06-27-2010, 05:03 AM
Hi,
You know, those stars would hurt like hell if they had them on their shoulders when they were born. Most general rank officers got their military start at one of the academies. They do indeed get their training in all you mention, and more. When they graduate, they start at the lowest rank in their service. In the Air Force, most become pilots, particularly fighter pilots. In the Army, most go to one of the combat branches. I never could understand what the Navy did other than give Marines a ride
They are going to go through six ranks before they get a star. At each level, being a good soldier means doing the tasks appropriate to that level with a high degree of efficiency. And at each level, it's up or out. If an officer hits his Peter Principle level, he's got a (very) few chances to straighten up. If he gets passed over for promotion more than some set number of times, he becomes a civilian.
By the time a person gets a star, they have had to prove their competence a great many times in a great many things. And that is what being a good soldier means. Now, I can't speak for sailors
If the managing director did know how to put together an engine, we might have better cars. It is one of the modern fictions that there is such a thing as a 'manager' in the abstract.
--Pete
(06-27-2010, 04:34 AM)Alliera Wrote: See, I'm not sure they do need to be "good soldiers", at least not modern generals. What's a good soldier? A person who's trained to kill, and who knows when to employ said skills and when not to, amongst other things. What need does a general have for that? Better that they are trained in leadership, in tactics and strategy, than in a skill rank-and-file grunts are expected to have. That's just a waste of time and effort.
You know, those stars would hurt like hell if they had them on their shoulders when they were born. Most general rank officers got their military start at one of the academies. They do indeed get their training in all you mention, and more. When they graduate, they start at the lowest rank in their service. In the Air Force, most become pilots, particularly fighter pilots. In the Army, most go to one of the combat branches. I never could understand what the Navy did other than give Marines a ride
They are going to go through six ranks before they get a star. At each level, being a good soldier means doing the tasks appropriate to that level with a high degree of efficiency. And at each level, it's up or out. If an officer hits his Peter Principle level, he's got a (very) few chances to straighten up. If he gets passed over for promotion more than some set number of times, he becomes a civilian.
By the time a person gets a star, they have had to prove their competence a great many times in a great many things. And that is what being a good soldier means. Now, I can't speak for sailors
Quote:The managing director of a car company doesn't need to know how to put together an engine; he has employees for that.
If the managing director did know how to put together an engine, we might have better cars. It is one of the modern fictions that there is such a thing as a 'manager' in the abstract.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?