Tell us how you really feel, Colonel
As a general rule, when serving military officers decide to place their opinions on the public record, they write in hyper-cautious military-speak that appears designed to conceal any sort of original insight. So thank you, Col. Lawrence Sellin, for being an exception to the rule. Sellin, a staff officer in ISAF Joint Command in Kabul, sounds like he had a Very Bad Day at the office, and then returned home to pen a screed against the work being done at headquarters.
Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing. Col. Sellin sounds like he has a future career as a pundit -- which, come to think of it, may soon come in handy. (H/T Ghosts of Alexander)
As a general rule, when serving military officers decide to place their opinions on the public record, they write in hyper-cautious military-speak that appears designed to conceal any sort of original insight. So thank you, Col. Lawrence Sellin, for being an exception to the rule. Sellin, a staff officer in ISAF Joint Command in Kabul, sounds like he had a Very Bad Day at the office, and then returned home to pen a screed against the work being done at headquarters.
For headquarters staff, war consists largely
of the endless tinkering with PowerPoint slides to conform with the
idiosyncrasies of cognitively challenged generals in order to
spoon-feed them information. Even one tiny flaw in a slide can halt a
general's thought processes as abruptly as a computer system's blue
screen of death.
The ability to brief well is, therefore, a
critical skill. It is important to note that skill in briefing resides
in how you say it. It doesn't matter so much what you say or even if
you are speaking Klingon.
Random motion, ad hoc processes and an in-depth knowledge of Army
minutia and acronyms are also key characteristics of a successful staff
officer. Harried movement together with furrowed brows and appropriate
expressions of concern a la Clint Eastwood will please the generals. Progress in the war is optional.
Do yourself a favor and read the whole thing. Col. Sellin sounds like he has a future career as a pundit -- which, come to think of it, may soon come in handy. (H/T Ghosts of Alexander)
