Army smart ...

I wish we had a Navy leader that could bring us to this spot --- but sadly, I don't see one. Fred Kaplan in Slate outlines the sea change in the Army.

...just last year, nine of the 38 new one-stars had been executive officers to a commanding general—and, in most cases, not a combat commander—at the time they were promoted. This year, only four of the 40 were serving in that role, and all of them under commanders who had something to do with combat.

Read the whole thing --- the story is much greater than just that.

Back to the Navy, I don't think anyone with 3 or more stars on their shoulders are willing to hoist onboard any of what the SECDEF is selling -- even if he is right.

These men and women need to be retained, and the best and brightest advanced to the point that they can use their experience to shape the institution to which they have given so much. And this may mean reexamining assignments and promotion policies that in many cases are unchanged since the Cold War.

Amen. Instead, we focus on racist and divisive personnel priorities and community tribalism soaked in a rigid, retrograde Millington diktat that punishes unique talent and promotes obsequiously in its own image.

Almost seven years into this war, the deal breaker in boards is not operational excellence - but even at the CDR and below level - are shore duty - Sea Daddy - and box checking. Don't get me wrong, there are great officers being selected; but we still see the good box-checker get selected over those better who have a "unique career path" (only compared to the Cold War/Peacetime) and have their #1 of XX combat tours ignored because they did not get a box checked; not checked because they were, well, at war.

Go Army!

Hat tip Chap.