View Full Version : Dempsey: Military Ready to Trim Top Brass, Perks
BMT (RIP)
06-03-2013, 07:03
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/06/03/dempsey-military-ready-to-trim-top-brass-perks.html?ESRC=eb.nl
Hope no one try's holding their breath till this happens!!
BMT
From the article:
“We got in the habit of surrounding general officers with a level of support that was probably excessive in some ways,” he said.
The perks for generals and admirals include lavish quarters, personal jets, chefs, speech writers, security details, aids and schedulers.
“What’s it going to look like if somebody sees you staying in the Ritz-Carlton … for four days and doing one hour’s worth of work?” he said.
Sounds like these officers took on the persona of politicians:eek:, instead of supporting the troops and winning wars....
Very true...I worked with a few BG's and watched the transition from "I don't need this stuff" and being slightly embarrassed, to acceptance, then expectation.
Saw this in some senior CSM's too btw.
But who will make their lunch if they take away their personal chef?
I shit you not, I got called one day to go fix a telephone problem in a 2-stars office. While I was there, a SSG brought in a tray full of food. I asked him “Where did that come from?” and his reply was the CG's chef made it in the General's Quarters kitchen and had it drove over.
At that I point I realized we had created feudal lords to rule over us!
Another General office story of Really??? We held an exercise in the Republic of Georgia a few years back. Now for those that aren’t up on the old east-bloc plumbing standards, every place we went had “squatty holes”. Well for the building our CG was going to stay in (he was there about two whole weeks) “they” had a “Commander’s Toilet” installed…and it came with a clean crew to boot! I still have the email somewhere from the G-3 that ordered everyone in the Task Force to stay away from the CGs potty!
BMT (RIP)
06-03-2013, 09:07
Hell I got turned down as a GO's driver because I didn't have blond hair and blue eye's!!
BMT
Streck-Fu
06-03-2013, 09:23
On board the carriers, the Flag mess staff consisted of a senior MS (Mess Specialist) that was sent to some fancy culinary school and, once women were allowed on as crew, any attractive MS....
I hate to be stereotypical but that trend repeated itself over 3 deployments in the late 90s....
Trapper John
06-03-2013, 09:25
But who will make their lunch if they take away their personal chef?
I shit you not, I got called one day to go fix a telephone problem in a 2-stars office. While I was there, a SSG brought in a tray full of food. I asked him “Where did that come from?” and his reply was the CG's chef made it in the General's Quarters kitchen and had it drove over.
At that I point I realized we had created feudal lords to rule over us!
Another General office story of Really??? We held an exercise in the Republic of Georgia a few years back. Now for those that aren’t up on the old east-bloc plumbing standards, every place we went had “squatty holes”. Well for the building our CG was going to stay in (he was there about two whole weeks) “they” had a “Commander’s Toilet” installed…and it came with a clean crew to boot! I still have the email somewhere from the G-3 that ordered everyone in the Task Force to stay away from the CGs potty!
I guess the Infantry motto "Follow Me" doesn't mean what it used to? :confused:
UWOA (RIP)
06-03-2013, 09:30
From the article:
Sounds like these officers took on the persona of politicians:eek:, instead of supporting the troops and winning wars....
I would prefer the phrase "leading and supporting the troops". Too much emphasis on REMFing. It started in Vietnam with multiple echelons of C&C ships hovering over the battlefield.
Whatever happened to leading by example? It's the ring knocker/WPA culture that's to blame IMHO.
.
Badger52
06-03-2013, 09:42
CJCS is gonna lean forward and set the example, right?
Tree Potato
06-03-2013, 12:02
"Lead from where the action is." - LTG Hal Moore
"The second you believe or demonstrate that you think you're better than your people, you've lost them." - MSG Jonathan Rieches, TAC, U.S. Army OCS
Where are these types of leaders at the higher levels today? :(
The list of requirements to make GO might contribute to the problem, filtering out officers focused on leadership from those more concerned with checking off blocks. Congress may recognize this, and add more rules to fix it.
ddoering
06-03-2013, 14:22
I'm sure the 1 stars will feel the brunt of this.:rolleyes:
I guess the Infantry motto "Follow Me" doesn't mean what it used to? :confused:
Follow me - I'm right behind the Engineers!
