Small Wars Journal

Why the Army Should Fire Generals and Promote Captains

Fri, 02/21/2014 - 6:23pm

Why the Army Should Fire Generals and Promote Captains by Adrian Bonenberger, Washington Post

… As Army leadership ponders who and what to cut from its budget, the first groups in the crosshairs are the junior and mid-level officers. This is a logical step: To wage counterinsurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army expanded its fighting force, and now it’s time to draw down. What isn’t logical is that other ranks will largely get a free pass.

The Army, and the military overall, would be better served by retiring some of the generals, colonels and senior lieutenant colonels, and promoting the best captains, majors and junior lieutenant colonels into those roles…

Read on.

Comments

Hammer999

Tue, 02/25/2014 - 12:46am

The same (cutting the top) needs to happen to the enlisted ranks as well.

Biggs Darklighter

Sat, 02/22/2014 - 10:02pm

The SECDEF will HAVE to personally review the 25% cuts for all military headquarters to ensure flag officer equities are decremented accordingly. The proof is already out there that the General/Admiral officer corps will not keep themselves honest in regards to the troops cuts. It's a demoralizing trend and troops are already pissed off about it. Let's hope Hagel takes action.

Here's a fun fact. Up until March of 1945 the U.S. Army (to include the U.S. Army Air Forces and not including the Continental Army) commissioned 13 four star generals. Since 2001, the Army has commissioned 37 four star generals.

Mr. Bonenberger seems to believe that "digital literacy" is something that high ranking officers must have. Speaking as a dopey civilian I think there are other things that are rather more important, especially for combat officers. If Forrest, Chamberlain and MacKenzie were to magically appear ready for duty, I figure some kid could be found to handle their "digital literacy" while they attended to more important things.