Quote Originally Posted by 120mm View Post
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While it's a lot easier to have an even marginally competent officer to pick up the slack, the bad ones are just bad and we should just give up trying to fill the slots.
I've long said "Show me a poor officer and I'll show you an unfortunate guy who had a lousy NCO for his first Platoon Sergeant..."

And there are too many of those lousy dudes about. Fortunately, that's changing as a lot of the deadwood that got hired in the 1975-1985 time frame depart to retirement...

I realized reading my post from last night that it read like I was sniping at Ron. I was not. I fully understand how he feels and I know that many, maybe even most, would agree with him. I'm sympathetic, understand but do disagree with that approach.

My point, which I didn't make at all well was that it hasn't always been that way and that it doesn't need to stay that way.

In 1968, the average Bn Cdr in Viet Nam found he had few if any Captains and senior NCOs, he had a slew of brand new 2LTs and SGts. Good, dedicated kids who'd do anything -- but they didn't know much, so he had to watch them closely. He didn't break that habit when he got to be a General in the 70s and 80s. Unfortunately, all those 2LTs and SGTs thought they were supposed to act the same way as their mentor had so when they got to be senior in 90s and 00s, they kept micromanaging. It became embedded in the Army; total lack of trust. It's dangerous, an Army is built on trust. Or should be.

It wasn't always like that. Prior to 1968, there were micromanagers but they were rare and, far more importantly, they were actively discouraged (as opposed to recently when they have been encouraged). In 1966, my Bde Cdr, A senior BG had a standing night order "Wake me if all three Bns are in heavy contact." In late '68, the Division we were OpCon to had one also -- either the CG or one of the DCGs would be awakened if A Bn (out of 12 counting our OpCon) was in contact. yes, they were different people but the climate led to that glaring difference. Been downhill ever since

Climates can be changed.

I saw some briefing slides somewhere from COL Roper's last trip to Iraq. One bullet made me chuckle. It said; "Be prepared to delegate to the point of discomfort." Just so.

JCustis tells of the future; heed him. And don't fear it, it'll work. Has before...