On March 2, 2020, the White House announced that President Donald Trump would nominate Brown to become the next Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, succeeding General David L. Goldfein.
Maybe Trump is in a delusional loop living The Apprentice, firing those he hired as Best for the Job?
When I first worked at a state university, I encountered the dual culture of promotion by the Peter Principle (as the Pentagon is on steroids) and complacency in accountability (which is pretty much the entire federal government). I was told too many times how it was impossible to fire state employees, and so as to “not make the situation worse,” annual performance reviews were an exercise in giving positive strokes to even the worst employees. Well, I studied the state laws and took on the establishment.
Being a disciple of a kind of Peter Drucker, I always believed as he put it, “Organizations exist to make people's strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant.”
Trump could learn something from that wise counsel. He, and too many operate in an opposite universe where the worst traits define them. Any gift they may have (or had) are lost in oblivion. (Think Bliken.)
Over the years, I did fire a few who just wouldn’t make any effort, but most, after a writeup or two leaving their situation unambiguous, got to doing their job or were moved into a job they were competent to do. I’m pretty sure on competency and accountability alone (rather than political payback), our bloated 4-stars would be whittled to nothing pretty quickly.
My favorite Druckerism is his explanation of the difference between Efficiency and Effectiveness:
"Efficiency is doing things right, while Effectiveness is doing the right thing."
In America, we have an inefficient Government doing virtually everything it does ineffectively, and an ineffective Government doing virtually everything it does inefficiently.
Firing for being 'woke' is ridiculous; but being 'relieved for cause' (i.e., dereliction of duty) would probably be warranted for many in the flag ranks. The military, as widely reported, is, and has been for many years, in poor condition in doctrine, materiel, operational readiness, and personnel. If one wanted to fire them. - fire them for that, or for making decisions with an eye to their post-military careers on corporate boards.
If Trump and his new defense team think that clearing out a group of political flag officers is the only thing keeping Team America from victory - then learning the truth is going to cost a lot of dead young Americans and citizens of other countries.
"Ethnic cleansing" at the Pentagon, methinks. And I hear echoes from many years ago of a certain leader who demanded purity of race among his generals or be damned.
Another giant stride down the path of hubris. But sure the U.S. can continue its endless military atrocities for profit while chest thumping about China (allied with Russia as of Feb 2022, and probably Iran anytime soon). Cronyism replacing DEI while posing as meritocracy is not going to make them more competitive. e.g. Elongated Muskrat who has extensive govt military contracts will now oversee government "efficiency."
I would like it if Trump fired all the generals and admirals, and closed up shop at the Pentagon. So I can't complain even if the reasons for firing are bogus. In my estimation, whenever Trump does the right thing, he does it for the wrong reasons. What do generals do for the US other than suck up huge salaries while pushing the US to war?
I would support Trump whole-heartedly IF I was certain his soul objective was to bring about this Reality on Earth from the Old Testament.
NO MAN can do that by the snap of the fingers. It is not in God's plan to do that either. God leaves it up to each and every Individual to chose who rules over them of their own Free Will, God or Men?
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
-and-
"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts."
With his Cabinet appointees he made so far it's for WAR as far as I see!
As you know, the Bible has something for everyone. For those who prefer smiting, there is plenty of it in parts of the old testament, for those who like peace, there is the turn-the-other-cheek new testament. I never opt for the smiting, I am always with the plow shares and pruning hooks.
"Trump has chosen his Cabinet nominees and other appointees by looking for the most reliable yes-men and toadies he can find and putting them in positions for which they have few or no qualifications"... I can't find a better comment that Daniel Larison latest substack article incipit... I believe this is a gamble that will blow up in Trump face, because it will not get anything done as anyone in any hierarchical organization can easily foresee. Halt and chaos will be the effect.
Major Gen. George A. Custer aka "Long Hair!" "Grant called me Impetuous. I told him that would happen, but he sat there and he just laughed at me the damn Drunkard!! We can't have a man like you in the White House!!! LBM :/ :o)
Everything being so interconnected and interdependent these Days,
'Is There Any Red Line That Israel Will Be Held To?' Biden Has Just Confirmed the Answer Is No.
Following butchering and starvation, Israel has ignored US demands over aid for Gaza. There have been no consequences.
This is a story about an apparently invincible fortress: the west’s official narrative about Israel’s war on Gaza. No matter how depraved the atrocity, or overwhelming the evidence, or confessed-to the crime, the fortress will not crumble. In fact, even when Israel flagrantly insults its main sponsor, the US, as it did this week, nothing changes.
