Crap!

On the Today Show, one of the news anchors asked if General McChrystal could be replaced? Where do they get these guys. I'll bet there are at least 10 Generals including a Marine General or Two that could replace him today. Then the question was asked - What about the morale of the soldiers. It already sucks, they are in Afghanistan fighting a war. Duh. If replacing a General makes a difference to the soldiers, they aren't doing what they were sent there to do. Even as a young officer in Vietnam, the overall command didn't change my part of the war one bit. The real focus needs to be on can we win no matter who is in charge and how soon can we do it? When will everyone wake up to the fact that there has been a war in Afghanistan for a couple of hundred years and even the Soviets when they had a pretty damned good army couldn't fix what was broken there. Perhaps it is time for us to declare victory and come home.



Next, I want to discuss what I think makes a good military leader. From Corporal through Captain, it is the honest hard work of the individual that influences soldiers directly. It is the ability of one person to share and care for the soldier. It is looking out for the dis-satisfiers and using motivators that is important. Soldiers don't expect steak lunches every day. They expect t be fed, watered and trained. Once they are trained, they expect to be used like they were trained. Somewhere there is a bunch of staff guys that take care of the pay and the family back home. It is the leader that is in the troops direct vision and they need to be sure the soldier is taken care of. Good leaders punish in private and promote in public. They do not shout at team members that make mistakes, they try to make sure the soldier knows what to do, what not to do and when to do it.



From the level of Major to Colonel, a leader has to go out of his area to see the soldiers. They impact at that level is to be a good cheer leader when you visit the troops. Talk to the leaders to see what needs to be done to help them do their job and talk with the soldiers as a team. Have the crew chief or squad leader to gather his team together and talk about the vision of success. If you show up looking like you just stepped out of a shower, the soldiers won't care what you say. I am not advocating you get dirty on purpose but a little dust on your uniform makes you one of them.



From the level of BG on up, your job is political. Do what needs done at that level and leave the soldiers alone. Yes, be there to pin on medals and promotions but getting ready for a visit from some General no one knows is a lot of work that generally detracts from the real jobs. In today's world, there is no such thing as a private conversation. You will have a lot of time when you retire to say bad things about the leaders at higher levels. Make sure that everyone below, and directly below you, knows what their job is and how to do it. Train, retrain and then evaluate. If in doubt, go for your commercial. We are here to..... And stick with that story.



Should the President replace the General. In a heartbeat, a New York minute or why hasn't he done so already. Generals know that they need to keep their mouths shut when they have a problem with higher levels. Send in a team leader that is familiar with what is expected and do it now.



The last thing the President needs right now is another ankle biter to lift and shift his focus on the important things. On the list of must do's it is Jobs, the leak in the gulf and a clear policy that need focus. Perhaps changing a general that got out of line might create some goal alignment in his organization.



MUD