To be clear, I was not aware of any external pressure, or even any internal pressure from MG Huntoon. What I sensed was more an institutional expectation and mindset, for lack of better terms. This is without a doubt a team of great Americans. Most are retired Colonels who made their way up through a very competitive military career field to command combat arms units at the Brigade level. They then have gone on to further dedicate their lives to the service of their country by picking up Ph.D.s and serving at the War College.

The fact is, though, you don't get to this point by being either a rebel or a major risk taker. The senior rater profile system attacks those traits with Darwin-like precision. You get where these guys are by being the very best at doing what the boss wants done. And that is how they see their mission. They may well be right.

While I respect Ken's insights, we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. First, the Constitution does not come into play on this issue, so save that round for another fight. I've worked at the Pentagon, I've served on MACOM and Combatatant Command staffs, and too often the guys who should be thinking the most, just do not create the time to do just that. (see back to comments about how to be successful). But the guys at the Service Schools, armed with the ever refreshed perspectives of their students, have just that. I think it is a cop out to simply be an amplifier for putting out the party line. I think the Secretary and the Service Chiefs need to put these guys to work to challenge and shape strategy. Obviously any product is just input; and needs to then be sent to the decision makers to consider as to if they will use it or not.

But what happens when the party oriented senior civil leadership lets politics override the informed professional military positions of the uniformed community? At what point does duty require one to publicly challenge the boss? This is a tough moral courage issue that sadly comes up too often in the annals of history.

But we don't need a cadre of yes-men. My first loyalty is to the aforementioned Constitution. Then the people of the United States.

Sometimes you have to be willing to stand up for what is right, and be prepared to resign if necessary. I once worked as an AGR for a State where loyalty was defined as never challenging the TAG and supporting everything he did no matter what. When he decided that his relationship with an NCO, who happened to be the wife of one of his officers was more important than his duty to the state everyone looked the other way. I sat down with the IG and said this needs to be investigated. I learned that IGs can't touch TAGs, and they can only be disciplined by the Governor. So I resigned from my job and took a position with the largest District Attorney's office in the state, and left a Guard organization that I had come to love and respect tremendously to take a position in the Reserve. (That TAG ultimately was forced to resign, but the guy who leads the charge rarely is there to share in the victory on the objective)

Bottom line, I was raised to think freely, to serve proudly, and to never place myself in front of those I serve. Life isn't about not getting knocked down, and there are plenty who will knock you down for such sentiments. It is about getting back up. I've enjoyed two great follow-on careers (as a prosecutor, and back in the SOF community) that never would have happened if I had just been a good party man and looked the other way.