Opinion: Leadership

Submitted by Bill Reynolds, Spur 16:

Where Have All My Heroes Gone?

Colonel (Ret) Sam W. Floca Jr.

Most of you have seen and many no doubt own copies of the HBO Mini-Series, “Band of Brothers,” the epic of small unit combat (and leadership) based on the late Stephen Ambrose’s best seller. But, are you aware that Dick Winters, the company commander and central figure in these works, published his own book in 2006? Entitled “Beyond Band of Brothers,” it was co-authored by USMA Professor and Historian, Colonel Cole Kingseed. I strongly recommend it. Not only for its insights but as he corrects the “editorial license” inflicted on the truth by Hollywood. Dick Winters crossed over the river in 2011, rejoining the majority of his mates from Company E, 506th PIR.

Like most professional warriors, I have my own pantheon of personal heroes (including the late Dick Winters) – generals from the history books; and from my time in service. The latter are men I knew would not throw my life away on the battlefield nor break their word to my soldiers during peacetime. In other words, men I trusted. Several of them are reading this.

We all know that during our years of service more than one general, colonel, and command sergeant major had a moral lapse and either got away with it or was slipped quietly off the stage for the “good of the service.” Some, but not many, were publically called to task for their actions. Many of you also know there was a period when I should have been thrown out. For well over a decade, I was a bona fide practicing alcoholic and while I managed to dodge the wrath of my superiors, my off duty conduct was disgraceful and my personal life a shambles. When I got sober in 1980 and took stock of my personal transgressions, the hardest thing for me to do was look old friends and commanders in the eye – but I did; I tried to make amends and these noble gentlemen took me at my word. Many fine generals, from Dick Cavazos to Joe Owens, also took a big risk in standing by me when I returned from my voluntary commitment to the Navy’s Rehab facility.

I wrote of my personal transgressions because I want to make it crystal clear than I’m no “holier than thou” type. I know personal shame firsthand. But, what we are seeing and reading about now – the public disgrace of Generals Ward and Petraeus, as well as generals of lesser rank – one under courts-martial right now at Bragg for sex related offenses – is a far cry from an isolated indiscretion by a general or one tormented artillery officer who drank too much in his younger days.

For the first time in my life, I fear for our army. Something is not as it should be. To hear pundits say “well, Ike had affairs, Clinton had Monika, etc.” is dodging the problem. I think the cancer is far deeper than that.

I was appalled when the Army’s leadership stood by and allowed the Obama administration to term the terrorist attack at Fort Hood as “work place violence.” General Casey, then Chief of Staff, was even quoted as saying we couldn’t allow “diversity” to become a casualty in the wake of the blatant terrorist act of Major Hassan. I live right here where he did all his killing and I’m betting no verdict will ever be handed down by a military court, federal maybe, but not military. But, the army doesn’t seem to be having any trouble proceeding rapidly with capital murder charges against the Sergeant who murdered all those Afghan villagers earlier this year. But, he was just a Christian nut case.

When General McChrystal was relieved for his staff’s alleged inappropriate comments about the Commander-in-Chief and other civilian leaders, he was accorded a full retirement honors ceremony at Fort McNair with remarks by General Casey and Secretary Gates. For Christ sake! The man was relieved of a field command in wartime. And, he obviously wasn’t the ideal “mentor.”

From what I’ve read recently I seriously doubt the Chairman Dempsey’s commitment to the Constitution. He calls retired Seals just another special interest group for their video criticizing the President for his administration’s leaks in the aftermath of killing Bin Laden. And, Dempsey’s phone call to a preacher in Florida over the “elusive video” has both First Amendment and separation of Church and State issues which give me chills. He also opposed the SecDef’s decision to bust Kip Ward one star. He should have been leading the charge to bust my old friend Kip, not lobbying to ease his fall from grace. But now, Secretary Panetta is directing Dempsey to take a look at the status of senior leadership. The fox just got hired to guard the henhouse. (Washington Post, Nov 15).

As for the Benghazi disaster, the Ambassador was living on borrowed time the day the military site security teams were pulled out on orders from the State Department. If LTC Wood and his team had been there, the Ambassador would be alive today. Not only did the AFRICOM CINC and his military superiors not go to the mat with State, I have yet to hear that the military, after the pull out, did its most basic of tasks – contingency planning. With the collapse of the Arab spring and the resultant danger to all our diplomatic posts along the North African littoral Americans were at risk. While it may be the mission of the host nation to provide external security for our embassies, it is only prudent that the respective CINCs have contingency Oplans ready, especially during such “sensitive” time windows as 9-11 and in countries where the Arab “spring” has turned to “winter.” Once the State Department reduced the security in Libya it should have signaled an intense planning effort and the identification of air, sea, and land forces to be in a quick response mode. There is, as of today, no evidence that was done. To the contrary. We are told there was nothing the military could do. BS. The result was the burning of the Stars & Stripes in Cairo and four dead Americans patriots in Benghazi.

I never met David Petraeus but the pedestal I had prepared for him on crumbled with the recent revelations. I wouldn’t trust that man with my PayPal password, let alone the responsibility for running the CIA. Why should any serving General Officer or occupant of a cabinet level position even be cooperating on a biography? Has the cult of celebrity trumped honor, professionalism and duty?

And, I couldn’t even get this “rant” finished before this mess with General Allen and the FBI broke. This lady in Florida, Mrs. Kelley, with her “Honorary Consul” license plate, strikes me as little more than a rock band groupie. How can senior officers be so blind when it comes to parasites like her? Now, as of this morning, it seems that Petraeus has changed his story on the Benghazi attack. We will never get all the answers to this cover up which I believe reaches the Oval Office.

I am troubled not only by the conduct of these officers but am equally disturbed by the self-imposed silence of senior officers in deference to their civilian masters. No, I am not calling for disobedience. What I keep waiting for is the general who knows he cannot or should not do what he has been ordered and then has the moral courage to hand in his resignation and, with his Congressman beside him (to ensure press coverage), stand before the cameras and say, “I tendered my resignation today as I was no longer able to carry out the orders I was given.”

So, what does my personal rant have to do with Dick Winters’ book? I think it should be required reading for every new officer in the United States Army and for every General currently on active duty. Maybe the Chief of Staff will add it to his much hyped professional development Military History reading list. The current one seems to have some flaws.

For Dick Winters’ thoughts on what makes a good leader. I quote, beginning on page 284,

“I would offer a series of principles that I am certain would result in great success…..First and foremost, a leader should strive to be an individual of flawless character, technical competence, and moral courage…. You start with a cornerstone—honesty—and from there you build character. If you have character, that means the guy you are dealing with can trust you….Character provides a leader with a moral compass that focuses his efforts on the values we cherish: courage, honesty, selflessness, and respect for our fellow man…The bottom line is that leaders have entrusted to them the most precious commodity this country possesses; the lives of America’s sons and daughters.”

Please God, let there be men and women out there in uniform who measure up to that humble paratrooper’s standards; and give them the strength to save our military and prove worthy of the fine warriors they must lead into battle.

SAMUEL W. FLOCA JR.

Colonel, USA, Retired

16 November 2012

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