to try to do their disposals quietly -- in a major war, ala WW II, all bets are off --well, most of 'em anyway -- but in peacetime -- and make no mistake, the US is at peace (except for the kids actually in the sandbox and a few other places). Whether that should be the case is another topic but it is fact at this point.


Lastly, you raise excellent points and I do not have facile answers. My guess is, however, that the profession will continue to attract a certain genetically and environmentally attuned set of people who give it a try. Many will not like it and will leave but many will stay and they will do so because they like the job with all its detrimental aspects. The money will hlep but only a bit, love of the job will keep 'em there. More or less worked for the British Army and us for most of the past 200 years, to include long periods of low level hostilities. Thus, the answer is, I suspect, that the Gen Y'ers who give it a shot will stick around in adequate numbers.

Particularly if the Armed Forces get their acts together, realize what things the kids are capable of, stop treating 'em like children, and -- in line with all the foregoing -- get their acts together, eliminate as much of the bureaucracy and make work as possible and improve professional competence across the board.

With some effort, the Armed Forces here and in Canada could be premier employers with a waiting list to get in..