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********** VOICE OF THE GRUNT
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********** LEADERSHIP "SPECIAL"
********** 17 December 1999
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLES
ZIMM FLASH -- SPECIAL Intro
>From The Field:
Change of Mission - Time for an AAR of the Army of the 1990's 1
The Senior Officer View 2 A&B
ZIMM's Take:
The Military CEO -- The US Military's New Hero 3
===========================================================
WHY THIS "SPECIAL?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This newsletter, specifically addresses the issue of leadership, positive and
negative, as it affects the readiness of our armed forces at all levels. The
series directly highlights an apparent disconnect between our senior leaders
and those they are entrusted to lead and mentor - the junior officers in the
ranks from Lieutenant (O-1/2) and Captain (O-3), and our non-commissioned
officer corps. As a recently published article by Sean Naylor in the Army
Times exposed, the "Warrior Spirit", in the past the trademark of the
up-front combat leader, seems to have fallen victim to the "smooth operator"
style required to be successful into today's social-engineered and political
correct force. The motto: "go along to get ahead!"
The Special is not only intended as criticism but could serve as a mirror for
self-reflection and discussion material for professional development sessions
on leadership.
Although the basic leadership principles are applicable in all services, the
first Special focuses on the US Army. I would invite all readers of VOTG to
contribute to the future editions that will cover all other services. Tell us
if you want the Leadership Special more often. ZIMM
==================================================
ARTICLE 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CHANGE OF MISSION: Time for an After Action Review (AAR) on the Army of the
1990s
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Article #1 is written by a junior officer in a front line combat battalion.
He clearly expresses the junior officer frustration with the senior ranks,
who refuse to recognize that all is not well. To repair itself from within,
the Army must become more self- critical. More studies by general officer
think tanks, consultants that report the party line, or hiding the results of
leadership surveys won't bring required change. ZIMM.
************************************************************************
By LT J Gump
Lead by example. These words are more than just a phrase that has been
drummed into every officer's head from the time of his commissioning. They
are words to live by for leaders of any organization, especially a military
organization. The principle holds that when all else fails, soldiers will
look to the leadership in order to see what to do. I believe in that. It
makes sense and I have seen its truth every day in the training room, motor
pool, and battlefield. As an officer in the United States Army, I am
expected to lead by example, on duty as well as off. I expect the same from
my superior officers. Sadly, in my short time on active duty I have seen very
little leadership by example from the highest echelons of the chain of
command. I have been trying to look into the uncertain future of our Army in
order to make some choices concerning my own destiny, but it is difficult to
make a decision because I cannot decide which press release to believe. Only
one fact is clear. When the smokescreen created by self-serving press
releases clears, I see an example of leadership that I do not want to follow.
Officers are taught that a tough and honest assessment of our performance
is the key to improvement. We conduct after action reviews (AAR) of our
tactical missions where everyone from the lowest private on up is afforded
the opportunity to speak. When they do speak, we are expected to listen and
think hard about how we as leaders can do better. More importantly, we are
expected to make the organization that we are in charge of better. Nothing
is sacred and we have to own up to our own shortcomings. "No thin skins" is
rule #1 of any AAR I have ever been a part of. The problem with our Army is
that those at the top who preach the value of the brutally truthful AAR,
refuse to have the same principles applied to their performance.
The lowest private has spoken, and he continues to speak on a daily basis
about what could be done better with our Army. He has a lot to say; only
when it concerns this area, no one is listening. In recent articles in the
Army Times, Generals act shocked to hear that something is wrong. "Problem?
There's no problem with the Army; everything and everyone are just great.
Loss of the warrior spirit? No, that hasn't happened, if it had than I would
have known about it." Would they really know? The only conceivable
explanation is that people don't realize when they are part of the problem.
It is embarrassing and uncomfortable. Therefore it is easier to deny it.
That is why the Army enforces the use of the AAR, because in an AAR you can't
deny it. I think it's about time the leaders of our Army conduct an AAR on
the Army of the 1990s.
Officers and soldiers have tried to speak up. They continue to try because
they care about the Army and about each other. They are the ones who will
face death on the battlefields of the future, not the General in his Pentagon
office. The only response to their concerns thus far has been "Watch you
lane Lieutenant, don't worry about what's going on in the Army, just worry
about your platoon." Do General officers really want an organization where
the junior leadership in unconcerned about the future and direction? These
same junior officers will someday lead this Army. Are they simply supposed to
serve 20 years with their brains turned off and blinders on simply following
the party line? I suppose that the idea is that they can take the blinders
off once they pin on their first star. Hopefully the ability to develop
creative solutions and fresh insights will not have atrophied due to lack of
use over those years.
