Leadership can be toxic (catch all)

[Ken White]

obviously, the poster maker printed it and knowing what passes for humor in airborne infantry units, I suspect the allegedly black soldier who inserted it in the slide packet though it was off the wall funny -- or, conversely, he could've wanted to get someone in trouble by doing exactly what 'they' told him to do (that, too is an old airborne attribute... ).

If what apparently occurred is the case -- and we still do not really know for sure -- the message is "Screw up tactically and you may get a bad OER; screw up politically and you WILL be relieved." That's not a message that should be sent.

If used, the slide was wrong and the result will be more wrongs due to the Chain of Command's massive overreaction:

1. The desire to micromanage will be enhanced and slide sets will be checked by five people including at least one Field grade. Co/By/Trp will submit slides to S3 two days prior...

2. Commanders at Bn level, already significantly over managed and showing it, will become even more gun shy...

3. Already unnecessary and overlong briefings will become even more boring.

4. All Staffs will be authorized one additional SFC for slide checking and certification. Accordingly, the senior Scout Squad Leader will serve as Scout Platoon Sergeant and the SFC space formerly allocated will be used to resource the new position on the Staff for Infantry Bns as the pressing need obviously is in that branch. Bns from all other branches will have a space identified for transfer in due course...

5. The rumor that a panel similar to the West - Clark panel which 'investigated' the Nidal Hasan incident at Ft Hood will investigate the use of any 'humor' slides in professional briefings is false (we hope...).

6. Anti-Virus Software maker SlammNTech will announce availability of 'PP Chekist,' their new product that uses data mining to search slide sets for offensive words and phrases. The new software will sell initially in AAFES Exchanges worldwide.

The first three are real.

P.S

Tequila is right -- those Commenters are sordid. Embarrassing, too...

[Rex Brynen]

obviously, the poster maker printed it and knowing what passes for humor in airborne infantry units, I suspect the allegedly black soldier who inserted it in the slide packet though it was off the wall funny -- or, conversely, he could've wanted to get someone in trouble by doing exactly what 'they' told him to do (that, too is an old airborne attribute... ).

If what apparently occurred is the case -- and we still do not really know for sure -- the message is "Screw up tactically and you may get a bad OER; screw up politically and you WILL be relieved." That's not a message that should be sent.

It occurs to me (with absolutely no evidence at all), however, that the slides might simply have been the powerpoint straw that broke the camel's back--and that there could have been a range of other issues also at play in the decision to relieve them.

[Ken White]

It occurs to me (with absolutely no evidence at all), however, that the slides might simply have been the powerpoint straw that broke the camel's back--and that there could have been a range of other issues also at play in the decision to relieve them.

The military justice system is often slammed for giving excessive sentences for minor offenses. That is usually the result of a long term miscreant who has successfully evaded punishment for months or years finally being nailed for something, no matter how petty, in order to make him or her pay for those other crimes...

Same principle here as you suggest. Could be little more than Boss X being annoyed or even harassed by Subordinate Y and finally being "rid of a meddlesome priest."

Could be a few more serious issues -- but I'd bet not, else there'd likely be a Court Martial...

Early days. We'll see.

[jkm_101_fso]

I knew it was nothing tactical/combat command related. That would be the last thing anyone cared about.

The sad part is that if this was a unit that performed well, they are sans leadership because of an un-PC foul-up. Will the new CO be PC? You can bet your ass he will. Will he be tactically proficient in this conflict?

I sure hope so.

[Brett Patron]

The military justice system is often slammed for giving excessive sentences for minor offenses. <...snip...> Could be a few more serious issues -- but I'd bet not, else there'd likely be a Court Martial...

Early days. We'll see.

Unless they actually prefer charges, there is very little LTC Jenio and the CSM can really do. They have to defend a negative, i.e. prove that something that didn't really happen didn't happen (or didn't happen as it was portrayed by a hasty investigation). The only real hope Jenio has is if they bring charges under Court Martial.

I hope they get attorneys well schooled on administrative law. Criminal law experts are great, and are successful in a court-martial situation, but have limited success when their client is being attacked by an OER.

[William F. Owen]

It occurs to me (with absolutely no evidence at all), however, that the slides might simply have been the powerpoint straw that broke the camel's back--and that there could have been a range of other issues also at play in the decision to relieve them.

Likewise knowing nothing, I strongly concur. A popular CO, well liked and supported by his officers should be almost fire-proof, while the reverse is obviously true. It's a stupid slide, but it's not a sacking offence. IMO, it's a coffee-free stand up with the formation commander.

[Infanteer]

Well, between the random scuttlebut on the web and the wives club fighting amongst themselves with pitchforks on Ricks' blog, this is undoubtably something that has been stewing for a while....

[Ken White]

Axe murderers are really sad...

[JarodParker]

Unrelated to the 101st story is A-Stan...

Gates Tries to Get F-35 Program Back on Course
Story

That study found that the development of the plane could be delayed by two and a half years and cost an extra $16.6 billion if no changes were made. Mr. Gates has also said that he replaced the head of the program, Maj. Gen. David R. Heinz of the Marine Corps, to show that officials would be held accountable “when things go wrong.”

[Infanteer]

Yes - seems to be a popular topic these days....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...020203534.html

A military investigation into an ambush that left nine Americans dead recommends that the Army consider taking disciplinary action against three U.S. commanders who oversaw the 2008 mission to send troops to the remote Afghan outpost, defense officials said Tuesday.

[Steve the Planner]

Wilf:

My Brit Pol/Mil colleague from Baghdad told me that the proper term was: Meeting without Coffee.

Has that changed?

Steve