Do Military Leaders Deserve Our Trust? By Daniel L. Davis, The National Interest
… Senior U.S. military leaders, held by many Americans to be above moral reproach, are rapidly becoming indistinguishable from their political counterparts. This deteriorating trend concentrates increasing power in the hands of progressively fewer leaders and weakens the fabric of our country.
Four years ago, after returning from my fourth combat deployment as an Army officer, I published a report in a professional defense journal detailing how America’s most senior civilian and uniformed leaders had been deceiving the American public about the progress of the war in Afghanistan. In response, then-Lt.Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti held a press conference at the Pentagon and said of the article “It’s one person’s view of this. From my personal point of view . . . I’m confident that . . . our outlook is accurate.”…”
Comments
No and what makes rectifying this difficult if not impossible is how one gets to be a general. There is one military so lateral entry is impossible. BGs are always picked from Cols so the pool is very small. There is no way for the genius captain or maverick major to jump the cue. No brilliant German is being offered command of a division. No superb marine major is being given command of an army brigade. The way to be a BG and each higher rung is join when you're 18 and to wait your time while supporting the status quo. Supporting the status quo requires keeping to approved talking points designed to sell larger defence budgets, service pet projects and to support the administration's policy. It also helps if you physically look the part.
The public's default position should be distrust of generals. They haven't won a medium sized war since 1950 yet have the world's most expensive and well equipped force. No matter their appearance, how many medal ribbons they have or graduate degrees they possess generals should be judged on performance and honesty.