Military Personnel Bureaucracy Drives Out Talent

[rangerrebew]

Military Personnel Bureaucracy Drives Out Talent
by Breaking Defense

SWJ Blog Post | March 21, 2017 - 4:52am


    Pouring hundreds of billions into pay and benefits has not and cannot solve the military’s personnel problems. Despite spending 50 percent more per servicemember since 9/11, the services are short everything from cyber specialists to pilots, medics, nuclear engineers, and Arabic speakers. Spending more and more isn’t just unsustainable: It’s ineffective.

    Instead, argues a new study from the Bipartisan Policy Center, the armed forces can enjoy both higher morale and greater skills, without spending more money — if they stop the profoundly counterproductive personnel bureaucracy from actively turning away talent, kicking it out, or making its life sufficiently miserable that it quits.

http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/military-personnel-bureaucracy-drives-out-talent

[Joe Wooten]

I've seen this personally with my oldest son who spent 10 years in the Marine Corps as an infantryman (0311). His body was worn out from carrying loads and training injuries, yet the bureaucrats denied him an administrative position because he was not "qualified" for any, even though he could have been re-trained fairly cheaply. He's out now and is a dive master and instructor in Key West.

[Joe Wooten]

I think they do not want combat vets in these positions. Makes the professional pogues ashamed to be around them.

[skeeter]

Stop integrating women into combat positions, re-institute don't ask don't tell. Your problem is 75% solved.

[SZonian]

Green Dot, SAPR, Course 14/15, endless demands on "personal" time, political cowreckness run amok, SNCOs and Officers who are incapable or unwilling to do right by their charges and instead focus on careers, etc., etc.

There's a lot more to it once you start scratching the surface...

A "no mistake" military...even the smallest of mistakes/errors/events can lead to dismissal or denial of re-enlistment.  I spent 20+ years in, made a few mistakes in my time and took my medicine and didn't repeat them.  Not now, I would have been out after 4 years if I had made those very same errors in judgment today. 

The difference?  I had supervisors who gave a damn and taught me.  I in turn did the same for my charges once I became an NCO/SNCO.

The US military has lost its way...especially in the USAF.  Leaders, real leaders are a rare commodity anymore.

[driftdiver]

Green Dot, SAPR, Course 14/15, endless demands on "personal" time, political cowreckness run amok, SNCOs and Officers who are incapable or unwilling to do right by their charges and instead focus on careers, etc., etc.

There's a lot more to it once you start scratching the surface...

A "no mistake" military...even the smallest of mistakes/errors/events can lead to dismissal or denial of re-enlistment.  I spent 20+ years in, made a few mistakes in my time and took my medicine and didn't repeat them.  Not now, I would have been out after 4 years if I had made those very same errors in judgment today. 

The difference?  I had supervisors who gave a damn and taught me.  I in turn did the same for my charges once I became an NCO/SNCO.

The US military has lost its way...especially in the USAF.  Leaders, real leaders are a rare commodity anymore.

@SZonian

I spent 10 years in the Air Force and I'd agree with everything you said.  Final straw was when the Capt. ordered me to apologize to the #$!@# in my shop who was making obscene phone calls to my wife.

My public apology included a threat to gut him and leave him to die on the side of the mountain.

[SZonian]

I think they do not want combat vets in these positions. Makes the professional pogues ashamed to be around them.

Yep, we call 'em "nonners"...not "professional" anything except at making the lives of those who actually are the "boots on the ground" miserable.

They puff themselves up continuously justifying their actions as necessary.

[SZonian]

@SZonian

I spent 10 years in the Air Force and I'd agree with everything you said.  Final straw was when the Capt. ordered me to apologize to the #$!@# in my shop who was making obscene phone calls to my wife.

My public apology included a threat to gut him and leave him to die on the side of the mountain.

@driftdiver

Oh hell no!  I've heard of events like this, but never first hand...cowardly, if not complicit.

[driftdiver]

@driftdiver

Oh hell no!  I've heard of events like this, but never first hand...cowardly, if not complicit.

I had spent 3 years in remote sites including what was called a air combat squadron positioned at an Army post.  Coming back to Cheyenne Mtn I was working with guys who had never left the states.

A retired officer later told me the Capt was probably afraid i would take it up the chain and embarrass him.

[SZonian]

I had spent 3 years in remote sites including what was called a air combat squadron positioned at an Army post.  Coming back to Cheyenne Mtn I was working with guys who had never left the states.

A retired officer later told me the Capt was probably afraid i would take it up the chain and embarrass him.

Most likely...I once worked for a SQ/CC who was like that.  The name that shall not be repeated essentially tried to "fire" me from a special duty assignment because I didn't give up on fixing a problem jet and used unorthodox methods to do so.  I believe to this day, that I embarrassed him with my efforts because he had even brought in a "Tiger Team" from outside organizations to evaluate what my team had done to that point and they were very supportive of our efforts.