The case in point here starts with a letter that the US sent to Israel last month, which set out in detail how life-saving aid was being systematically blocked from entering Gaza and threatened undefined action if specific demands to reverse the siege were not taken within 30 days. As the Democratic senator Chris Van Hollen suggested, the letter was a political ruse to woo voters in the run-up to the election (given most Democratic voters correctly believe that Israel is committing genocide).
And what happened? Despite a coalition of aid agencies concluding Israel “failed to meet any of the specific criteria set out in the US letter”, and indeed “took actions that dramatically worsened the situation on the ground”, offering a score card that detailed Israel’s overwhelming non-compliance with supposed US demands, the deadline passed on 12 November and the US did nothing. “US says no policy consequences for Israel despite lack of Gaza aid”, as a headline in the Washington Post succinctly put it....................................................................................................................
From what my family members who are active duty military now tell us, the military desperately needs such a purge just to get the DEI/woke rot out of it. The military has always had politics, and connected people have always received undeserved promotions, but now it's gotten so bad with the woke shit they can't even recruit enough new people to keep going.
When military families tell their children NOT to join the service, that's a very bad sign. Something really does need to be done.
Interesting point. Maybe it's worse than I think. I left active service in 2005 so I can't say for sure.
In theory, there's nothing wrong with promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Think of those WWII movies that featured a WASP commander, an Italian from Brooklyn, an Irish guy from Southie, a couple of Southern boys, some guy named "Tex," maybe a guy from California nicknamed "Hollywood," etc. And they all learned to get along and fight as a team.
But what matters in military settings is competence. Cohesion. Teamwork. Effectiveness. DEI could be a means to that end, but it shouldn't become an end in and of itself.
On March 2, 2020, the White House announced that President Donald Trump would nominate Brown to become the next Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, succeeding General David L. Goldfein.
Maybe Trump is in a delusional loop living The Apprentice, firing those he hired as Best for the Job?
EXCELLENT point, Ray.
When I first worked at a state university, I encountered the dual culture of promotion by the Peter Principle (as the Pentagon is on steroids) and complacency in accountability (which is pretty much the entire federal government). I was told too many times how it was impossible to fire state employees, and so as to “not make the situation worse,” annual performance reviews were an exercise in giving positive strokes to even the worst employees. Well, I studied the state laws and took on the establishment.
Being a disciple of a kind of Peter Drucker, I always believed as he put it, “Organizations exist to make people's strengths effective and their weaknesses irrelevant.”
Trump could learn something from that wise counsel. He, and too many operate in an opposite universe where the worst traits define them. Any gift they may have (or had) are lost in oblivion. (Think Bliken.)
Over the years, I did fire a few who just wouldn’t make any effort, but most, after a writeup or two leaving their situation unambiguous, got to doing their job or were moved into a job they were competent to do. I’m pretty sure on competency and accountability alone (rather than political payback), our bloated 4-stars would be whittled to nothing pretty quickly.
My favorite Druckerism is his explanation of the difference between Efficiency and Effectiveness:
"Efficiency is doing things right, while Effectiveness is doing the right thing."
In America, we have an inefficient Government doing virtually everything it does ineffectively, and an ineffective Government doing virtually everything it does inefficiently.
What could possibly go wrong?
Perfect! :-)
Firing for being 'woke' is ridiculous; but being 'relieved for cause' (i.e., dereliction of duty) would probably be warranted for many in the flag ranks. The military, as widely reported, is, and has been for many years, in poor condition in doctrine, materiel, operational readiness, and personnel. If one wanted to fire them. - fire them for that, or for making decisions with an eye to their post-military careers on corporate boards.
If Trump and his new defense team think that clearing out a group of political flag officers is the only thing keeping Team America from victory - then learning the truth is going to cost a lot of dead young Americans and citizens of other countries.
"Ethnic cleansing" at the Pentagon, methinks. And I hear echoes from many years ago of a certain leader who demanded purity of race among his generals or be damned.
Pettiness abounds.
The function of the American Military is not to “WIN” Wars, whatever “winning” actually, really means or ever meant.
The function of the American Military is to HAVE Wars, and while losing them, to prepare for the Next one.
And the function of American Foreign Policy is to ensure that that Military has more Wars to have, lose, and prepare for.
As Julian Assange noted back in 2011 regarding Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, etc: “The goal is endless war, not a successful war.”