Hell I got turned down as a GO's driver because I didn't have blond hair and blue eye's!!
BMT
Uh, ok, that may have been your lucky day...lol
Follow me - I'm right behind the Engineers!
:lifter:lifter
Aint that the truth!
:lifter:lifter
Trapper John
06-04-2013, 11:38
Follow me - I'm right behind the Engineers!
REALLY??? I am decades out now, but I never dreamed that the sacred principles of leadership I learned (exemplified by "follow me") would no longer be applicable today.:(
My apologies for the apparent naivety on my part, but maybe I need to be updated to the new reality. The perspective I am seeing from the posts here are truly shocking to this FOG.
REALLY??? I am decades out now, but I never dreamed that the sacred principles of leadership I learned (exemplified by "follow me") would no longer be applicable today....................
That is an old, old statement from the 70's told to me by an old (Jeez, he must have been 35 at the time) 12B. Interplay between the Infantry and Combat Engineers.
It's a Mobility / Counter Mobility thing.
Trapper John
06-04-2013, 15:27
(Jeez, he must have been 35 at the time)
Now that is old school :D
But who will make their lunch if they take away their personal chef?
I shit you not, I got called one day to go fix a telephone problem in a 2-stars office. While I was there, a SSG brought in a tray full of food. I asked him “Where did that come from?” and his reply was the CG's chef made it in the General's Quarters kitchen and had it drove over.
At that I point I realized we had created feudal lords to rule over us!
Another General office story of Really??? We held an exercise in the Republic of Georgia a few years back. Now for those that aren’t up on the old east-bloc plumbing standards, every place we went had “squatty holes”. Well for the building our CG was going to stay in (he was there about two whole weeks) “they” had a “Commander’s Toilet” installed…and it came with a clean crew to boot! I still have the email somewhere from the G-3 that ordered everyone in the Task Force to stay away from the CGs potty!
When I was an aide I was handed a piece of paper to photocopy standing in front of the photocopy machine. I asked my boss if he knew how to use said machine. "Yup, but this is your job." Every day thereafter was a quest to endure through the rest of the job and take lessons in how not to be a leader.
the squid
06-05-2013, 11:50
As the Post SDO of a certain Maneuver TRADOC post in the south, I had to compile the mornings Early Bird Articles into a .doc with a corresponding table of contents.
All of them. So it was about 80+ pages. It didn't take that long, but it made me really wonder the reasoning behind it. It would seem easier to just read the early bird off of AKO in the morning.
Additionally, I had a BN Commander at NTC who would have his driver de-kit him as he exited his vehicle. He would literally stick his arms out and his minion would run around him taking off his elbow and knee pads, etc . . .
bailaviborita
06-05-2013, 19:59
I was sent up to fill in for the USASFC CG's aide while he went on leave for a week to get married. I had just gotten off of a team and during the orientation (I was instructed how the general liked his coffee, what things to put in the backpack that he liked that I had to carry, and how to make a haircut appointment) I got to meet the CG. Afterwards I got a phone call from his aide.
"No need to come back. He thinks your sideburns are too long," was the response. I looked in the mirror- they were regulation length- but at the time he was catching flack from the conventional side for all our guys wearing beards in Afghanistan.
I found out later that that had been an informal job application/trial- and I had failed. Thank god!!!
The Reaper
06-05-2013, 21:10
Yep, I interviewed twice, spoke my mind, and was told they'd get back to me if the General needed me.
I'm still waiting. :D
TR
Additionally, I had a BN Commander at NTC who would have his driver de-kit him as he exited his vehicle. He would literally stick his arms out and his minion would run around him taking off his elbow and knee pads, etc . . .
I know at least one sorry excuse for a human who fits this description. What a douchebag.