If our soldiers were our greatest credentials as some generals have claimed,
then why would their concerns be ignored and dismissed as if they didn't
matter at all? Our junior officers are the leaders who eat dirt in the
trenches with the troops. They have a great deal of knowledge and practical
experience in today's Army. They have ideas on how to make things better,
but nobody above the rank of Lieutenant Colonel wants to hear them. Think
about how many years have passed since even the most junior Brigadier General
led a platoon or commanded a company. How much has technology changed since
that time? How different is the world we live in now as opposed to then?
More importantly, could the generals even answer these questions without
being "briefed up" or referencing a 3 by 5 card?
Maybe if generals made more of an effort to make unannounced visits they
would see reality. The current practice of announcing visits only serves to
have units scrambling to paint rocks and make everything pretty for the
general. Everyone who has ever served one day in the Army knows this. The
generals don't see the shortcomings that exist. Their feeling of assuredness
is reinforced when they see what they want to see.
I am sorry to inform the Generals that there are problems. Even so,
there are still soldiers trying to do their jobs while they enjoy the perks
of their rank flying in private jets and lounging in luxury accommodations
during "field exercises." Lieutenants are indeed watching their lane and
doing a great job with what limited resources they have, but they are also
watching their flank and rear as well. The uninformed decisions being made
above their heads have consequences for them and their future. If today's
leadership want to ensure that there are enough good leaders left to lead our
Army in the future, they need to start to listen or the exodus of good
warriors leaving our ranks will increase. If they ever do decide to really
address the problems of today's Army by listening to those of us in the
trenches, they need to remember their own rule: No Thin Skins!
====================================================
ARTICLES 2A and B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE SENIOR OFFICER VIEW -- Some recognize the problems, others hide from it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2A: Written by a senior combat arms officer. Recognizes some issues and
recommends fixes.
***********************************************************************
We can hope for several things to occur to fix the problem: (1) the economy
goes into the toilet-cutting the supply of attractive high paying jobs; (2)
a major military threat appears to the security of our country-increasing the
need and reason for them to stay in the service; or (3) maybe we can create a
work environment that is positive, caring and rewarding. Of course this would
impossible. Impossible because it would require our senior leadership to
listen to their subordinates' concerns, ensure them predictable periods of
time to spend with families, and establish a reasonable workday and week. So
I am hoping and for the economy to go in the toilet or that a really serious
threat to our national security rises up real soon.
===========================================================
2B: Message by a senior commander and former personnel officer in response
to a critical message on the state of the Army. Positive signal overall but
maybe some denial as to what's reality??? Article #1 could have come from
his unit.
************************************************************************
Would normally just delete this kind of message from my machine at the end
of a particularly demanding, but great, day with our soldiers. I am thinking
what it implies and what it outright states, felt it necessary to come on
line and say I disagree. We've got lots of soldiers and leaders in our Army
who are doing the best they can to make a lot of things happen. Leaders who
are working hard, yet are also listening to and caring for their subordinates
and their families. Leaders who are doing the best they can to make things
happen while still attempting to ensure predictability and a "reasonable
workweek" at every turn for those under their charge. And most of all,
leaders who are proud to serve-with and alongside-other leaders and soldiers
who are making the most of tough situations...resource constraints, new
missions, evolving organizations, different threats.
I really didn't have to say any of that, 'cause all of you know it. Guess
some just need to be reminded of it every once in a while. So while there was
probably exhaustive research to come up with the conclusions, I would offer
for consideration that there aren't that many more combat arms officers
leaving the force than there ever has been (per capita), that many more are
trying to join our ranks than ever before (percentage-wise), and as I look
around, there are bunch of young officers that aren't leaving in droves.
Let's address the deviations as we find them versus making general-and
negative-comments. Let's also all remember that we're in this profession
together as leaders.
Now that I've vented, I'll go back to doing something important for the good
of the organization to which I belong.
============================================
ARTICLE 3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Uniformed CEO:
The US Military's New Hero in the Age of Scripted Media Conflicts
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Army Times published this piece in the 20 Dec 99 issue in the backtalk
column. In it, I tried to point out that it is the disconnect between senior
leaders and the rank and file that perpetuates our readiness crisis. We have
created the equivalent of the military CEO who serves him/herself and because
of position and pressure to portray success, will not admit to any problems.
************************************************************************
By R.W. Zimmermann
With the "scripted" Gulf War Victory, the military CEO and professional
briefer became our new national hero. The public never questioned why the
media rarely mentioned the accomplishments of the average foot soldier. The
military and political spin made us believe that Desert Storm was won with a
"zero-defects" plan, conceived by brilliant Generals, who skillfully employed
super-smart weapons.
Could we have lost the conflict against Saddam with his 22 million Nation,
third world economy, and third-rate army, deployed in open terrain that
favored US stand off warfare? Not even mediocre generalship could have
jeopardized victory for the superior US led alliance. Nonetheless, our media
became so completely enamored with the official story of victory through
Patton-like brilliant leadership that they began to hire Desert Storm
generals in droves as special advisors at the end of the conflict. Even the
industry capitalized on the "scripted" victory and opened its doors to many
generals with their dated leadership and training practices. "Military spin"
became part of our industry and the media. With the "scripted" victory in the
Gulf, America believed that Vietnam had been exorcised and ultimately lost
its wonderful ability to critically reflect and reform from the inside.