Another giant stride down the path of hubris. But sure the U.S. can continue its endless military atrocities for profit while chest thumping about China (allied with Russia as of Feb 2022, and probably Iran anytime soon). Cronyism replacing DEI while posing as meritocracy is not going to make them more competitive. e.g. Elongated Muskrat who has extensive govt military contracts will now oversee government "efficiency."
I would like it if Trump fired all the generals and admirals, and closed up shop at the Pentagon. So I can't complain even if the reasons for firing are bogus. In my estimation, whenever Trump does the right thing, he does it for the wrong reasons. What do generals do for the US other than suck up huge salaries while pushing the US to war?
I would support Trump whole-heartedly IF I was certain his soul objective was to bring about this Reality on Earth from the Old Testament.
NO MAN can do that by the snap of the fingers. It is not in God's plan to do that either. God leaves it up to each and every Individual to chose who rules over them of their own Free Will, God or Men?
And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plow shares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
-and-
"This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying: 'Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts."
With his Cabinet appointees he made so far it's for WAR as far as I see!
As you know, the Bible has something for everyone. For those who prefer smiting, there is plenty of it in parts of the old testament, for those who like peace, there is the turn-the-other-cheek new testament. I never opt for the smiting, I am always with the plow shares and pruning hooks.
"Trump has chosen his Cabinet nominees and other appointees by looking for the most reliable yes-men and toadies he can find and putting them in positions for which they have few or no qualifications"... I can't find a better comment that Daniel Larison latest substack article incipit... I believe this is a gamble that will blow up in Trump face, because it will not get anything done as anyone in any hierarchical organization can easily foresee. Halt and chaos will be the effect.
Major Gen. George A. Custer aka "Long Hair!" "Grant called me Impetuous. I told him that would happen, but he sat there and he just laughed at me the damn Drunkard!! We can't have a man like you in the White House!!! LBM :/ :o)
Everything being so interconnected and interdependent these Days,
'Is There Any Red Line That Israel Will Be Held To?' Biden Has Just Confirmed the Answer Is No.
Following butchering and starvation, Israel has ignored US demands over aid for Gaza. There have been no consequences.
This is a story about an apparently invincible fortress: the west’s official narrative about Israel’s war on Gaza. No matter how depraved the atrocity, or overwhelming the evidence, or confessed-to the crime, the fortress will not crumble. In fact, even when Israel flagrantly insults its main sponsor, the US, as it did this week, nothing changes.
The case in point here starts with a letter that the US sent to Israel last month, which set out in detail how life-saving aid was being systematically blocked from entering Gaza and threatened undefined action if specific demands to reverse the siege were not taken within 30 days. As the Democratic senator Chris Van Hollen suggested, the letter was a political ruse to woo voters in the run-up to the election (given most Democratic voters correctly believe that Israel is committing genocide).
And what happened? Despite a coalition of aid agencies concluding Israel “failed to meet any of the specific criteria set out in the US letter”, and indeed “took actions that dramatically worsened the situation on the ground”, offering a score card that detailed Israel’s overwhelming non-compliance with supposed US demands, the deadline passed on 12 November and the US did nothing. “US says no policy consequences for Israel despite lack of Gaza aid”, as a headline in the Washington Post succinctly put it....................................................................................................................
https://portside.org/2024-11-13/there-any-red-line-israel-will-be-held-biden-has-just-confirmed-answer-no
What happens when a group of “woke” generals wake up to the danger they are in? Meanwhile, didn’t Trump have a sentencing hearing to attend?
TRUE
From what my family members who are active duty military now tell us, the military desperately needs such a purge just to get the DEI/woke rot out of it. The military has always had politics, and connected people have always received undeserved promotions, but now it's gotten so bad with the woke shit they can't even recruit enough new people to keep going.
When military families tell their children NOT to join the service, that's a very bad sign. Something really does need to be done.
Interesting point. Maybe it's worse than I think. I left active service in 2005 so I can't say for sure.
In theory, there's nothing wrong with promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Think of those WWII movies that featured a WASP commander, an Italian from Brooklyn, an Irish guy from Southie, a couple of Southern boys, some guy named "Tex," maybe a guy from California nicknamed "Hollywood," etc. And they all learned to get along and fight as a team.
But what matters in military settings is competence. Cohesion. Teamwork. Effectiveness. DEI could be a means to that end, but it shouldn't become an end in and of itself.
Any black person = DEI hire.
Hopelessly untalented and corrupt white person = persecuted loyal ally.
Is Mr. H. smart enough to realize he WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED FOR SEC. OF DOD IF HE WERE BLACK?