Tony, I’m a youngish Air Guard officer who usually enjoys your writings. I’m curious, were you so concerned when enlisted airmen were being kicked out of the military for vax refusal as you are about high ranking officers having to retire earlier than expected?
Hasten to add, if you have a passing familiarity with my past scribbles, you'll know how little sleep I lose worrying about the feelings of senior officers in general.
But what's right is right. And this isn't an assault on them. It's corrosion of a lot more.
Thanks for your replies Tony, we live in interesting times. I was enlisted during the Obama drawdowns and remember enlisted troops worrying about the Reduction in Force but senior officers appeared to be unbothered by the threat of an early and involuntary separation. Perhaps I wasn’t in the right rooms… nowadays it’s the senior enlisted and senior field grades brushing up their resumes.
As for the firing of officers, I’ve only met a few in person who have been fired. It’s somewhat unfortunate the rank and file only get the “loss in confidence” line. Over time I’ve learned that often used to spare certain dependents some shame from their sponsors actions. Not always the case of course, but very common.
I've spilled a book's worth of words about the whole "loss of confidence" BS over the years. The service needs to give a reason, even if only a topline reason. Otherwise, there's absolutely nothing to prevent them firing people for the wrong reasons. Which is what we've seen dozens of times.
As a matter of fact, yes. I recognized the right of the services to impose the vaccine on military members, which is well established. But I also argued that if commanders expected servicemembers to submit to vaccinations, they should first share the science with them and answer their questions. I also argued that no one should be discharged or disciplined over the vaccine controversy given the magnitude of doubt in the general public and the frail link between the vaccine and military necessity.
I wasn't writing much in those days as a full-time GM for Amazon. But I wrote my legislators regularly.
Your perspective is interesting, and I agree there are too many rollover general officers, but my perception has been largely of a convenient one-sidedness. There seems to be a pseudo-courageous resistance to one administration (it's popular in many circles to be so), while not saying a peep during the other that has exposed real nature of their spinelessness. I would also point out that the retired officer community seems to egg the situation on. A few examples:
-War Colleges, circa 2018: Speakers invited, and several student groups emerge, advocating for the invocation of the 25th amendment to expel the duly elected president of the US.
-CJCS speaking freely about his undermining of the president on several occasions (NDU, in print).
-GO's speaking with glee and with disregard for contemporary data on COVID rates in the DOD, as they rubber-stamp denials of vaccine exemptions. This was a widespread phenomenon at commands and bases all over. There was no mistaking their spinelessness and lack of judgment.
-Base CO undermining the VP after he's left the base.
-President using uniformed Marines to flank his campaign speech as he threatens and harangues the American people. Not a peep from the GOs on this use of the military.
These are just a few off the top of my head for this 5 minute post. Suffice to say, if I were a CEO who knew that large elements of leadership in my organization were working in league with media and others to undermine my ability to lead and make change, I would do everything in my power to change the people, and fast.
TC, was thinking about this article when I saw Col Meyers get relieved of her command in Greenland. I’m certain she knew what was coming, but chose to stand up anyway. I’ve been lucky to see a few do that in my time as there were some Wing CCs I saw at McChord buck the system against a deeply unpopular direction (Joint basing being one of them) and were quietly taken off the upward mobility track. Refreshing when you see senior leaders let the courage of their convictions take center stage.
Tony, I’m a youngish Air Guard officer who usually enjoys your writings. I’m curious, were you so concerned when enlisted airmen were being kicked out of the military for vax refusal as you are about high ranking officers having to retire earlier than expected?
Hasten to add, if you have a passing familiarity with my past scribbles, you'll know how little sleep I lose worrying about the feelings of senior officers in general.
But what's right is right. And this isn't an assault on them. It's corrosion of a lot more.
Thanks for your replies Tony, we live in interesting times. I was enlisted during the Obama drawdowns and remember enlisted troops worrying about the Reduction in Force but senior officers appeared to be unbothered by the threat of an early and involuntary separation. Perhaps I wasn’t in the right rooms… nowadays it’s the senior enlisted and senior field grades brushing up their resumes.
As for the firing of officers, I’ve only met a few in person who have been fired. It’s somewhat unfortunate the rank and file only get the “loss in confidence” line. Over time I’ve learned that often used to spare certain dependents some shame from their sponsors actions. Not always the case of course, but very common.
I've spilled a book's worth of words about the whole "loss of confidence" BS over the years. The service needs to give a reason, even if only a topline reason. Otherwise, there's absolutely nothing to prevent them firing people for the wrong reasons. Which is what we've seen dozens of times.
As a matter of fact, yes. I recognized the right of the services to impose the vaccine on military members, which is well established. But I also argued that if commanders expected servicemembers to submit to vaccinations, they should first share the science with them and answer their questions. I also argued that no one should be discharged or disciplined over the vaccine controversy given the magnitude of doubt in the general public and the frail link between the vaccine and military necessity.
I wasn't writing much in those days as a full-time GM for Amazon. But I wrote my legislators regularly.
Your perspective is interesting, and I agree there are too many rollover general officers, but my perception has been largely of a convenient one-sidedness. There seems to be a pseudo-courageous resistance to one administration (it's popular in many circles to be so), while not saying a peep during the other that has exposed real nature of their spinelessness. I would also point out that the retired officer community seems to egg the situation on. A few examples:
-War Colleges, circa 2018: Speakers invited, and several student groups emerge, advocating for the invocation of the 25th amendment to expel the duly elected president of the US.
-CJCS speaking freely about his undermining of the president on several occasions (NDU, in print).
-GO's speaking with glee and with disregard for contemporary data on COVID rates in the DOD, as they rubber-stamp denials of vaccine exemptions. This was a widespread phenomenon at commands and bases all over. There was no mistaking their spinelessness and lack of judgment.
-Base CO undermining the VP after he's left the base.
-President using uniformed Marines to flank his campaign speech as he threatens and harangues the American people. Not a peep from the GOs on this use of the military.
These are just a few off the top of my head for this 5 minute post. Suffice to say, if I were a CEO who knew that large elements of leadership in my organization were working in league with media and others to undermine my ability to lead and make change, I would do everything in my power to change the people, and fast.
TC, was thinking about this article when I saw Col Meyers get relieved of her command in Greenland. I’m certain she knew what was coming, but chose to stand up anyway. I’ve been lucky to see a few do that in my time as there were some Wing CCs I saw at McChord buck the system against a deeply unpopular direction (Joint basing being one of them) and were quietly taken off the upward mobility track. Refreshing when you see senior leaders let the courage of their convictions take center stage.