Military and civilian leaders exploited the victory to elevate their
popularity and profits. Our arms providers claimed excessive success
statistics to sell the military more high-tech gadgets. While the press and
our politicians focused on celebrating a more high tech military, basic
leadership, the quality of recruits, maintenance, and training readiness
steadily deteriorated.
Why didn't our senior military leaders speak out when the rapid decline in
readiness became apparent at the beginning of the decade as they are
attempting today? Most had profited from the "victory spin" and now eagerly
cooperated with our political and social engineers. Our military leadership
began to pattern themselves after our opportunistic politicians and almighty
business CEO's. As a result, we are now cloning a group of superficially
positive leaders who brief and do what's required to get ahead. These new
experts live for special privileges just like their industrial and political
counterparts. They push change from the top without concern for their
subordinates who have to implement the plans. Mirroring the business world,
profit and advancement are more important than good morale and readiness.
Most profit goes to the top in medals and promotions. Our troops have become
human resources and planning factors, like the brainless Star Wars Battle
Droids. Numbers mean everything while quality is secondary. Against this
trend, history has shown us many times that numbers only cannot guarantee
victory.
The new military CEO-breed is dangerous but successful. They are expert
managers of their own careers. They invent shallow programs and sell their
products with high tech briefings. They play along with politicians who
prefer vote-getting social experiments to readiness but lack vision for the
Army or their respective services. In the Army's case the multitude of
superficial programs have locked the organization into a homemade straight
jacket - sexual harassment classes, equal opportunity drills, family support
group statistics, combined federal campaign collections, Association of the
United States Army (AUSA) membership drives, etc. are more important than
training for the rigors of modern combat. Just ask the troops!
If we continue to further multiply the number of CEO's running our armed
forces, we are asking for trouble in the future. Our next enemy might fight
us in more unfavorable terrain for our industrial warfare methods and could
lock us into a prolonged, high-casualty conflict. To win, we will have to
demonstrate old-fashioned, up-front leadership, battlefield intuitiveness,
and moral courage.
It is time to counteract the proliferation of the uniformed CEO by changing
our military schools. They must be redesigned to produce leaders who begin
their careers by learning to lead real soldiers and not only their peers, as
it is the practice at our academies and colleges. Our staff colleges must
change and teach innovative, "out of the box" thinking, and not focus on
process, making the grade by regurgitation, and fostering of professional
relationships to further one's career. We must exorcise the zero-defects
attitude that makes many bright officers shirk multiple command opportunities
out of fear of risking their careers. Our Colonels and Generals must develop
the guts to trigger positive change whenever presented the opportunity and
not perpetuate an attitude of waiting for the next promotion so "I can work
for change from the inside". Let's replace our CEO's with leaders of the
caliber of Jim Gavin, Mathew Ridgeway, and Creighton Abrams. The next victory
might not be as certain as the one we celebrated in the Gulf.
=====================================================
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
EDITOR'S NOTE:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First, see references above. Second, brevity where possible.
************************************************
As a rule of thumb, please try to keep article for possible publication to
700 words or less. We do make exceptions and will not turn away an 800 to 900
word piece. Please make every editing effort not to exceed these guidelines.
If you believe you have a story that is longer than 700 words we will
consider running it in parts. Keep the piece focused on the story you want to
express, not impress upon the reader.
Thanks to everyone for keeping the communication lines open and the ideas
flowing.
R.W. Zimmermann
[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
=============================================
HACK'S DEFENDING AMERICA COLUMN:
Many readers have asked for guidance/help/ideas for getting Hack's column in
their local newspapers. See <http://www.hackworth.com> --- NEWSPAPERS for a
few suggestions.
Much appreciate your effort. What we're into is getting the word to as many
citizens as possible about what is causing our military machine to sputter
like an M-4 Sherman tank.
Thanks,
R.W. Zimmermann
=============================================
ARCHIVED DEFENDING AMERICA COLUMNS:
You can now find copies of Hack's previous columns at:
http://www.hackworth.com
These are found in the Defending America Section, under Archived Copies.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GLOSSARY OF MILITARY ACRONYMS:
We've had numerous requests from troops in different branches of the military
to establish this link so that we will all know how "all you others" talk
that talk. Please see below:
http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/acronym_index.html
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*****CHRISTMAS BOOK SPECIAL:*****
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Hack's books About Face*, Hazardous Duty*, The Price of Honor* and The
Vietnam Primer would make a great addition to any library. We are offering
this special SFTT price.
All four books, to include postage and handling for only $75.00. If you were
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